Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-07-06
American Embassy at No. "a Tursh-

American Embassy at No. "a Fursh-
tatskaya into an open house for Amer
leans. The Yankee abroad does not
have to bring letters from prominent
politicians at home to gain admit
lance. He does not feel like an in
truder when he calls. The place is
beehive for work yet no secretary
is too busy to be pleasant Nobody
smirks but neither does anybody glare
when visitor appears at the door,
There is neither fawning nor frown-
ing, neither servility nor stuckupish-
ness-the entire atmosphere of the
place is one of plain, simple Ameri-
canism.
Going to be long in Petrograd?
Drop around when you feel like it.
Come and read the American papers.
Don't need to ask for anybody. Make
yourself at home"
That is the kind of thing Americans
encounter at No. "a Furshtatskaya
now. Nor is it exceptional. If one
wishes to see the Governor" as he
is already called here-which in itself
says considerable-he can be seen
without interminable waits. If he is
busy in his private office a secretary
will say quite frankly:
''The Governor is talking to the
owner of the building now but he'll
see you in minute" or words to that
effect. One is not smothered in mys-
terry thick as mush nor led to imagine
that at least the Emperor must be
waiting on the Ambassador begging
for advice on how to run the country.
The plain truth seems to negotiable
nowadays at No. 81.
Francis belongs to the "Marse"
Henry Watterson type of American,
frank, vigorous, aightforward. He
is tall, we'll set-up, white of hair and
nustache, possessed of plentiful nat
aral dignity and poise but utterly lack
ing in pose. He had no actual diplo-
matte training before coming here so
he does not try to make those who
call on him believe he taught Machis-
velli and Gladstone all they know.
Having done a few things himself
which require common sense combin-
ed with tact he has apardonable
amount of self-confidence and so
hopes and believes he will be able to
"get along" His conversation is I'M
adulterated American nor does he
make the slightest effort to wrap his
each and every word in automatically
and Theoretically sealed packages and
pass them along untouched by human
hands.
The report is current here that both
the Gar and the Czarina took a
strong liking to the new Ambassador.
The Imperial couple received him be-
fore he had been here a week, consti-
tuting a record. He wore no uniform
and was detained in conversation with
the Gar 35 minutes.
Governor Francis has big job on
his hands. The Commercial Treaty
existing between Russit and the Unit
ed States was broken off during Pres
ident Taft's administration and new
treaty may be one of the important
things expected of him. Russia and
America have not thoroughly under
stood each other for a long time and
better relations generally between the
two nations is another task entrusted
to him. The American Colony here
believe the right man has been chos-
en-.
If you happen to be one of the
Yankee legion who, in travelling a
broad, have gone from an American
Embassy sore wondering why is an
Embassy, and if you would still like
to know the answer, write, wire or
call at No. "a Furshtatskaya, this
city.