Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-11-06
Mexico$ Busy Ambassador
The Versatile DR.. Najera Has Played Lively Tune

The notes Of guitar strummed in
celebration by an ambassador last week
floated over the crest of Meridian Hill
from white brick house on Sixteenth
street.
The music marked the end OF 10
months of fine diplomatic maneuvering
by the music's player, DR.. Don Francisco
Castillo Najera, who Is the Mexican gov
eminent in the United States.
For 10 months his excellency, swarthy,
scowling, genial, had been trotting down
to the State Department to see Sumner
Welles, the suave Undersecretary, about
the international crisis over the Mexican
land appropriation.
The United States demanded money for
the land at once; Mexico protested she
could not pay at once. The issue was
clear. Agreement two months ago seemed
impossible. Agreement today is definite
1t is cause enough for DR.. Najera to re-
joice. The agreement was one of the
major diplimatic tasks of the year in
Washington.
The Ambassador had the guitar under
his arm when he got of the train at
Union Station three years ago as Ambas-
sador- designate. And he carried a cage
Of Is canaries, which chirped brightly
during the journey from the station to
the four story mansion house on Six
tenth street which serves as the En-
bassy. 1t is the house where the late King
Albert, his Queen and the present King
of the Belgians, then the Duke of Bra
bent, stayed when they visited Wash
ington in 1920.
A Man Of Direct Action.
Ambassadors seldom carry canaries in
public. But Dr. Najera is not like most
ambassadors. The demands of pomp
make no demands on him. Invariably his
forelock hangs in his right eye. He has
no love for protocol. Diplomacy by the
Najera school is no matter of scraping
bows, substle observations and thinly
spun intrigue. The Ambassador is d.
rect man who comes quickly to the point,
whether with Secretary OF State or a
footman. He knows what he wants and
he states his wants plainly, but with wit.
There was a large reception at the
Embassy last spring The Ambassador
asked for champagne. The footman
handed him glass three quarters froth.
II want to drink this" the Ambassador
said, mot shave with it. Put some cham
payne in the glass" He is opposed to
froth on every count
During the Pan-American Peace Con-
foronco iy, hi
rumpled hair and his easy friendliness
outraged the beautifully groomed and
elegantly hammered DR.. Saavedra Lamas,
who then was foreign minister for
Argentina. Mexican bolshie," DR.. La
mas said of him. DR.. Najera, who is
often amused, thought it was great
joke. His hair still falls in his eyes.
, The Mexican Ambassador is good
deal more than a fancier of canares
and an enemy of pomposity. He is worth
attention now because during the ex-
preparation negotiations he has been the
most active practitioner of diplomacy
among all the ambassadors and minis
tiers and charge d'affaires in the city.
He is worth attention also because he
probably is the most versatile man in
the District OF Columbia.
Surgeon, Poet, diplomat.
If for some strange reason you wanted
the services of man who during the
course OF day could remove your ap-
pendiX, write you a lyric poem of dis
tinction, offer you sound advice on IN
proving your bridge game, play you soft
music on the Spanish guitar, help you
with question in international law and
take care OF your requirements in the
realm of diplomacy, you might wonder
where to turn.
DR.. Najera is such paragon. He has
been surgeon general of Mexico He is
the author of eel Galivan,' book OF
original verse, and the compiler of an
anthology of Belgian poetry. He is one
OF the Capitals whizzes at contract. Ee
is correspondent member of the Argen-
tine Academy of International Law. He
has been, besides Ambassador here, Mex-
ico's Minister to China, Minister to Bel
GUM, Minister to the Netherlands. Min
lister to Sweden, Minister to France,
Minister to Austria, Ambassador to the
League of Nations, chairman of the first
commission of the Pan-American Peace
Conference and special adviser to the
Prince of Monaco.
The Ambassador is a mountain of en-
ergy, at home on horse or in a palace
as fond of laugh as of well-turned
couplet. He is few inches under 6
feet, heavy-set, with a lower lip that
sticks far out. Except when he sleeps
and chews he is preceded everywhere by
his cigaret, which he puts in a holder
almost half a foot long.
Holds Numerous Decorations.
DR.. Najera wearing all his decorations
would look like slightly stout knight
in armor. He has the Grand Cross of
the Crown from Belgium and the Grand
Cross of the Condor de los Andes from
Bolivia. He holds the Grand Cross of
Boyaca from Colombia as we'll as the
Grand Cross of the Order Carlos Manuel
de Cespedes in Cuba and the Grand
Cross Of the Order AL Merito of Chile.
The Grand White-red-edgedC Gordon Of
the Jade Order was given him by China,
and the Netherlands conferred on him
the Grand Gross Of the Orange Nassau
Order. He Il member Of the order Of