Evening star., 1926-03-07
BY MARGARET ID. DOWNING.

BY MARGARET Ii. DOWNING.
Senor Don Juan Riano's departure
Cor Madrid leaves the Belgian Am
bassador In the post of acting dean
of the diplomatic corps, but as it
seems probable that the Spanish Am
bassador will return before Easter
tide Baron de Cartier will take on
no especially heavy social or political
duties. But that King Alfonso has
summoned his representative in Wash
fngton is of the keeneSt interest
since it is well known that this
sovereign entertains the highest re-
gard for American acumen and he
has In mind a program of expansion
in which the methods employed by
Uncle Sans sons and daughters are
TO play a star role. Mr.. Alexander P.
Moore. recently Amba sSador at
Madrid, is in the most entertaining
vein when he tells of the king IS
curiosity in regard to business ways
practiced in the United States. Alfonso
has sent several envoyS of trade, SO
to speak, in an unofficial way, and
quite recently one of his favorite
court officials has been quietly visit
ing the larger American cities and
getting an inside view of the ma
Chinery which regulates them. The
Spanish king cherishes the ambition
actual way as it is in the domain of
American artists and architects.
There is the Surmise that he will
discuss every angle of this crusade
With his Ambassador to Washington
and as Senor Riano has 19 years of
residence here, besides the wisdom
gained by intensive study and keen
observation, he will have an excel
lent mentor The Ambassador, having
an American wife and knowing Amer
lean home life in the most intimate
sense, will be the most important ally
Spain can have in this endeavor to
lure American travellers to its ancient
cities and beautiful countryside.
That Alfonso has an intelligent sur.
vey OF all tendencies to restore Spain
In the building of the newer cities of
tIof1da was shown when he recently
presented to the mayor and corpora
tion of Coral Gables an old street foun-
tain taken from a historic town of
Andalusia. Coral Gables, that ma agic
city which is rising on the Bay of
Blscayne little north Of Miami, has
elected to take all that is beautiful
and worthy from Spain and blend it
in the architectural sense with
progress and modern convenience.
The principal hotel is replica of the
famous Giralda of Seville and the in
terror is entirely modelled from hos
telr1es which were doing flourishing
business before Columbia had gained
the sympathy of Queen Isabella. The
furniture all came from Spain. and
such wealth of dover chests of
beaten iron, lined with brass; such
glorious old pottery, dull red and
orange; such fine carpets and illumi-
mated leather chairs, are not often seen
under one roof. All the houses show
the influence of Seville and in her gar.
denS are Vine-cOVered arcades and
cloisters where with an effort of imagi-
nation the visitor could bethink him
self with Washington Irving in the
Alhambra. Mr.. Moore. who has been
spending the past two months in
Coral Gables. says that Alfonso takes
the keenest interest in all this, and
hence his gift Of the fountain, which.
being an original, gives just the needed
touch at one of the street corners.
Postmaster General and Mrs. New
nave been adding recently to their un-
usual collection of bird photographs.
for since living at Hemlock Hedge,
Edgemoor, they have followed their
prediction in making friends with
their feathered neighbOrs Birds
about Washington are. on the testi-
mony of such an eminent a naturalist
as John Burroughs, very amenable to
kind treatment and will make daily
visits to places where they get food
and drink. Generally they pay for
their entertainment in twittering most
cheerfully and occasionally on a warm
sunny day bursting forth into song
For many years Mr.. and Mrs. New
have spent what vacation they may
take in the wild country of Wisconsin.
and they use canoe to get about more
frequently than they do in their ma.
chine, and they camp any place which
appeals to them. They have secured
a marvellous insight into bird life and
have succeeded in getting the rarest
sort of photos Mrs. New handling the
kodak and the Postmaster General
faithfully carrying the paraphernalia
from place to place until the proper
picture is obtained Mrs. New can
also get her snapshots into Sc.
quence which makes them actually
movies of the wild. At times the Post
master General invites companies of
friends to see this remarkable display
Some of the films have been colored
and they are really delicate as well
as most valuable from the standpoint
of the naturalist. There are many
birdhouses In the grounds of Hem
lock Hedge at Edgemoor and feeding
troughs galore placed on pedestals be.
yond the reach Of prowling cats and
dogs at which the birds courageous
enough to face a Washington Winter,
cardinals, blue birds. jays and spar
rows. find some warm food every
morning and abundant fresh water to
drink and to battle in if they feel dis
posed.
The Duke of Manchester who has
gone into the business of producing
movies, is fairly successful in Lon
don and Liverpool, and there is a
rumor that he will try his luck
against the magnates of New York
and Los Angeles. But this is not
causing anxiety on the part of these
men. the American public being proof
against high sounding titles in the
producing business, and are concerned
only with the reults. The Duchess of
"a NIL Bs IIaln