Show T I He H Handles Social Red Bed Tape Tap Longs for Foreign Service I 6 By HERBERT PLUMMER D I WASHINGTON May 13 If 13 If you ou followed the activities of or recent royal visitors to Washington Washington Prince Prince and PrIncess Takamatsu of Japan and anti the king and anti queen of Slam doubt Slam doubt doubtless less you were impressed with the formality formality for for- mality that att attended their almost every move It Is a tremendous task arranging all the details of visits of royalty to the capital Everything must be correct correct cor cor- cor- cor reeL events must be anticipated in inmany inmany inmany many Instances and anti a thousand and andone andone andone one things must be done to make sure that nothing will occur to of offend offend offend of- of fend either the dignity of the vIsitors visitors vis vhs or the American government itself itsel A grea great t part of ot this burden per burden per perhaps haps the greater part rests part rests on the shoulders of ot a painstaking and methodical man in the state department department department depart depart- ment by the name of Charles Lee Cooke Coole Cooke who has been in the state department for something like me 30 years is a valuable cog in the government gov gor- machinery at times times' like this In fact he is 15 almost indis indis- PROTOCOL A AUTHORITY He came to the state department years ago from tram a job in the patent office One day he was given the job joti of arranging the formalities for some official function He did it so well that they kept him at It It Now everybody from the White bite House to the tiniest diplomatic diplomatic diplomatic diplo diplo- matic establishment turns to him when it becomes necessary to discharge discharge discharge dis dis- dis- dis charge an obligation accord according lg to protocol Embassies and legations in Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington freely admit they would not know where to turn were they unable to get In touch with Cooke to ro help out the difficulties they encounter when arranging for an official function They look upon him as an c expert pert on diplomatic social etiquette For 30 years he has sat at his desk in the state department practically an Unchallenged unchallenged unchallenged un un- challenged arbiter orbiter on all official so social so- so cial matters DOESN'T LIKE IT His title tithe Is that of or ceremonial of offIcer officer officer of- of of the state department And from the time he arranged that first function more than 30 years ago he has had a thorough dislike for his job In vain has he tried to 00 get away from the task out into the foreign service where he longs to 00 be But he has bas been steadfastly held to the post by necessity His colleagues have hate come and gone in the foreign ser service service ser ser- er- er vice but it Is not for tor him Only recently he got his first chance to get away and take tako over a foreign assignment Last year ear he he- was appointed a a. member of the commission com corn mission from this country that sailed to Abyssinia to help crown Halle HalIe Se Selassie Se- Se lassie as first emperor of Etl Ethiopia opla But that didn't last long Jong and he soon came back to his old desk in the department to carry carryon on a task so long distasteful to him a |