Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-11
BIZ MARGARET B. DOWNING.

HY MARGARET B. DOWNING.
The Mexican Ambassador, Mr..
Manuel Teller, presides over one of the
most active diplomatic establishments
In the Capital The chancelry re-
sembles small bank, so skillfully is
all space subdivided, in order that bust
ness may be transacted in minimum
Of time. But since succeeding to the
honor of dean of the worlds most
numerous diplomatic contingent, the
Ambassador from Mexico must be
reckoned among the very busiest Of
Washington, since social and profess
sional obligations send him travelling
UP and down the country. However,
he has found time to perfect the unique
Mexican room which he has been ar
ranging for some years past and as he
collected needful objects. This room,
which is of moderate size, faces the
south. so that the afternoon sun gives
the pro,er lighting to the gayly colored
ceiling and the vivid rugs and pictures.
1t gives = thumb-nail picture of the
native arts and crafts Of old Mexico
and particularly of the more ancient
Indian tribes which still continue their
rug weaving and crude style of painting
pictures. One such painting occupies
the central mural space and shows a
stirring scene In the struggle which
Mexico maintained before throwing off
the Spanish yoke. The Ambassador
has curious collection of small figures
done in pottery and Skillfully colored
All the dominant figures in Mexican
history in the past quarter of century
are presented and these include all tile
Presidents since DiaZ and many of the
well known military leaders Some very
old Indian blankets adorn the wall and
there are many interesting specimens
~ IL 49,
and Of later indian origin. This room
is one of the formal suite used for
larger entertainments.
X X X X
If DR.. Luther H. Reichelderfer, presi-
dent of the Board of District Commits
sionerS, and his associates, aided by Col
u. s. Grant and the eminent orni-
biologists of the Smithsonian Institu-
ton and the Department of Agriculture,
will only suggest method of success
fully choosing the birds which will in
habit the gardens and parks, the life
OF the average Washingtonian will be
made much happier. Such a service
has been lately rendered by the officials
Of the American Museum of History, and,
armed with instructions, bird lovers on
Long Island estates and guardians of
Central Park, New York, and up into
the counties hope to counteract the
1Hh6yo VI vi tllc uSSLS Oh ObI1eI
birdS and the tyranny Of blue jays and
even OF the neat-appearing but quarrel
some wren. Woodpeckers, which once
made the small garden resound with
their industry, have been almost ex-
terminated by the starlings which are
larger and more numerous and which
suck the eggs and then take possession
Of the nest. Flickers have succumbed
70 the starlings nefarious warfare In
oil the rocinr1c
and they are becoming scarcer every
year about the District. Washington
has many other grievances against this
unwelcome alien In the bird family
but its citizens have been powerless in
repelling their invasion.
X
The Secretary of War and the Gov
'ernor Of Virginia will, without doubt.
hold many conferences and congress
the question Is finally settled whether
the Old Dominion will retrocede Ar
lington County, once part Of the "Ten
Miles Square" Gov. Pollard has al
ways expressed sympathy for the citi-
zerls Of the District of Columbia, de-
pr1ved of all civic rights and, In very
truth step-children Of Congress, and,
say his friends, he will have to be very
sure that denizens Of Arlington County
plight before he will consider the meas
ure favorably. Citizens of the District
OF Columbia on the Virginia side of the
river had long list Of grievances
against the authorities Of the Federal
territory and it was by their loudly &C.
claimed wish that in 1910 the Old Do
minion took them back. It will, be by
vote, II the negotiations reach that
stage, that Arlington County viii be
restored to the Federal domain. It has
required less than century for the
Government to discover that parting
with the Virginia cession was an error.
Senator Capper, who is stanch
friend OF the Federal preserve, cannot
see how the business of the Government
can expand In the present restricted
area. AS it Is, more than a third of
Arlington County is under control of
the War Department and this acreage
will be appreciably increased when the
site Of the airport is oficially Endorsed.
Sentimentally it would seem that the
Capital should own Arlington Cemetery,
Fort Myer and the radio station adj
jacent.
Col. q. s. Grant, Sd, in deciding to
remain In the Army, has, In the opin-
cordance with the martial traditions so
potent in his family. Perhaps he also
may have felt the urge to live up to
the exalted standards In the armed de-
Tense set by his grandfather and IA
Their. Tt will be remembered that the
last letter the heroic Gen. Grant wrote,
as death closed upon him, was to Pres
ident Cleveland, asking the appoint
ment of his young grandson and name
sake to West Point. In his cadet days
and in his early service after receiving
his commission as an engineer ofiicer,
the Capital City's superintendent of
public grounds and buildings has forged
ahead In his profession But Col.
Grant Is particularly concerned with
the development of L'Enfant's plan of
the city. 1t would be tempting offer,
indeed, which would take him away in
this formative stage, and with much
more involved than a handsome salary.
fortunately, both he and his wife, who
is the only daughter of the venerable
Elihu Root, have other resources than
the meager Army stipend. 1t was when
Mr.. Root was Secretary of War that
the first Park Commission to study and
restore the L'Enfant plan was named,
and in the report this body made in
1902 there was enthusiastic indorse-
- L.