Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-07
FIREPLACE IN SPANISH EMBASSY.
BY DON GLAsSMAN.

Royalty In the Republic, Svayed by
81 varieties Of diplomacy, is fast max
ing Washington the leading court of
international politics and the ideal city
Sof residence for sovereign ENJOYS OF
%tate.
Once Thomas Moore called it the
s'city of magnificent distances" not as
q compliment, but in the sense that
from Commodore Barney Circle to the
Naval Observatory, from the Potomac
embankment to the Reservoir, there
was nothing but magnificent distance"
A vast city of vacant spaces. A city
Of streets, but no houses.
Today, Washington and Peking, and
perhaps The Hague, are the only capi-
tails which can boast QUARTERS diplo-
Inatique. Along the stately stretch Of
Sixteenth street and contiguous thor
oughfareS, 81 governments have roped
OF islands wherein are observed the
rules and bylaws ofthe respective coun-
tries. =
Recent additions to these stately man
bionS and chanceries have raised con-
ditions In the American Capital above
those any foreign envoy can hope to
ind In other lands.
AL of which enforces abundant proof
that the United States is becoming the
salient force In weltpolitik, and also
tends to show that foreign powers have
not been slow to feel the metamorp1o-
sis In our international relations which
followed the Great War They have
sunk their faith in the ground and soil
of America, have bought, are buying.
or plan buying, sites, residences and
suitable buildings for carrying on Amer
lean affairs Of state.
But one who has hobnobbed with
10y f10n Cf
quarter century viii Say4 "Ah, things
have changed I remember the house
where, no, I was going to tell you
how the boys used to ride In open car
rtages down the length of MasSachu-
sets and Connecticut avenues How
the old-tfners could tell the nationality
Of diplomat by his uniform. Today?
Well, we don't need a handy guide to
uniforms. All diplomats have things
in common, Sam Brown belt and
WHEN the great ghoulish specter of
aVN war lowered over the Capital and
foreign ENJOYS had discharged chauf-
3eurS. buffers and maid, in preparation
for quick journey to the motherland,
st put an end to condition that prob
ably never viii return to this or any
other capital. The reference is to the
open international courtS that held
sessions frequently In and about Du-
cont Circle.
Before the war, this Nation was so
naive, so reserved in its diplomatic re-
1ations, and foreign ENJOYS so friendly,
that It was not uncommon to walk
down the avenue and hear two or more
ENJOYS discuss the latest treaty or in
some other wise talk about the most
intimate International intrigues. They
held forth on the street, conducting an
open court on diplomacy, and any
paSserby could pause moment and
hear the first secretary of the British
embassy analyZe the latest pronuncia-
mento from Downing Street.
And now we have the closed door
policy. Conditions that obtained In
Europe for a long time have been
fRansplanted to the American Capital.
An Ambassador rarely talks for publ
cation. And an Ambassadors wife has
instructions, either from her husband
or the foreign office, never to talk, be it
for publication or idle gossip. The whole
foreign corps is cloSeted behind locked
doors, and words whispered within en-
bassy walls must never pass without
Once, the most important lobbies of
international intercourse were social
teas, thes danSantS and State BAN
uuetS. The diplomatic women possessed
an amazing education in matters of
state and could discuss foreign affairs
with as much insight and intelligence
as paid attaches. Well, it was some
thing to talk about, and the women
felt themselves vastly important. No
doubt, they were Didn't Helen's face
'1aunch thousand ships and build the
toplesS towers Of Hum? History, in
the instance Of women at least, surely
repeats ITSELF. .....-
X + X \
THE modern Washington diplomat is
4 q busy man. He dresses like a
business man. Long days ago, he
dressed according to the manner OF his
countrymen The Chinese legation
held forth in silky robes trimmed with
the Yellow Dragon. And the Turkish