The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-14
Engine Driver Declines What
Rich Men Make Big
Fight For.
BYLA NIARoUIsE DE FONTENoY.

BY IA MARQUISE DE FONTENOY.
From London / near that the petit
tions presented 70 inc COnmlttee ioi
Privileges Of the House Of Lords last
year by two claimants 20 The ancient
barony Of Strabogiie which fell into
allegiance some centuries ago by the
failure Of the male line of the Strang-
ways. have been rejected, neither Of
them having the remOtest chance OF
success. For the investigation made by
the Committee Of Privileges and by
20 the discovery that the principal and
undoubted heir 20 the peerage IN
question IS an engine driver on the
Northeastern Railroad who has eX-
pressed himself 20 the effect that a
barOny and the title of lord would be
of no earthly use 10 him, and that ne
would gladly fOregO both for sum of
anywhere from 500 20 ss5 600.
Unfortunately for the TWO claimants.
who are rich men, nights 70 peerage
cannot be surrendered. waived or
sold. Otherwise they could make a
deal with the engine driver who has
volunteered the opinion that the House
OF Lords ~ a most supernuous and
useless institution that should be
Usually the proving of ones rights
70 q peerage that has been in abey-
ance IL an extremely expensive opera
much as $3.50. 900. But the engine driv-
er's rights have been proved without
"A cent of outlay on his part. since the
is the result of the unwilling testi-
mOnv OF the claimants and of the in
formation gathered by the law Off
GERS of the crown and by the Commit
tee for Privileges in examining the
petitions of the Two claimants.
Since il is wholly within the discre-
ton Of the sovereign as to whether or
not peerage shall be called out of
abeyance. and as there is no instance OF
This ever having been done unasked
there is not the slightest probability
of the engine driver desire 70 remain
a commoner being frustrated.
Much has been written about the
difficulty Of getting into the do,
of the absolute necessity of being
provided with a passport from the
travellers own government, 'vised and
stamped by the Russian diplomatic
and consular representatives, in the
country where the passport 10 issued ;
while whole volumes have been printed
concerning the refusal Of the Russian
authorities at the frontier 10 admit
visitors of Jewish origin. especially
when they or their families happen TO
have hailed formerly from Russia.
But little or nothing has been SAID
about the trouble experienced in getting
out of Russia after one has been ad-
mitted. A passport duly vlsed is needed
10 get in but that passport mas also
TO be shown On leaving Russian terri
tory. with a visa from the police authori-
ties Of the city or town where the foreign
bearer happens to have been staying, by
wav of guarantee that there II nothing
of a criminal or civil character 10 pre-
vent the departure; that is TO say. that
the bearer has not committed any
crime. or left any debts behind him.
In fact, the Cars officials argue that
no one. be he native or a foreigner,
should be allowed to leave the country
with any unfulflled obligations.
| have often in these letters urged
that no alien should be admitted to
the United States without passport
of his own country with an American
consular visa. This would not only