Evening star., 1925-09-06
BY MARGARET Ii. DOWNING.

The Ambassador to Italy and Mrs.
Henry Prather Fletcher have spent
the greater part of the Summer in
Rome, principally because of the
former S strenuous service in consul
tations about the debt funding com
mission about TO depart for this coun-
try, and also because of the thousands
of Americans in Rome for the holy
year, many of whom are personal
friends OF the Fletchers. Another
consideration is that the Ambassador
lives in one Of the show places of the
Eternal City. the famous Rospigliosi
Palazzo, listed in every guide book
and hitherto open for all who wished
to inspect 1t after the payment of a
certain fee.
On the ceiling of the main salon is
painted that lovely Aurora Scatter
ing Flowers Before Apollo, the Sun
God" one of the most celebrated
works of art in existence. Naturally
Mr.. Fletcher does not like to close
his doors on his country people, nor
do he and Mrs. Fletcher relish the
invasion of hordes of strangers. But
they live to the rear Of the palace in
the Summer and conduct their per
sonal amenities in the cortile, leav-
ing the celebrated rooms, furnished
by the Prince Rospigliosi who was
the nephew of Pope Clement TX, to
the sightseers.
The American embassy In Rome is
by far the most elaborate of the for
eign establishments of this Govern
ment in Europe. Mr.. Fletcher bears
the entire expense of maintaining 1t,
no Appropriation having yet been
made for the rent or purchase of an
embassy. When the Ambassador and
Mrs. Fletcher give formal dinners,
with the king and queen present,
| they sit in a room more richly deco
rated with historic furnishings and
paintings than their majesties have
| in the Quir1nal. Among the brilliant
canvases of Roman pontiffs and car
| dinals belonging to the house of
! Rospigliosi, Mr.. Fletcher has placed
a simple but effective portrait of
| Washington and another of the late
President Harding. by Lazslo, and he
hopes to add very soon a Lincoln
portrait done by the Hungarian
| artist.
As 1t seems entirely probable that
| the Governor of North Dakota viii
appoint the widow of the late Edwin
| Fremont Ladd. Mrs. Rizpah Strogle
! Ladd, to fill his unexpired term in
| the Senate. it would appear that an
4
| had been reached. Mrs. Ladd has al,
| ready announced her candidacy for
the vacant place. when the laws OF
the State require an election, ID
! months hence. Mrs. Medin McCor-
mick bides her time to raise her ban
ner for her husbands place in the
Senate. She and most Illinois Re
publicans think the late Senator lost
the nomination in 1924 by a political
accident and that Mrs. Mccormick
has a strong claim on the voters.
The lord chancellor of Great Brit
ain is about to decide on 20 cases
before him where women have every
right to a seat in the House of Lords
but from which they have been ex-
cluded by popular prejudice. But
| since they have proved their rights
| there is no question but within a
year a tremendously larger and pow
erful number of peeresses Will sit in
| the upper house of Parliament
Gen. Sylvanus Thayer. who figures
| in history as the Father of West
Point" refused emphaticalIy TO per-
| NIT the hotel which was erected on
the edge Of Thropy Point to be named