The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1922-02-11
-6DIIZK E1z54LJY
.OH9TRIS AEHWS-

other countries were appointed to serve in Wash
ington before he was.
The British embassy great building on Con-
necticut avenue, whose warm red brick exterior
has recently received coat of yellow paint al
ways has been the scene of frequent social hosp-
tality To-day it has, as ambassador and host,
genial and naturally social chief Lady Geddes
is American born, a fact which probably is ouiy
appreciated by her husband today In more ways
than one, for this American wife of British am
tassador knows what the visiting foreigners expect,
and what Americans expect, and knows how 10
coalesce things that the social current moves
smoothly although it must move rapidly.
The Japanese are great entertainers. All WASH
ington likes to 60 to the affairs given either Dy
the Japanese ambassador, Baron Shidehara, and
his wife the baroness by his juniors In rank
and place. Ordinarily the Japanese ladies' wear
the evening gowns of western usage Dut occasioh-
ally and probably with signs of relief they appear
in the comfortable and beautiful costumes OF the
homeland. A real japanese reception is feast
for the eye and Washington today more than ever
before knows what real japanese social af1aifs
can be in picturesque effectiveness
The Baroness Shidehara, who left Washington
some months ago with her children, has recently
returned During her absence the ranking LADY
was Nine. Saburi, wife of the first secretary OF
the embassy, and in the absence OF the wire OIL
the ambassador she acted as hostess at the ereat
formal affairs given by the ambassador Mme'
Saburi formerly lady in waiting to the empress
of Japan, and her husband, Mr.. Sadao Sapurl' was
tutor to the crown prince. Both are cieVer LII
GUSTS speaking English 1uently.
II is customary for all hostesses of embassies
and legations to be assisted at receptions, teas
or whatnot by the members OF the sta1fs thelr
wives sisters, daughters and mothers II they nap
men to possess them One rarely hears of an enter
tainment being given by diplomat outside OF the
official residences 1t naturally follows that these
official homes must be of generous dimensions.
Some few are owned by the home governments,
hut the majority are leased. The Mexican gov
ernment has purchased the residence on Sixteenth
street of former secretary of the treasury Frank
lin MacVeagh for use as an embassy. Russia,
whose emissary occupies an anomalous diplomatic
nosition owing to the chaotic condition OF Rus
sian governmental affairs, purchased the great
Pullman residence some years ago. 1t stands on
sixteenth street few blocks north of the White
House. Just across the street from the Mexican
embassy, the Cuban government has erected most
,retentous legation to house its representatives.
The British government owns its embassy and the
locations Of China the Netherlands and Siam are
the property of the countries which they represent
All the foreign official residences are located with
in a certain radius, wide one to be sure, in the
northwestern part of the national capital
During the past few years and since the war the
g., number There are A official foreign homes
boro Twelve of them are embassies and "a are
locations. AS soon as international relations are
thoroughly established between the United States
and Germany and Austria there will be two more.
before the limitation Of ornaments conference
Wrought the vast number of temporary diplomats
"a washington there were approximately 400 men,
hors of the corps in residence here. Four efnbas-
clos and one legation are presided over by wom-
on who. before their marriages, were Americans.
rrb,s is not a large number compared with some
tban twice that 1t is interesting to learn what a
,,,xtnre of nationalities through intermarriage
there is in the diplomatic corps Of Washington,
For example, Rumania is represented by Prince
pihesco whose wife, the princess. is the daughter
Of former Premier Asquith of Great Britain
The assistant military attache Of the Italian en-
hassy is Captain Carlo Huntingdon whose last
name indicates his American ancestry. Many Euro
naan diplomats have contracted international mar
riaues. but those from the Latin-American coun-
tries and from Asia almost invariably marry worn-
on of their own race However, the counselor of
the Chinese legation, Mr.. Yung Kwai has, for his
wife Massachusetts woman. They have large
family of children who, unlike the majority of
foreign children in Washington, are being brought
mn as Americans.
The past year has seen many changes in the
personnel of the diplomatic corps. Italy has sent
a new ambassador, Senior Ricc, who with his
wife the ambassadress are taking an important
part in the social side of the capital city life.