Evening star., 1922-07-09
BY wINIFRED MALLoN.
plush breeches" of AM
bassador Harvey. his reported
appearance in them and wear

| DasSador harvey. MS reported
appearance in them and wear
| "A ing a sword at Princess Mary s
wedding and his alleged decision
not to wear them again. will not be-
come an international incident after
all, nor will it lead to the recall of
| the ambassador for failing to wear
| the simple dress of an American
gentleman" on this and similar occa-
sions.
1t is pity to spoil a good story.
! but the breeches worn by an Ameri-
can ambassador at London are not of
plush. are worn only at court func-
tions and social occasions at which
| royalty Is present, and never at levees
or when he presents his letters of
credence CT recall: nor is sword
| worn, or a cooked hat. Furthermore.
! the amba ssador is not in position to
decide what he will wear on such
occasions, the only decision open to
him being to wear the required cos
tune and go or refuse to wear it and
| remain from court functions to which
| he is invited.
"Otherwise," it was admitted at the
State Department, the story as re-
ported was Substantially correct"
Court dress has been worn by every
American minister and ambassador at
London and by American diplomats at
many other European courts ever
| since the foundation of this republic.
| court dress being not a uniform, but
a. recognition of the right of each
court to indicate the costume to be
worn by guests invited to it's cere-
monies and functions.
X * X
CINcE 1867. when Congress prohib-
tied persons in the diplomatic
service from wearing any uniform or
! official costume not previously au-
thorized by Congress-" the uniform"
of an American diplomat has been
and is a full-dress suit, in which he
must appear on any occasion demand
ing uniform" by day as,well as by
night. Thus attired. DIR. William Mil
ler Collier. when ambassador to
Spain, awaited with his ''cher COL
leagues in the gray dawn of May
morning in 1907 the birth of an heir
to the throne of Spain, court re-
quirement Iat Madrid being the at
| tendance at the palace of the diplo-
matte corps in full regalia to receive
the announcement from the king or
| the court chamberlain.
! An American minister or ambassa-
| dor wears his dress suit when he
presents his credentials, always an
AFTERNOON affair; when he goes to the
station to welcome or to speed on his
way a member of the royal family.
unless he has previously received an
intfmation that other dress may be
worn, and on all other occasions when
| other members of the corps appear
in uniform.
The court dress worn by Ameri-
can ambassadors to Great Britain is
authorized by State Department
regulation in recognition of the fact
that it is required at London as it
formerly was required at many other
European posts, and is not a uni
FORM" Even diplomats wearing dip
lomatic uniform appear in knee
! breeches at balls, receptions and
other court social functions where
the queen is present, and at dinners
or other entertainments attended by
members of the royal family. On
such occasions court dress is indis-
pensable, both for ladies and gentle
men, or full uniform for officers of
the army and navy. Precedence and
ceremonial at the court of st. James