The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-02-28
NO RULE 10 GUIDE.
OFFICIAL TITLES 4 DIFFICULTY
FOR THE UkllNiTiATED. -
Changes Made in the Forms Of Ad.
dressing the President and 9th
ers in High Position-"con-
gresham" Not Used. s!

gressman" Not Used.
Should l address him as Your Elk
cellency,' as Mr.. President or as
just PRESIDENT"
I'm sure l don't know. Just muir
muir President and guess he won't
know the difference"
This conversation, overheard at one
OF the White House receptions, is in.
dicative of the difficulty with titles
encountered by visitors to the ma
tional capital. Nor is there any print
cd guide to follow. These things must
lie learned from well-postcd friends
or mistakes will be made.
In We olden times no one evel
thought OF addressing the chief en-
ccutive of the United States less for
n1aHy than as Your Excellency." but
that expression is new re,egated 10
the list OF things that were. 'ccIr. Pres
dent" is. the correct form, both il
speaking and writing. Mr.. Roosevelt
has even eliminated 1.-THE Executive
Mansion as the name CT the pres,
dents official residence, and his Sc
tionery bears the simple inscription:
The White House"
1t is not only with the title of the
chief executive that the uninitiated
find difficulty, for there arc many
forms to be learned. For instance,
cabinet officers are not addressed as
Secretary Root" or Secretary Gar.
field" but as "Mr. Secretary" On the
other hand, senators are address sed by
their titles, as Senator Lodge" sen.
ator Hale" A few people prefix "Nr.'
saving Mr.. Senator" but it is not
considered as necessary, and by some
is pronounced an affectation..
Polite usasse requires, invariably. the
supreme court. For instance, one ad-
dresses the chief justice as MIR. Chief
Justice" and the associate justices as
MIR. Justice although in making an
introduction one would add the name,
as: "Mr. Justice White"
The rule which applies to the presi.
dent applies also to the vice-president
and to foreign ministers, who are ad.
dressed as "Mr. Minister" but in the
case of ambassadors the form "Your
E:.cellency," is used except where one
is reasonably we'll acquainted, when
the simpler 'Mr. Ambassador" is
adopted, and in every instance one
or the other, of these terms is used
instead of the diplomats personal ii.
tie of baron, count, or whatever it
may be.
Throughout the government ser.
vice there are officials who are ad.
dressed by their titles with the prefix
Mr." such as the civil service com.
missioners, the interstate commerce
commissioners, the controller of the
treasury, and it is; always safe when
in doubt to so address a man who
holds public Office.
With members of the house the
simple Mr." should be used. and
not congressman which is regard.
ed as provincial, despite the fact that
President Roosevelt is apt to use that
form. There are some members of the
lower house of congress who like ia
be addressed as congressman" and
it is probably in Difference to such
preference that the president has
adopted that expression. The speaker
of the house is always addressed as
Mr.. Speaker"
Army and navy circles also presen,
no little confusion because of the con
flict between official titles and social
usage. For instance. those who know
never address socially a lieutenan,
by his title, despite the fact that he is
so designated in the army register
and is so addressed by his brother
officer when on official business. He
is simply "Mr. Smith," or whatever
his name may be. and receives his
title in the social world only when
he reaches the grade of captain. But
you may object, every one refers tc
and addresses the leader of the Ma
rine Band as Lieutenant Santelmann.
Very true, and that is because Lieu
tenant Santelmann is not commits
stoned officer. He receives the title
by virtue Of his position as leader
of the Marine Band, which carries
with it the rank of lieutenant, and
therefore every officer whether speak
ing socially or officially. is punctilious
to use the title. And so, too. is the
same care exercised by every officer
Should he have occasion socially tt
sneak to or communicate with an on
listed man of any arm of the military
service, TO address him by his ranl
alone, as: Sergeant" Corporal,
Private"