Accident

Diplomats are diplomats, and their persons are sacred and there must be reparations if they are offended. There have been cases in this country where one of them, upon being arrested and fined for speeding, has objected to the State Department and received an apology and a refund of the fine. But Governor Albert C. Ritchie of Maryland is a stern man. In Baltimore the car of Count Gian Franco Della Porta, attache of the Italian Embassy, ran into the automobile of a citizen, one Marks. A policeman came up. The Count paid Mr. Marks $30 and departed. Then he entered a protest to the State Department--asked an apology and his money back, asserting that it had been extorted. Mr. Kellogg wrote to Mr. Ritchie and Mr. Ritchie wrote back, saying that the State police officer had been tactful and merely acted as an arbiter in the settlement of damages.

Maryland would not apologize, Governor Ritchie continued:

"I have, of course, every desire to conform completely to diplomatic usage, and if you advise me that diplomatic usage in a case of this kind requires me to accept Count Porta's version of the occurrence, notwithstanding the statement to the contrary of the State police officer and three reliable witnesses, then I shall be very glad to consider again the question of returning to Count Porta the $30. These witnesses say he paid by way of compensation for the damage he did."