The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-04-19
DIPLOMATS SCORED
BY CONGRESSMAN
Ambassadors White, Reid and
Tower Declared TO Be
Too Lavish
Legation Secretary at London
Compared by Harrison to
white Rabbit

WASHINGTON. April 1S.--In the
course Of a brief explanation Of the
diplomatic and consular bill in the
house today Cousins of Iowa. chairman
OF the committee on foreign AFFAIRS.
referred particularly 70 the consular
service and the inadequate provision
for the care Of our consuls Ameri-
can consuls. he declared. were in many
Instances living in out of the way
places ia the cities 10 which they are
accredited not consistent with the gov
eminent they represented The furni-
ture IN most OF the buildings. he said,
p'ss old and dilapidateo- But. he
added. i do not admit Lhat our service
n inferior TO any in the world
Speaking 10 a proforma amendment,
Fiarrison OF New York condemned the
practice appointing men OF great wealth
10 represent the United States abroad.
K did not necessarily follow, he said.
that because a man was rich he would
not make a good ambassador. and he
cited Joseph Choate and Whitelaw
Reid. Referring TO the Hill incident"
Harrison said that If lavish expendi
ture OF American money creates such
:an lnordinate appetite for American
luxury among minor officials of the
Berlin court as 10 bring humiliation
.pon The head OF one OF the most dis
unguished and capable OF American
public servants. then / would like to
IAN s halt and apply a remedy which
has been suggested of the governments
providing homes for its diplomats" For
clSn governments. he said. criticised
-Ihe American representatives as shirt
sleeve diplomats" Shirt sleeves. he
declared. while not attractive. were a
good costume to work in. land a good
costume 10 fight in If need be-
Harrison however fpnounred the
growing tendency to select dinner
table or dietetic diplomats One Of
these, lie said, was Ambassador White
II Paris and he criticised him for ap-
pearing, as had been reported. at func-
lions in court costume and knicker-
bockers in violation OF law on the
subject
Harrison said that the first secretary
~ London was a good example Of the
type being appointed
LIKE WHITE RABBIT
While very amiable gentleman.
Harrison said. he reminds one ire
sistibiy OF the white rabbit IN Alice
in Wonderland, and as he scuttles
through the London drawing rooms one
c1n almost picture him saying: Oh.
TIE duchess. the duchess: oh. my furs
and whiskers I shall be late.
The reference TO Ambassador White
by Harrison was resented by. Mccall.
Hitchcock, Bennett and Parsons. each
0f whom testified 10 the unfailing cour-
tesy and attention 70 duty OF not only
Ambassador White. but his first sec
rotary. as we'll Hitchcock asserted
that White was most democratic and
plain N. his habits and most repre-
sentative of the American spirit Of
diplomacy.
Underwood Of Alabama opposed large
salaries in order that American dipio-
mats might maintain q social standard.
but he was in favor OF salaries suff1-
GENTLY large TO enable them 10 prop
erly maintain the dignity Of their
Offices.
Does the gentleman believe" in
Quired Longworth. that Mr.. Bryce. the
present AMBASSADOR of Great Britain to
the United States. lives with any undue
ostentationg-
Underwood protested that he had no
means Of knowing He had he said.
met Bryce only twice, but IL was his
opinion that Bryce had not received
in his home 10 per cent Of the members
OF congress.
Champ Clark of Missouri created
laughter when he referred TO the law
ishness OF the entertainment of the
duke Of Bedford. There were, he said,
only two men IN the United States who
could vie with him. the Rockefellers
and that man out in Wisconsin, who
owns all the timber
Discussing the subject OF the display
OF wealth by some American diplomats
Mann read q newspaper dispatch from
Berlin containing an announcement of
the flower ball given by Ambassador
Tower last January in which the gor-
geOusness Of the then coming event
was described
WHAT WOULD TOWER DO
What would the Towers do with the
commonplace embassy building we
would provide2" he asked. Would the
Towers live in the same embassy that
DR.. Hin would live IMP"
Il would compel them TO do SO.
lands asserted with emphasis.
Slayden Of Texas denounced the &C
cent sale Ia New York by Mrs. conger.
widow Of the former minister - China.
Of valuable collection OF loot tskeli.
he said, from the imperial palace OF
Peking following the siege Of that cap
itsl He charged that the goods were
all stolen in the first place. but that
that fact had not deferred Mrs. ConGer
from gathering the collection 1t was.
he said, transaction sufficient to
shock the morals Of any civilized
country.