London Embassy

The Representative of the State Department at London is Ambassador Alanson B. Houghton. Like his predecessors, Secretary of State Kellogg, George Harvey, John W. Davis, Walter Hines Page, Mr. Houghton has no official home provided by the U. S. Like them, he must rent a suite in a hotel, a private house, anything he can get, and hang out a sign: "Embassy of the United States of America." Several years ago, J. P. Morgan public-spiritedly made the U. S. a gift of two adjoining houses in London for use as an Embassy. Before they could be used, it was necessary that extensive alterations be made. Congress, three years ago, appropriated $150,000 for remodeling them for Embassy purposes. It has not been done. Last week, Assistant Secretary of State Wilbur J. Carr went before a committee of Congress to ask that the! appropriation, which had lapsed, be extended. Mr. Carr explained why the work had not been done before: First there was the conveyance of title. It had to be worked out so that it would be valid under both British and U. S. law. The lawyers took months to overcome the difficulties involved. Then architects' plans for alterations had to be procured. Then plans and specifications had to be prepared which could get satisfactory bids under both laws. This last has not been accomplished yet--they hope to achieve it by July 1. Grieved, the House Appropriations Committee agreed to renew the appropriation, although Representative Madden, its Chairman, remarked: "We had better give the house away again and let somebody else do the job."