Evening star., 1942-12-24
Dr.. EscoIonte Happy That u. S.
Beat Hitler to West Africa
Believes Germans
Might Bomb Oil
Lands in Venezuela
BY CATHERINE HAMBLEY.

The AEF in North Africa has
given Senor DR.. Don Diogenes
EScalante, Venezuelan Ambassador
more than one reason to relax. An
Axis controlled Northwest Africa, he
feels, would have enabled Hitler to
base bombers capable of spanning
the Atlantic to Venezuela, north OF
Brazil. Der Fuehrer would have
loved to have done just that because
the envoy's country is the second
largest oil producer and the wells
would have been juicy objectives.
Formerly "the black gold" was ex-
ported for refining to the Dutch
islands in the Caribbean. Nazi u
boat operations have made this
hazardous to an extent and Senor
Escalante proudly says that four
reflneries are doing the job at home.
The diplomat puts you completely
at ease and always maintains a we'll
balanced perspective, An aristocrat,
the Ambassador is descended from
Don Francisco de Escalante, the
Spanish conqueror.
He and his wife have two daugh-
ters. The elder is Isabel, Artistic
Marie Teresa is the wife of the
Undersecretary of Finance of Ell
Salvador.
Likes Opera and Poker.
The envoy has little time for his
family. He keeps fit by the italian
trainway." Skiing, to him. is also
fun. On Sundays he goes in for
heavy reading, and pays and re-
celves calls. For total relaxation he
requires comedy, enjoys a George
Bernard Shaw play. He likes all
operas, but would much prefer to get
into a poker game. Frequently Senor
Escalante makes trips to New York.
1reks to Baltimore and PHILADELPHIA
happened during the football season.
Born in La Grita in 1879. Senior
EScalante studied at the Universities
OF Merida and Caracas and finished
his education at Geneva.
In 1878 he was in Geneva again.
Senior Escalante was fascinated bv
the golngS-on. Pretty girls were
posted by the French in the Casino
to pick up information. Germany
sent Austrian women for the same
purpose.
The Ambassador has taken part in
every annual session of the League
OF Nations. In 1920 he was an
pointed, along with Norwegian and
Hollander, to settle a boundary
dispute between Greece, Yugoslavia
and Albania. Being accustomed to
The tropics, Senor Escalante had
visions Of freezing in a tent on a hill
in Albania.
HIS government ended such
thoughts by appointing him to the
head of the Legation in Iondon
where he remained IA years before
returning to Venezuela and becom-
ing Secretary Of Interior Relations
and then secretary to the President
ne mad been Consul in Liverpool in
1904 prior TO holding the same office
at Hamburg, after which he was, in
succession, secretary of the Legation
IN Holland and France.
Acquires English Habits.
AT first black, damp England
seemed small improvement over the
Albanian Mountains. Slowly he
made friends and came to under
stand this race of conquerors and
naVigators, so long iSloated from the
continent and for centuries hoIdino
/ their own by maintaining the ball
ance of power.
The diplomat discovered that this
seat OF Mars was a land of hoSpi-
tality, and he developed a taste for
Tea and English breakfasts and
meats. The old Vic" Theater was
MS haunt, particularly when Ham
let" was playing.
PeruSlng the records of the For
elgn Office in the Office of Public
RECORDS afforded him hours of en-
Joyment. His own archives are in
London and in Geneva.
Inc Ambassador advises a stranp-
ef. he desires to accomplish any-
thlng IN Great Britain. to conform, n
BRUSH habits and standards tested
/ ana proved by time. In turn the
British will accept you in their
MIDST, and a sense OF security is
yours which nothing can DESTROY
mus the envoy describes the fair
est and simplest of people"
Ihough SenOr EScalante vearns
TO return to the masculine atmos-
phere OF the British Isles, he has
an affection for the feminine charm