Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-06-02

- MdnuSCTlpIS WIlOSe WTllIeH
words reveal the growth of the
L Y United States and the glory
not generally appreciated-of
her individual fortnight diplomacy.
For brief hour recently the most
treasured of her 800 treaties were I'M
rolled in gorgeous array on State
Department tables. Three-the Treaty
of Independence. the Louisiana Pur-
chase and the Treaty of Ghent-are
SO fragile and fading that they may
never again be exposed to the light in
public view
The parchments themselves are
among Washington's richest and least
known displays. Single illuminated
leather-bound volumes lie side by side.
Many notifications of the treaties are
inclosed in gold-embroidered folios of
red purple or black velours and fast
ened by ornate cords to a pendant
SEAL cased in precious metal.
Ceremonial letters add exotic inter-
est. One from the King of Siam
offers a princely gift of two young
couples of elephants with which to
stock the jungles of the United
States" Beside it letter from the
COMMITTEE of Public Safety" of the
French Revolution bears the savage
legend, Liberty. Equality or Death
altered in later times from death" to
Fraternity
A CROSS many other yellowed pages
"A march the strange characters of
orio
craft. From Algiers 10 Zanzibar runs
the index The manuscripts, too frail
for permanent display, lie concealed in
dark vault throughout the years. And
yet, as finder to the imagination, as
study material for American history,
the spectacle of these treaties is more
inhaming than a newsreel.
History leaps from their pages!
Indian treaties mark the first dip
lomatic efforts of our forefathers. The
red man reserved no right of ratifica-
ton when he signed an agreement.
Wampum, gifts and the smoking of
peace pipe sealed the bargain for
him-but not for the white man.
Such treaties, numbering more than
400, came to an end in 1871. for Con-
gress declared then that no Indian
tribe should again be considered an
independent nation" Few of these
picturesque pacts are now exhibited.
One, a large and cracking parchment
of August 7, 1890, is one of this coun-
try's two secret" treaties. 1t now
reveals the agreement by which the
''Deloved chief of the Creek Nation,
Alexander McGillivary," should, upon
swearing allegiance, be made a brig
adler general and receive the pay of
$1,000 annually.
Pirate treaties! Choice leather binds
the startling bargains made with the
Barbary states from 1785 to 1885. The
Turkish and Arabic script runs right
to left and the front pages are blank.
Beside the red waxen seals are fasci-
mating "tughras," or name signs
skillful whirls of penmanship. The
text is warm with fair speech-but no
other treaties among the thousand
deal with the United States in such
summary fashion.
"The very placing of the Moroccan
seal at the head of the treaty de-
notes great superiority over the coun-
try addressed" says the scholar, Prof.
Snouck Hurgronje, land the greeting,
Peace be on those who follow the
right guidance is the classical one
to an unbeliever, not worthy of salu-
tation."
WITH one exception, no treaty is
binding until the payment of
tribute. Algiers and Tunis demanded
money and maritime stores. Tripoli.
extorted 10000 silver dollars, Is
watches of gold and "pinsbach," 5
seal rings and 140 "piques" of cloth.
The pact was arranged with a pure
heart" stamped with II red seals and
humbly paid for by the United States!
For those were the days when this
Nation had merchant marine but
no navy. One-sixth of her trade was
with the Mediterranean ports, at the
mercy of the pirates. Ships were
seized. sailors made slaves. Some cap
tives died of the plague and the miser-
able survivors were not ranSomed until
many years later. The total cost of
tribute, gifts and ransom was esti-
mated at $2046,137.
Notice a later treaty with Algiers.
It provides that no tribute nor gifts
shall ever again be required of the
United States. It was signed on the
deck of the American man of war
Guerrero. For an American Navy
had been launched and retaliation au-
thorized by Congress.
While the Indian and Barbary
treaties are the most striking in the
national collection, they are not of
II cd f,,r
an elemental giving and taking"
Other treaties tell the story of Amer
lean statesmen in the world of trained
and formal diplomacy. Fifteen. in
particular, accent great forward surges
in the progress of this country.
Many Americans regard their Ma
ton as having no diplomacy" and
believe that their plain-dealing ENJOYS
are but puppets in the hands of vet
eran European statesmen. History
proves the reverse. Edwin Grosvenor,
John Bassett Moore, John w. Foster
and Charles Edward Hill-qualified
critics-paint an amazing picture of
the success of Americas own type of
bold, ruggedly honest diplomacy.
Before American history began, it
was the custom of European courts to
send forth princely ambassadors with
costly suites of retainers. No king,
however, was pleased to receive these
guests. An ENJOYS mission" said an
ambassador Of Louis XIV, sis to look
after the affairs of his own prince and
discover the affairs of the other"
Small wonder that the royal host
looked with suspicion upon his Wis