Arizona republican., 1910-03-25
WOMEN TESTER DIPLOMATS.
They Can't Be Reasoned With, Says
 an Ex-Minister.

The man who represents this gov ernment at a foreign court often has his work cut out for him by his fellow countrymen," said the retired diplomat [, and if anybody with diplomatic aspi- rations thinks that the post of min ister is all beer and skittles or cham pagne and pate de foie gras he has several more reflections coming his way.
 It is the American woman that gives the trouble. She invariably turns up with some impossible request. and if you don't at least make it appear that you are trying to do what she wishes she comes down upon you with threats. l fiSuratively lost my job many times in this way The American man who approaches you usually can be req soned with.
 "A few years ago when I was repre- senting this country at the capital of one of the smaller countries of Europe I was sitting in the inner office of the legation when ] heard the outer door slammed and then the inner door was torn open. I arose to confront d middle aged female, tourist with Baedeker in one hand and lunch bag in the other.
 You the American minister?' she demanded.
 Yes. madam I replied meekly.
 Well. I want to get into the palace to look around
 But, madam I replied. that is i'm possible. The sovereign is away, and f,, ,-f bo is.. ..ta it is never open to the public
 "I don't care she returned. Here I've come all the way to this here place to see the sights. and the palace is one of them. What is your job here. anyway? Is it to help Americans do things they want to do over here? Now know pretty well that if you only wanted to you could get the key to that palace door and take me up to see it.
 Well she kept it up on these lines for ten minutes and simply wouldn't accept my explanation. To get rid of her I had finally to tell her that she was wasting my time, and she went out threatening what she was going to have the president do to me
 But the man from home with q tale of distress is the great baue of the American minister and consul. and if they are sympathetic they can easily get rid of a lot of their salary by en- deavoring to respond to such appeals. There are lots of Americans in Europe who make a business of living on the public. Generally they are not native born Americans. but Europeans who have lived here long enough to get a passport.
 There was a fellow who dropped in to my legation one day who said he was from Virginia. He wore hand some overcoat and new kid gloves. He showed me his instructions from a mining company to proceed to Europe and sell stock and telling that he would find> money in his name at a certain bany in that city.
 But do you know I went to the bank he said, and my money has not arrived Here I am with a wife on my hands. She is i'll and we have no money
 His appearance impressed me. He looked all right, but as I had found 1t necessary to make a rule never to give any money in such case I simply off, fered to pay for a cable to his com pany in New York I did so. but there was no response. Well. I then paid for the board of himself and his wife for two or three days. and then this fel- low went to see the secretary of the British society of the place and enlist