Gilpin observer., 1908-02-13
INVITE THE WEARY mo RULE TO GUIDE
OFFICIAL TITLES A DIFFICULTY
FOR THE UNINITIATED.
Changes Made In the Forms Of Ad-
dressing the President and 9th
ers in High Position-"Con-
gressman" Not Used.

Should I address him as Your Ex-
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
ed guide to follow. These things must
be learned from well-posted friends,
or mistakes will be made.
In ye olden times no one ever
thought of addressing the chief ex-
ecutive of the United States less for
mally than as your Excellency," but
that expression Is now relegated to
the list of things that were. "Mr. Presi-
dent" is the correct form, both in
speaking and writing Mr.. Roosevelt
has even eliminated "The Executive
Mansion" as the name of the presi
dents official residence, and his sta
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 are 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 addressed By
their titles, as Senator Lodge" Sen
ota 10 fou
saying "Mr. Senator" but it Is not
considered as necessary, and by some
is pronounced an affectation.
Polite usage requires, invariably, the
prefix to the titles of members of the
supreme court. For instance, one ad-
dresses the chief justice as "Mr. Chief
Justice" and the associate justices as
Mr.. 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
Excellency." 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 tt
tie of baron, count, or whatever 1t
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 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 to
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 present
no little confusion because of the CON
fiict between official titles and social
usage. For instance, those who know
never address socially a lieutenant
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 to
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 carrier
I. with it the rank Of lieutenant, and
therefore every officer whether speak
: ing socially or officially, is punctiliom
to use the title. And so, too. is TIN
4 same care exercised by every officer
should he have occasion socially u
3 speak to or communicate with an en-
I listed man of any arm OF the militar1
+ service, to address him by his ranl
:. alone, as: Sergeant" Corporal
Private
Cat with knowledge Of Music.