Arizona republican., 1913-07-08
FOREIGN FLAGS
 IN THE LISA.
Some Information Brought Out at Tucson by the Re moval of the Flag from the Mexican Consulate Last Week

A few days ago. some boys at ! mischief or with an overcharge Of patriotism removed the flao from the Mexican consulate there. TO them It appeared inappropriate that a foreign flag should be floating in American air about Fourth of .IuIv time The matter was regarded as of so great international moment that representations were made in Wash ington regarding the episode. The removal of the flag has brought out some interesting information re- garding the status of foreign flags according to the following from the Arizona Star:
 rights which warrant or justify him in raising the flag of his nation over his consular offices unless such q privilege is especially accorded him by treaty provision. was the state ment yesterday of General Thomas F. Wilson. While expressing regret at the hauling down of the Mexican flag from the office of AIejandro Ainslie on the morning of the Fourth Of July and rebuking those who com mitted the act, he says that the contention of MT. Ainslie that his office is Mexican territory is erro- neous. That is an exterritorial right that attaches only to the office of 2 minister or ambassador. as the general explains. ''by some fiction of international law"
 General Wilson was in the Ameri- can consular service about twenty four years and his opinion on the of itatife He served as American con- Canada. As consul to Brazil he fig ured in the famous Florida incident" which came near involving this cOun- try with England but out of which the general came with a promotion and substantial increase in salary. In the same mail with his recall as consul to the Brazilian port, he re ceived notice of appointment to the position of consul general in Canada.
 General Wilson's opinion of the issue involved in the flag incident of Friday morning is follows:
 Under international law a con suIate is not part of the territory of the country of the consulate. No such claim is ever made for a con sulate A consul cannot fly the flag O residence, or put the consular coat Of arms over the consulate entrance, without treaty stipulatiOns authoriZ- ing it or the consent of the govern ment in which the consulate is sit uated
 Permission to display the flag or consular coat of arms is not matter Of right. though it is usually accorded and is often provided for by treaty. TTs,iallv all a consular office may claim is inviolability for the archives and official property of the office and their exemption from seizure or eN- animation. A consul has no ex- territorial rights. His person IS not exempt from arrest on q criminal charge, except by treaty stipulatlons-
 "A consul, except by special treaty stipulations, is merely commefclal agent of the country which appolhts him. Neither he nor his consulate has any exterritorial rights or eH- emptions. An ambassador or minis ter has ex-territorial rights and prl- vileges which do not belong to a consul.
 diplomatic representative by a fiction of international law is always supposed to be upon the soil of the nation of which he is the representa- tive and that the embassy is a part of the country he represents, and IS therefore not liable to arrest and the embassy is inviolable, but no such exemption attaches to a consulate in the absence of special treaty stipuia- tions which do not exist between the United States and Mexico. Tt is not a question as to whether the Huerta government is recognized by the United States or not. Usual lv the custom has been, out Of cOur- tesv for the Mexican consuls in the United States and the United States consuls in Mexico to fly the flags of their respective countries over their consulates, but it is not a right, it is merely a custom growing out of courtesy.
 "The occurrence of such thing IS very regrettable and is unwarranted and unjustifiable as it is not within the province of a citizen of the United States to decide when and where a foreign flag may be displayed in the United States, as that is question which the authorities of the United States can only decide
 'Tf a citizen of the United States feels aggrieved at the display of a foreign flag in this country, he should apply to the proper United States authorities to have it abated and not attempt to do. individually, that which pertains solely to the United States government. otherwise any ir- responsible individual might attempt to haul down a foreign flag which might be displayed under treaty au- thority or with the permission of the United States"