Evening star., 1923-11-11
First Ambassador to
u. S. From Cuba Is
Widely Known Here
DR.. de la Torriente Spent
Much Time in District
When Young Daughter
to Make Debut.

Cuba's first ambassador to Wash
ington Is well known in the city, for
since his early manhood he has made
many visits to the American capital
and has spent months in residence
here. Sonora de la Torriente and
her young daughter, Senorita Maria
Luisa, come for the first time. For
the vivacious senorita 1t will be a
winter OF great significance. AS she
has never been formally presented to
society, her parents will take the
auspicious occasion presented and,
after the formalities which attend the
induction of so lofty q parsonage as
an ambassador into the official world
and the circle Of his colleagues. will
strike a lighter note in a debut ball.
But, as the ambassador and his fam
lily have only just arrived in this
country, after some strenuous months
in Geneva, where they were living.
all these plans are as yet nebulous
and must await the presenting of
credentials at the White House and
the State Department and, for Sonora
de la Torriente, the etiquette Of call
ing on her seniors in the corps and
other prescribed social obligations.
DR.. de la Torriente Is one of the
man, and prior to his appointment
as first ambassador from his country
to it's big, friendly neighbor, he was
serving as senator from his native
city, MatanZas, and was chairman OF
it's committee on foreign relations.
He was merely on a special mission
to Geneva in connection with the
sessions of the league Of nations
when he was chosen the president of
that august body and on the same
day was named as ambassador to
Washington. He Is, besides being
president Of the league of nations,
chairman OF the Cuban delegation of
four leading lawyers, who are per-
manent members of The Hague
tribunal of arbitration.
Has Many Honors.
Political honors which have been
showered upon the Cuban ambassa-
dor since his country achieved it's
list. He gained many laurels on the
Battlefield and, in consequence, has
for the past ten years been the presi-
dent of the veterans of the war of
the independence. He was in the
dashing assault on Santiago de Cuba
and there won the rank of colonel.
But when Spanish sovereignty was
finally overthrow In his country,
DR.. de la Torriente returned to poll
tics and the law. for which profess
University of Havana and in the
practical way in the United States.
Gen. William Ludlow, first military
governor Of Havana, after the with
drawal Of the Spanish garrison, ap-
pointed the young lawyer secretary
of the civil government and then
made him civil governor of the en-
tire district.
1t was during this service that the
ambassador married Senorita Estella
after, was sent with his bride to
Madrid as secretary Of the first dip
lomatic mission which the former
colony sent to Its mother country.
He was, Immediately after his ar
rival in Madrid. made minister and
King Alfonso and Princess Ena of
Battenburg, now known as Queen
Victoria. The young minister, who
had been so ardent a patriot during
the revolt which began in 1895 and
ended triumphantly. with independ-
ence for Cuba, received much honor
at court and 1t happened that he
stood with Sonora de la Torriente
quito near the royal bridegroom and
his bride when that anarchistic bomb
killed and wounded several hundred
people within a few feet Of the
throne. Alfonso and his queen were
entirely uniirjured. as happily were
also DR.. Torriente and his wife and
nearly all members Of the diplomatic
corps. But II was a stupendously ex-
citing way to be received when he
had come to heal the wounds between
Cuba and her former sovereign.
Brilliant Season Seen.
Sonora de La Torriente was born
IN Havana, Of English parents, who
had been resident In the city for
English perfectly she Is altogether
the type Of gentiewoman of the ven--
erable Cuban city. She has enjoyed
much social experience IN some of