The Washington times., 1910-05-31
UtteranceS at New York
Banquet May Cause
Envoy Regret.
REFERS TO GAYNOR
AS NEXT PRESIDENT
Credited With Having Committed
Sad Breach of Diplomatic
Etiquet.
By JAMES HAY, .Ir.

II Herman de LagercranCs. 4. r. and
NJ. p. the initials signifying that he is
the Swedish minister 20 the United
States. said what the newspapers say
he said about Mayor Gaynor in New
York last night, he may regret it for
the rest OF his life.
Whether or not he is given ample
opportunity to reflect on the evils Of
garrulity in a town where the news
paper reporters are wide-awake. will
depend on whether the Department c.
state is kindly and forgiving or in
dignant and insistent that diplomatic
etiquet be observed
Mr.. LagercrantZ, according 10 the
newspaper dispatches. arose 70 his feet
last night and said that the Swedish
singing societies, which had given a
banquet and heard a speech from Gay
nor, had heard from our future Presi-
dent" He did not say much In length,
but. inspired 10 prophecy by the bril-
liancy OF the scene. the glitter Of cut
glass, the snowy whtteness OF hne dam
ask, the strains Of sweet music and that
air OF comfort which rests upon any
room filed with heet-footed walters, he
followed Mayor Gayuor and said.
we have heard from our present
President. We have heard from our past
Preslden, and tonight YOU have heard
from OuI future President
Applause Elected.
Having, in these few well chosen re-
marks. nominated. elected, and f1augu-
rated NJ Gaynor President OF the
United States, Mr.. Lagercrantz sat
down IN his chair amid a burs- OF ap-
plause.
II is known TO those who affect
diplomacy. 10 those who carry about
with them the secrets Of the nations,
and 10 those who daily with world
shaking mysteries with ease and grace
that no representative OF a foreign coun-
try Is supposed 10 come TO the United
states and mix in the boiling pot Of
In fact. the supposltion is just the
other way There are too many hard
working and deserving stump speakers
always looking for a job; there are too
Ciceros 70 permit Of foreign diplomats
hogging the privilege Of booming future
Presidents.
IN the good and golden days Of old.
representatives Of foreign countries have
been presented with their tickets back
10 Europe and have not been provided
with the return farc-and they received
this emphatic attention for speaking
their minds n regard to the political
affairs OF the United States. Such a
thing has happened more than once 1t
was regretted BY the State Department
and by the gentlemen who felt OBLIGED
10 60 back hCme-bUt Il was done with
a fne disregard for personal feelings and
a strict construction Of rule No Jos,
governing the customs Of diplomats.
Barred From Politics.
Diplomats may drink tea. attend re-
ceptions. juggle big secrets. and heed
the rumble Of distant drums-but they
may not carry wards and elect Prcsi-
dents They may break the automobile
speed laws but they NAV not run herds
OF candidates into the White House
At the State Department today there
u as an air Of settled melancholy when
the utterance OF the envoy extraordin-
ary and minister plenipotentiarv from
Sweden was mentioned The atmospher,.
was not strictly fUnereal, but Il was
CoUstructively sad. There was no creue
in evidence, but It might have been en-
tirely possible that a covev OF grave
dlggers was Secreted in the basement.
In other words the Secretary of State
d his assistants have not yet decided
whether they viii ask for the recall
Of Mr. LagerCTantZ. If they do ask
for ii, they Will get II. according to
those sacred pTecedents which have
been made in dealing with other diplO-
mats who became too taIkative
1t is regarded as a maxim among the
diplomats and over the teacups that
conversation at banquetS Is a dangerous
thing.