Evening star., 1925-06-21
Mrs Agnes Macfeat
First Woman Listed
:: In Diplomatic Corps
Is Serving Officially as Sec
.end Secretary of Irish Free
State Legation in Wash
lnSton.

Though w aShingtOn is preSuIna bly,
the Capital OF the most progressive
country in the world, it has Jagged
behind several others in numbering
women diplomats in it's foreign con-
1lngent. Mrs. Agnes l.. Morrison
Macfeat widow of Matthew A. Mac
feat, as second secretary of the lega-
tion of the Irish Free state. turns q
new lear in the chronicles of the for
eISn corps assigned to duty here, in
that she is actually performing the
duties of u secretary Of legation ant
has been quietly doing 80 for the pas {
two months. Her name appears in
the present Issue OF the Diplomatic
List and is that of the first woman
which has ever appeared there. al
though Miss Violet E,rskine was en-.
titled to such honor by reason of her
status III the special mission sent to
Washington by the British govern
ment during the height of the World
War.
Sir Richard Crawford was named
minister resident to purchase muni
tfcnS, and Miss ErSkine was assign
ed as his secretary rom the foreign
Office in Downing street. She was an
expert codiSt. but 20 great was the
pressure on space in the Diplomatic
List during the war. that no names
from special missions were printed.
~ MASS In Shiilc, though the 1lrSt
woman in the corps here, did not get
into the records. as Mrs. Macfeat has
done. and, moreover. she renounced
diplomacy in favor OF Cupid and be.
came the bride of Mr. Horace Sew.
mouf. who served on the staff of the
amba Ssador, Sir Cecil Spring Rice, be-
lore ner service had ended. Miss Ma
oine Stancioff, daughter of the vet
eran minister from Bulgaria to Lon
tod
OF the Washington lega ton. but Cupid
Al lso claimed her and she married in
London just about the time she was
supposed TO be sailing for her post at
The American Capital.
Mrs. MaCfeat has been a member of
what the Irish Free State calls its de.
PArtment of external affairs ever since
the treaty creating the new nation
was ratified in the British Parliament
IA Decembef 1872. She had lost her
husband during the World War and
mad returned to her home in Dublin
with her small daughter. and feeling
Ihe emptiness of life after her ira gic
loss, she devoted her energy and intel
Iect to the patriotic cause. The late
'Natthew A. Macfeat was Scotch and
entered the World War from his ma
1--WE place, Clarkson. But Mrs. Mac
feat was ardently Irish. native of
the new aspects which opened for her
beloved country in the wave Of democ.
1Scy which swept the world and gave
small nations q voice in their own
government. She had been carefully
educated in Edinburgh and in France
ana Germany, and had made a special
study OF practical government and
economic problems. and she responded
eagerly to the invitation Of the Free
MAS almost at once assigned to work
IN this country and for three years she
lapOred with the present minister Dr.
timothy Smiddy. and his staff in pre-
pairing the way for the recognition
which the new country finally received
when Last Autumn President Coolidge
accepted the credentials Of the first
envoy from the Emerald Isle
Mrs. Macfeat has been charged with
the responsibility of viseinc PASSPORTS.
and so useful was her eork in this
direction that she was retained in New
ofk, although she had been from,
me beginning assigned a place on the
staff of the. minister, and this in rec
ncnltion OF her splendid work of or
Ganiz1nS and smoothing the troubled
way which the new nation had trav-
ersed in its efforts to receive a vel
come as an Independent state
The Irish Free State has suffered
keenly from those who enter its
boundaries on mischief bent, so that
II decided on vises required from
every alien after a careful examina-
ton of passports. Mrs. Macfeat con-
tinued this work until the middle of
last March, and then she came to
Washington, where she has a pleas
ant apartment in Wardman Park
Hotel. She has fitted into her duties
ND 90 tn ad
the esteem of all with whom she
comes in contact. In the personal
sense, the Free State made wonder
fully strong selection in this hand
some, atfable young woman, as 2
member of its legation staff in Wash
inSton. She has all the Seniality of
her race. II sense of humor, u keen
int diligence and broad outlook on
every phase of life. Like the daughters
of Erin OF the cultured class. Mrs.
Macfeat is superb horsewoman. and
takes her daily canter in the adjoining 3
woods. She plays golf well and spends
much of her leisure in the swimming
pool of the hotel.
on accepting the appointment of
her government. three years ago. Mrs.
Macfeat faced somewhat nomadic
existence, and she decided to leave her
little daughter now nine years old. in
-lne care OF the cIlllu : DdlSTHdl STdnu-
parents in Clarkson, Scotland.
Mrs. Macfeat sailed from New York
vest erday to visit the little girl there
and TO make preparations TO bring her
10 this country in the Autumn and
place her al school in Washington.
Mrs. Macfeat has but two months va
cation and 50 is due at her post in
Washington about the end of August,
a period much too warm for "a young
land and the cool bracing climate of
Dublin, her mothers present home, to
enjoy.