The National tribune., 1911-02-16
HOUSING OUR AMBASSADORS
CONTINUED from page one.)

the Government can easily obtain 8
suitable embassy building at London
| for 100000, but of course, a mar
of Mr.. Reids wealth will not be anX-
ious to move into residence of that
| cost. There will be nothing to prevent
| our ambassadors from renting spIen-
| did country places, but they must live
| in the town houses that the Govern
ment provides.
1t will be TO easy task to get ar
embassy building in London, but 1t is
quite certain that the State Depart
suitable freehold in the residence
| section of that city. Such a house
| was available not long ago. but the
Government was in no position to pur-
chase. Most of the desirable resi-
| dence property in London can be ac-
quired only on the 99-year ground rent
plan. The United States will make
| purchases only where it can get a per-
feet title in fee simple.
An Embassy at Berlin.
Perhaps one of the first efforts will
be to obtain an embassy at Berlin, for
ambassador David ]. Hill is a poor
man, and has had his troubles obtain
ing suitable residence that would be
within his income and his salary of
s17,500 a year. But in such case
as well as in all others under the new
raw eStiifldteS fluSC De IOTW3FUeQ TTSt
to Congress. The act just completed
provides that no more than $4,000
shall be expended at any one place.
However, it is said at the Capitol thai
there should be little difficulty now in
obtaining the consent of Congress to
use all of the 100000 appropriation
of one year to purchase an embassy
at London, Berlin, Rome, Vienna, or St.
Petersburg.
Those are the chief posts to which
very rich men have been appointed.
President Taft has all along been OPP
posed to nominating multi millionaires
as ambassadors and the faster the APP
preparations can be applied to pur-
chases in these capitals the more rap
idly the necessity of nominating rich
men can be eliminated.
Other Embassies.
The limit Of cost of $4,000 will
probably be sufficient for embassies
at Rio Janeiro, Mexico, Tokyo and one
or two other capitals where we have
representatives of Embassadorial rank.
1t is unlikely, however, that much of
the appropriations will be used for
South American or for Asiatic capitals
for the present. Our representatives
at those capitals are paid all the way
from $4,000 to s17,500. and, while
they are able to save little, if any
thing, out of their salaries, the cost
of maintaining their establishments is
small as compared with similar estab-
lishments in Europe. Our legations
at Brussels, Copenhagen, Athens, The
Hague, Christiana, Tangier, Madrid,
Stockholm and Berne will probably be
provided with Government buildings
before the South American capitals are
considered. Four or five of these le-
cations could probably be housed in
buildings owned by the United States
under each annual appropriation.
Naturally every one of the American
Ministers at these European capitals
during the next twelve months will be
calling the attention of the State De-
partment to very desirable properties
that can be had at bargain prices if
snapped up quickly.
In the course of decade nearly all
our diplomats abroad should be pro-
vided for. and at every session of Con-
gress more or less will be heard about
needed appropriations to carry out the
provisions of the Lodge-Longworth law
The Government already owns an en-
bassy at Constantinople and a legation
building at Pekin, so that the impend-
ing purchases will by no means be in
The larger European gov
ernments long ago embarked upon the
project Of furnishing such buildingsI
free to the men who serve as Embas-
sailors and Ministers.
Officials of the State Department will
first look over the situation and inl
the course of months ascertain where
reasonable purchases can be made
BY the time Congress convenes next
year, the Secretary of State should
have specific recommendations to make
and in the meantime will probably have
conducted bargain or two up to the
point where only an appropriation of
FUNDS Is necessary to complete thel
transfer. But there will be necessary
much scrutiny in perfecting titles
The Government Is a great stickler in
those matters. 1t requires about one
year to obtain a satisfactory title for
a postoffice site, and it may take even
longer to complete the papers for OBJ
tanning possession to any of these prop
critics. which, for the first time in
Dur history. will make Unole Sam a
holder of realty in foreign
lands.