DENMARK: Triumph

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That a woman from the U. S. A. is one thing and a woman from the U. S. S. R. quite another was evident in Copenhagen last week when His Majesty Christian X, tallest of Scandinavia's three tall kings, received the corps diplomatique.

When neighboring King Gustaf V receives in Stockholm no precedence is given to the Soviet Minister, beauteous Alexandra Kollantay. Quite as though she were a man, Comrade Kollantay stands back until diplomats who have been longer at Stockholm than she bow before Sweden's Gustaf. Not only has Comrade Kollantay never claimed the right of "ladies first," but like other Old Bolsheviks she considers ''lady" a repulsive epithet. Very much a lady is the first woman ever appointed a U. S. Minister. Last week in Copenhagen the rule that senior diplomats always take precedence was waived in her favor by the gallants of the corps. Leading them all in a gown and hat of silver-embroidered black velvet the U. S. Minister swept up to King Christian, chatted diplomatic nothings in what the Associated Press hailed as "a triumph for Mrs. Ruth Bryan Owen."