Evening star., 1934-04-29
Tales of Well Known Folk
In Art, Literature, Politics
Cervantes Day Celebrated at Spanish Embassy.
Embassy and Legation Costs Discussed.
Kentucky Derby Leads the Sports.


the Spanish embassy last week, to
which many of the Hterati of the
Capital and other friends of the Am
bassador and Sonora de Cardenas
were invited, was a delightful fare
well on the eve Of their departure for
their new post at Paris next month.
While the beautiful Shakespeare
celebration was taking place at the
Folger Shakespeare Memorial Mon
day the Spanish contemporary of the
immortal bard was also being feted.
1t Is an interesting coincidence that
the great Spanish writer and drama
tiSt and William Shakespeare died on
the same day. one In England and
the other in Spain.
The Cervantes ceremony was a
unique event here and caused several
to take down their old copies of Don
Quixote and accompany the knight
Of the rueful countenance on his
wonderful, side-splitting exploits. An
unexpurgated edition with the intrigu-
ing little engravings of a century or
two ago is the one in which to &C
company the amusing Don and
SanCho Panza on their travels into
the realms Of chivalry and adventure,
which after over 300 years have never
been excelled
CervanteS' first book was "Galatea,"
pastoral novel in six books, inter-
spersed with songs and verses, and
was published in 1884 when the author
was about 81 years old. He was a
prolific writer of comedies and inter-
ludes, which are but little read now
adays
When there are such fascinating
books on the library shelves one
often wonders as he looks over the
titles of old literature why so many
new books are needed.
It Is not known If the Union Of
South Africa Is to have a perma-
nent embassy or legation building
here, but the prime minister Of the
Union, Mr. Hertzog, has announced
that his government intended to es-
tablish embassies in Paris and Berlin,
the Berlin embassy to deal with
Swedish affairs.
The legation in Washington where
the Minister of the Union of South
Africa and Mrs. Close are located is
at 1921 New Hampshire avenue, with
the officers of the legation a few
doors away.
There is still much criticism and
discussion throughout the country as
to whether the American embassy
building in Moscow should cost one
or two millions-that if it is TO
be a copy of Monticello, the home
Of the apostle of democracy, it should
not cost so much. But on the other
hand, as 1t is to house the foreign
representatives of a great and rich
Nation, it should be in keeping with
the wealth and power of that Nation.
It has been interesting to read
letter written by the late President
Theodore Roosevelt, apropos of a
similar controversy which took place
during his presidency, relative to the
sharp criticism that arose in 1905
over the magnificent house in Lon
don taken by the late Mr.. Whitelaw
Reid, then Ambassador to England. .
In this controversy President Roose-
welt sided with his Secretary of State,
Mr.. Hay, and wrote: II think man
should live in such position as he has
been accustomed to live. If found
just the right man for a given cabinet
position, and he happened to be poor
man, I should not in the least object
to his living in the hall-bedroom of
a boarding house. On the contrary, I
should be pleased at it. On the other
hand, as Root Zone of his cabineD
can afford big house and can afford
to entertain, I think it would be
rather shabby, rather mean, If he lived
in a way that would be quite proper
for others-that would, for instance,
be quite proper for me If were in
the cabinet"
The colonel in his delightful way
goes on to say that he never felt the
least embarrassed because at his home
at Sycamore Hill maid waited on
the table and opened the door, instead
of butler. He adds, Il should feel
nothing but scornful amusement for
any man who felt that such method
of living was improper for Presi-
dent or a cabinet officer; I should
have easily the same feeling for the
critic who objected to rich man who
was doing his full duty living as he
had the right to live"
Some time ago the British Ambas-
sador, Sir Ronald Lindsay, speaking
Of the enormous increase in diplomatic
business, said that when he came to
Washington, as a secretary of en-
bassy, in the early nineteen-hundreds
the whole staff was accommodated in
two small rooms. -Four OF the Secre-
taries sat In one and two in another,
and the butler did the typewriting.
Today the magnificent new embassy
on Massachusetts, avenue houses the
entire staff and seems to have no
waste room. By the way, the site of
the old British embassy, where the
great gold unicorn and lion once
Haunted itself at the entrance Of the
red brick structure on Connecticut
avenue, where Sir Julian Pauncefote
held sway as dean of the corps, the
first diplomat with the rank of Am
bassador in Washington, in 1903, there
now stands a gasoline station, quite
up to date, but in the minds Of old
residents of social trend blot on the
social landscape.
Washington society Is looking for
ward to the arrival on Wednesday Of
the Ambassador to Mexico and Mrs.
Josephus Daniels. Old friends who
remember their delightful hospitality
when the Ambassador was Secretary
of Navy, and they kept open house,
will give them a warm welcome.
Mr.. Daniels Is to preside at the