The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-08-21
PovERTY-P1NCHING SUPPORT.


Representative Robert Lee Henry of
Texas has an article in the current In.
dependent. advocating official homes
for our diplomats, especially in Eu
rope Mr.. Henry poses as friend 10
the idea of the United States provid-
ing official residences in the different
countries for our ambassadors and
Ministers lie has introduced in the
House OF Representatives a bill 10 pro-
vide for the leasing or purchasing Of
suitable official residences for Embas-
sadors and Ministers in the countries
named therein. and for furnishing and
equippiug the same. But how does he
propose 10 furnish and equipl He
seems to pride himself on the cheapness
with which this can be done He reck-
ons that it will "only be necessary
10 lease thirty-four residences in order
TO meet the case, and he proceeds TO
show AT what small cost this can be
done. lie rcckons that $4,000 each
will DO for official residences of Amer
lean ambassadors in Great Britain,
France. Germany, and Russia, these to-
falling 100000; and he proceeds TO set
forth that the whole tbirty.four Off
cial residences can be provided for
.'the very modest sum Of $4,000 an
nually;n and he reckons that for this
"all OF our Embassies and Legations
may be adequately furnished in the
81 ~ xvh oh -,eio IN
should be made.
We have referred TO this bill hereto
fore, saying, substantially, that until
something more liberal than this can
be provided we had better let the mat.
ter alone altogether; for the provision
contemplated by Representative Henry
would simply be an aggravation. En-
bassador Walter II. Page to the Court
of Great Britain has had to pay $4,000
per year for the rent of suitable quar-
tiers; but Representative Henry would
cut this sum in two. What sort Of
quarters would be get7
Again, Justice Gerard. after long
search in Berlin, has found an avail
able place for the embassy which he is
nominated TO fill, ut $4,000 per year.
What kind of embassy quarters would
he find for sl0,000' Justice Gerard 4.
man who is well able to pay. and he
has high qualifications for the embassy,
but he protests against the injustice Of
the situation thus: "It is painful after
seeing other embassies to find that VIC
maintain a representation less than
some OF the third-rate powers. If we
cannot maintain embassies and lcga-
tions as we should, the diplomatic ser
vice ought to ne abolished - Precise
II what The Tribune has said in re-
gard 10 this same matter.
II is a clear case that II the friends
Of the proposition 10 provide suitable
embassy and legation quarters abroad
can take no more liberal view OF the
amount necessary Go make this provi-
sion than Representative Henry takes,
tho whole matter had better be
dropped Mr. Gerard says that the pro-
vision which we make is less than that
OF n third-ratc power. But if tho
amounts 10 be paid for leasing and fur
nishiug tho embassies and legations is
TO be fixed as Representative Henry
proposes to fix them, at sum one-half
of what our ambassadors consider suit
able for their official quarters, then
surely VIC would be moro ridiculous in
the eyes Of tho world in this respect
than we are now. A provision which
would give the United States stand
ing not above that of a siIth-rate pow
or would surely be too contemplate
for consideration at the hands OF Con
press or of the American people.