The Washington times., 1922-04-16
QUESTION OFF COSTUMING AND ETIQUETTE
OF OUR DIPLOMATS ABROAD, NOW BEING
DISCUSSED, AGETATED i'm JACKSORS DAY
Ambassador George Harvey Entertains at
Dinner, With "All Washington"
Guest List.
tn q accounts of the din,

TIL u accounts of the dinner
which George Harvey. our am
bassador to Great Britain. gave for
Henry p. Fletcher. newly appoint
ed ambassador to Belgium. and
Alanson b. Houghton. ambassador
to Germany, at the embassy In
London. listened" quite like a
society item In Washington
paper. For In addition to such
familiar names as the Fletchers
and the Houghtons, one noted
among the guests the Brazilian
Ambassador and Mime. da Cana
and the Belgian Ambassador and
Baroness Moncheur. who are as
well known here as they are in
London. both Da Cana and Baron
Moncheur having represented their
countries here.
see, by the way, that the Will
lam Philiipses are to be in London
while the Fletchers are there,
which win give them an oppor-
tunity to renew an old friendship.
Moreover. Mr.. Phillips and Mr..
Fletcher win have much to talk
over since the former, until recent
ly our minister at The Hague. is
succeeding the latter as Under
secretary of State.
THE comment upon Ambassador
Harvey's appearances in knee
breeches at Princess Mary's we'd
ding was singularly diverting. but
rather unaocountabie In view of
the fact that American envoys at
foreign courts have long worn
modified court dress at official
functions when 1t is prescribed by
the court 20 which they are ao-
credited.
Az far back as Andrew Jackson's
time, however, the matter of the
dress and etiquette OF our foreign
envoys gave us great concsrn.
Sword and silk stockings were so
subversive Of true democracy.
Mrs. Roger Pryor In her "Reminis-
cences of Peace and War" gives
an account Of how jackson reject
ed the prescribed court dress-em-
broidered cuffs and cape, white
breeches, gold knee-buckies, white
silk stockings, gold shoe-buckles,
chapeaubrass cockade. eagle, white
feathers and sword-in favor of no
cape at ali, no embroidery except
a gold star on the coat collar, but
breeches and modest buckles, a
sword and chapeaubras. with eagle
and cockade. She then tells Of the
circular issued in 1853 by Mr..
Marcy, Secretary of State under
Franklin Pierce, recommending
that our representatives abroad
should, In order to show their devo-
ton TO republican ipstitutions. APP
pear whenever practicable in the
simple dress of an American
citizen, and goes on to record in
amusing fashion the results of this
order.
Our minister at Berne found
the court of Switzerland quite will
ing to receive him in his citizens
dress. The ministers at Turin and
Brussels reported they would have
no difficulty In carrying out the
instructions of the State Depart
ment. The representative at Ber-
lin was at once informed that such
action would be considered disre-
spectful. The King Of Sweden in
sisted on court dress at social func-
tons. Mr.. August Belmont, at
The Hague. received a cold permis-
sion from the King to dress as he
pleased-and IL is recorded las
matter for gratituds on the part
of the American minister) that
after all. and Notwithstanding, the
Queen actually danced with him
in citizens dress. and the King
condescended to shake him by the
hand and to talk with himi
"Mr. Mason. at the French
court. could not face the musicl
Ha ~npsulsad his xxytfa ana tn