The Dolores star., 1922-01-20
RR2ZGH AzaADY


ington before he was.
The British embassy, n great building Con-
nectcut avenue, whose red brick exterior,
has recently received coat of yellow paint, al
ways has been the scene of frequent social hospi-
taty. Today II has, ambassador and host,
genial and naturally social chief. Lady Geddes
is American born fact which probably is duly
appreciated by her husband today in more ways
than one for this American wife of a British am
bassador knows what the visiting foreigners expect
and what Americans expect, and knows how to
coaesce things that the social current moves
smoothly although 1t must move rapidly.
The japanese great entertainers. All Wash
ingtOn likes to go TO the affairs given either by
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 but occasion
ally and probably with sighs of relief they appear
In the comfortable and beautiful costumes of the
homeland real Japanese reception is feast
for the eye and Washington today more than ever
before knows what real japanese social affairs
can be in picturesque effectiveness.
The Baroness Shidehara, who left Washington
scne 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 wife Of
the ambassador she acted as hostess at the great
formal affairs given by the ambassador. Nine
Saburi formerly was lady in waiting to the empress
of Japan, and her husband Mr.. Sadao Saburi, wis
tutor to the crown prince. Both are clever lin
gusts, speaking English fuently.
1t is customary, for all hostesses of embassies
and legations to be assisted at receptions, teas
or whatnot by the members of the saffs, their
wives, sisters, daughters and mothers If they hap
pen 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 owned by the home governments
but the majority are leased The Mexican gov
crnment has purchased the residence Sixteenth
street of former secretary of the treasury Frank
lin MacNeagh, for use an embassy. Russia
whose emssary occupies anomalous diplomatic
position, 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
pretentious legation to house its representatives
The British government owns its embassy and the
legations of China the Netherlands and Siam are
the property of the countries which they represent
All the foreign official residences located with
in certain radius, wide to be sure in the
northwestern part of the national capital.
During the past few years and since the war the
embassies and legations have increased materially
III number. There A official foreign homes
here. Twelve of them embassies and "a are
legations. 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 armaments conference
brought the vast number of temporary diplomats
to Washington there were approximately 400 mem
bers of the corps in residence here. Four embas
sizes and one legation are presided over by won-
en- who, before their marriages, were Americans
This is not large number compared with some
former years when the number ran up to more
than twice that. 1t is interesting to learn what n
mixture of nationalites through intermarria go
there is in the diplomatic corps of Washington,
For example, Rumania is represented by Prince
Bibesco, whose wife, the princess, is the daughter
of former Premier Asquith of Great Britain
The assistant military attache of the Italian en-
bassy Is Captain Carlo Huntington, whose last
name indicates his American ancestry MANY Euro.
pean diplomats have contracted international mar
riages, but those from the Latin American conn
tries and from Asia almost invariably marry wom
en- of their own race. However the counselor of
the Chinese legation Mr.. Yung Kwa has for his
wife, Massachusetts woman They have large
family of children who, unlike the majority nf
foreign children in Washington, are being broupbt
up as Americans.
The past year has seen many changes IN tho
personnel of the diplomatic corps Italy mas sent
a new ambassador, Senor Ricci who with his
wife, the ambassadress, taking an inportont
part In the social side of the capital city life