The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-03-03
UNCLE SAM As
A HOUSE HUNTER
RRsrpENoEs WANTED m EVERY
CRY WHERE o. s, REPREsHN-
NATIVES ARE STATIONED
By Ernest a. Walker.

UuAAuiuEb III Aoftikn GUuhttANd hcAAn
that the state department win soon
have q big house hunting expedition to
face. This government has ten am
bassadors and some thirty odd ministers
residing abroad, very large portion
of whom will hope to be early benef-
Charles of the recent enactment. The
measure, that Senator Lodge Of Massa-
chusetts, and others have been urging
for many years, win be on the Presi-
dent q desk this week for signature.
1t authorizes an expenditure of not
more than 100000 annually.
Our wealthy ambassadors at Euro
pean capitals will be in no haste to
urge the government to purchase en-
bassies for them Ambassador White.
law Reid pays about 5000 pounds ster-
ling annually for Dorchester House, let
alone about 5000 pounds more for Wrest
Park, his country home. Senators of
the foreign relations committee say the
government can easily obtain suitable
embassy building at London for $780,
600 but, Of course man Of Mr.. Reid
wealth will not be anxious to move
into a residence of that cost. There
will be nothing to prevent our ambassa-
doris renting splendid country places
but they must live in the town houses
that the government provides.
London Real Estate Scarce
It win be no easy task to get an
embassy building in London but it is.
quite certain that the state department
will institute early inquiries for suit
able freehold in the residence section
of that city. Such house was avail
able not long ago but the government
was in no position to purchase. Most
\ - L.. 49,. =,
T London can be acquired only on the
99-year ground rent plan. The United
States will make no purchases only
where it can get a perfect title in fee
simple.
= Berlip's Poor ambassador.
Perhaps one Of the first efforts will
be to obtain an embassy at Berlin,
for Ambassador David j. Hill is a poor
man and has had his troubles obtain
ing suitable residence that would be
within his income and his salary of
$17 500 a year. But in such case, as
well as in all Others under the new
law, estimates must be forwarded first
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 that
there should be little difficulty now in
obtaining the consent of congress to
use all of the 100000 appropriation
of one year to purchasing an embassy
at London, Berlin, Rome, Vienna, or
St. Petersburg. So ~
Those are the chief posts to which
very rich men have been appointed
President Taft has all along been OPP
posed to nominating multimillionaires
as ambassadors and the faster the ap-
preparations can be applied to pur-
chases in these capitals the more rapid
ly the necessity Of nominating rich
men can be eliminated.
Europe First.
The limit of cost of $150,000 viii
probably be sufficient for embassies at
Rio Janeiro, Mexico Toxic and one or
two other capitals where we have rep
resentatives of ambassadorial rank. 1t
is unlikely, however, that much of the
appropriations viii 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 $17,500 and, while they
are able to save little, if anything, ont
of their salaries the cost of maintain
ing their establishments is small as
compared with similar establishments
in Europe. Our legations at Brussels,
Copenhagen, Athens, The Hague, Chris
tiania, Tangier, Teheran, Madrid, Stock
holm and Berne, win probably be pro-
vided with government buildings before
the South American capitals are con,
sidered -Four or five of these Legations
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 atten-
tion of the state department 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 win be heard about
needed appropriations to carry out the
provisions of the Lodge Longworth
law. The government already owns an
embassy at Constantinople and a lega-
ton building at Picking, so that the i'm.
pending purchases win by no means be
innovations. The larger European
governments long ago embarked upon
the project of furnishing such build
ings free to the men who serve as am
bassadors and ministers.
Officials of the state department will
first look over the situation and in
the course Of months ascertain where
reasonable purchases can be made. BY
the time congress conyenes next year
the secretary Of state should have spe
eifc Recommendations to make and in
the meantime will probably have con
Quoted bargain or two up to the point
where only an appropriation Of the
funds Is necessary to complete the
transfer. But there win be necessary
much scrutiny in perfeeting titles. Thu
government Is great stickler in those
matters. II requires about one year
TO obtain Satisfactory title for q
postoiiice site and II may take even
longer 10 complete the papers for oh
tanning possession 10 any of these prop
critics, which. for the first time n oul
history, .aill make Uncle Sam o con
siderable holder Of realty IN foreign