Evening star., 1948-01-02
Shoestring Started
Wedde|I on Long
Diplomatic Career
By the Asseeiatsd Prsss

former Ambassador to Spain, who
was killed with his wife and their
maid In q train wreck at Otterville,
Mo, New Years Day, always at
tributed his entry into the diplo-
matte service to a shoestring.
AS he told 1t, he stopped one day
to tie his shoestring and missed q
streetcar. But on the next car was
q man who told him the Minister
to Denmark wanted private Sec
retary.
Mr.. weddell applied for the posi-
tion and got it. He served in q
dozen posts In various parts Of the
world, and eventually was made
Ambassador to Argentina and then
asked for and got the post as Am
bassador to Spain.
Exempted From Retirement.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt
exempted him from compulsory re-
tirement at 65, extending the limit
to 10, because public interest re-
quires this" But in 1912 the Dip
lomat requested permission to retire
when he faced an operation re-
quiring a lengthy period Of conva-
lescence and observation.
He was working as clerk in the
Library Of Congress in Washington
in 1907 when he got the chance to
become secretary to the Minister
to Denmark. He studied languages
in preparation for the foreign serv-
ice and passed the examinations,
finishing second in group of 35.
His first assignment in the con-
sular service was to Zanzibar. He
served for two years in that East
African post before being transferred
to Catania, Italy. where he was con-
sui from 1912 to 1914. From Italy,
he went to Athens, where he had
difficult problems in connection with
the repatriation of Americans at the
outbreak Of World War I.
Consul General ut Beyrouth.
He was consul general at Bey-
routh, Syria, in 1916, at Calcutta
from 1920 to 1924, and at Mexico
City from 1924 to 1928, when he quit
the service, but this retirement was
temporary. Five years later he was
named Ambassador to Argentina
While serving in this post, Mr.. Wed
dell entertained President Roosevelt
during the presidential tour Of
South American countries.
Mr.. Weddell was born in Rich
mond, Va, April 6, 1876. His father,
the Rev. Alexander w. Weddell,
served for many years as rector
of historic st Johns Episcopal
Church, where Patrick Henry de-
livered his famous "Give me liberty
or give me death" speech.
George Washington Graduate.
After attending both private and
public schools, he was graduated
from George Washington Univer-
sity with the LIB. degree in 1908.
The diplomat was elected to the
Board of Trustees of George Wash
ington in 1943 but resigned In Feb
ruary, 1947, because Of Ill health
Mrs. Weddell donated the Wedden
Peace Prize which Is awarded an
nually to the G.. w. student writing
the best essay on peace.
Mai. Gen. q. 8. Grant III, vice
president OF the university, speaking
in behalf of the institution IN the
absence from the city Of DR.. C1oyd
Heck Marvin, president. said:
1.-THE George washington Univer-
sity Is shocked to learn Of the death
Of its good friends. the Hon. and
Mrs. Alexander w. Weddell.
Theirs were HIVES Of service 10
their community as well as to the
Nation, and the university was
privileged to share in the results Of
this service. In their deaths. we all
have suffered . great loss"
Mr.. Weddell also studied at the
University of Catania in Italy and
at the University Of Lausanne. He
received honorary. degrees from
Hampden-Sidney College, the Uni
versity OF Richmond and the College
of william and Mary. He married
Mrs. Virginia Chase Steedman Of
st. Louis In 1928.
The slim, 6-foot-2 diplomat was
passionately fond Of books. His
Richmond home, the Virginia house
built of materials from an ancient
priory at Warwick, England, con-
tanned a library of some 1000 vol
umes. In later years he spent much
time in reading poetry, biography
and international law.
Patron of Arts.
Mr.. Weddell was patron of
the arts, and his chief hobby was
early Virginia imprints." He was
the author of Richmond in Old
Prints" His interest In early Vir-
ginia portraiture led to his dis
covery in 1888 that a portrait
which had been hanging in the
Virginia,s Governors Office since
1923, labeled Captain John Smith. -
was in reality painting of Peter
John Potemkin, Russian Ambas-
sador to the Court of st. James IN
1892. The country laughed, and the
painting for which Virginians had
paid more than $1,000, was re-
moved.
Despite attempts by his superiors
Ill CIlc oUdGc OcpdI IIIlcllt W uiS-
suade him, he left the service in
1928 and returned to his native
Richmond, but President Roosevelt
called him back to go to Argentina.
In 1889 Mr.. Weddell told the Pres
tdent he would like to go to Spain
as Ambassador
The President asked him for one
good reason.
"I can give you two" Mr.. Weddell
said. II love the country and
love the people"
Recalled Irving's Books.
He said the spell had been cast
when his mother had read to him
as boy Washington Irving's "Al-
hambra" and Chronicles of Spain" J."
His liking was strengthened when
he visited the country in 1915 during
World War l, and observed the
tough -flbered Spanish peasantry
withstanding the want and suffering
from those war days.
Shortly after the United States
had recognized formally the Fran
n{eco Eroprn regime Mr. Wadde1f