Evening star., 1925-04-05
BY MARGARET Is. DOWNING.

BY MARGARET Is. DOWNING.
Presidential Summer homes are al
ways a Fascinating theme for specu-
lation, and the fact that the Chief
Executive and Mrs Coolidge must
seek Il more restful spot during the
contempla ted renovation of the
White House roof and the other bits
of repairing declared necessary for
the vitality of the historic mansion
centers national attention on their
journey. Quite naturally the Presi-
dent prefers his native New England
air and he and Mrs. Coolidge delight
in the sea and in aquatic pleasures
generally. President Coolidge is an
exception to recent Chief Magistrates
in that he has never Travelled in
foreign lands and has not covered
more than tenth of the surface of
the United States. He had lead a
very busy life before becoming Vice
President and the leisure for travel
had to be relegated to times when he
felt that he could safely leave his
important affairs. But he delights in
travel, especially on the sea. and no
doubt he regards with keen antici-
patton the thought of years to come
when he can visit Europe and such
lands as appeal to his imagination.
President jefferson was perhaps the
most versatile of Executives when
the ways of alien courts were con-
cerned, but John Adams was close
second and also John Quincy Adams,
both Of whom. like jefferson, had
been accredited envoys to European
capitals. George Washington $ traN-
els were all insular. He had intend
ed to visit his beloved friend, Gen.
Lafayette at La Grange. when he
had his private affairs in order, but
death intervened. Roosevelt and
Taft, both before and after succeed
ing to the presidency, We're famous
globe trotters. and Woodrow Wilson
had been to Europe many times be
fore his memorable journey TO the
League of Nations conferences in
Paris and Versailles
DR.. Cosme de la Torriente's retire
ment from the post as Ambassador
from Cuba lost to Washington one of
the most picturesque figures in the
diplomatic corps. Few who attain
the stately dignity of an ambassador
have ever had such adventuresome
careers as DR.. de la Torriente, and
1t is unique in the annals of the
State Department that man once
under such severe displeasure as to
be imprisoned three times returned
to the Capital in such signal glory.
AS a fervent patriot during the Cuban
struggle for independence DIR. Tor
riente fell into the tolls of the law
for breaking the rules of neutrality,
and he was imprisoned in New York
City and at Key West. But the sting
of those incidents have long since
passed away, as also the thrill which
accompanied the bombing by the
American Navy of various ships on
which he was conveying ammunition
to Cuban shores. The Cuban Ambas-
sador was serving in the Senate of
his country and was chairman of
foreign affairs, and he has discov-
cred that this role is more to his
liking than the rather impassive one
of an exalted diplomat. He intends
to enter political life again, though
he has private affairs of moment
which demand his attention as soon
as he can return to Havana.
Mr.. Basil Miles recent marriage in
Paris to Mrs. Peabody Savelle created
keen interest in Washington, where
the bridegroom was for some time an
attache of the State Department.
Mr.. Miles was a sort of Pooh-B at
the time of the arms conference, in
1921, and he proved how invaluable
the unmarried diplomat can be. The
Secretary of State Mr.. Hughes. over
burd ened with the serious duties of
the assembly, was very grateful that
he had such an accomplished squire
of DANES at his elbow. Mr.. Miles
filled many roles at the State De-
partment and it was the distinct
loss of that executive branch when
the United States Chamber of Com
merce in Paris sought his services
and at an annual compensation about
treble the amount Uncle Sam pays
the most skillful diplomat in a minor
role. The international chambers of
commerce are taking over some du-
ties hitherto always relegated to the
envoys from the State Department,
and they are seeking out special tai
ent for the peculiarly delicate and
important roles which their repre-
sentatiVes in foreign lands must fill.
Mr.. Miles two years ago accepted the
proffer of the American Chamber of
Commerce in Paris, and he has lifted
his work there to the same impor-
tance which it had attained in the
State Department. Having been in
the American foreign service sta
toned in Washington for so many
years, he is on friendly terms with
the Ambassador, Mr.. Herrick, his
staff and the powerful American col
ony at the French capital. and his
tion in the Paris amenities.
Miss Anna Caroline Maxwell of New
York city, one of the best known and
most universally esteemed trained
nurses in this country, has just ar
rived from Geneva, where she has
been living in retirement. to aid the
building and endowing of a nurses
home in the New York city medical
center. Miss Maxwell was rather a
storm center in the early days of the
Spanish h-American War. when She
with some others of her profession,
made that determined effort to serve
in Army hospitals and on battle
fronts. The Surgeon General of the
Army, George NJ. Sternberg, was OPP
posed to women in camps and he
made the most determined resistance
to the innovation, but he went down
before the conjunction of the nurs-
ing forces under Miss Maxwell and
the military committees in Congress,
and not only were trained woman
nurses drafted into the Army, but
DR. Anita Newcombe McGee, a medi-
cal doctor, was given the rank of
n 4 ny