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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (March 13, 1904)
THE SUNDAY OBEGONIAN. PORTLAND. MARCH 13, 190 Where the Big Game of Diplomacy Is Played DAILY SCENES-IN THE OFFICE OF COLONEL JOHN HAY, SECRETARY OF STATE - WASHINGTON, March 7. Special Cor respondence of the Sunday Oregon! an.) Uncle Sam's diplomacy mill Is working: overtime these belligerent days. The -war In the Bast has caused no end of extra toil for the officials and ecmployes of our smallest yet most conspicuous executive department, over which John Hay, the one-time private secretary of Lincoln, pre sides. Thursday is the day when the diplomat Jo chessboard rattles with greatest din, for since the time Hamilton Fish came to take up the portfolio of state the fifth day of each week has been set aside as "diplomatic day." Then all ambassa dors, ministers and charges d'affaires ac credited to this republican court are as sured an audience with the premier of the Cabinet between the hours of 10 A. M. and IP. M. Other days they may come. If they wish, but must take their chances Bt finding the Secretary of State at the (White House or absent on other official errands of import. And other days they do come. Every day, in fact, during these Stirring times, they troop in. But if on diplomatic day you post yourself outside with your kodak loaded for big game you can generally bag a good flock. Diplomats Arrive. His Excellency, the Ambassador, Mr. IMinister and Mr. Charge d' Affaires are boosted one floor in the State Department elevator and step one by one Into the diplomatic anteroom, near Secretary Hay's office. Here Eddie Savoy, the dip lomatic messenger, takes their coats and 3mts while another attendant carries their cards to the head of the Cabinet. If the diplomats waiting their turn in the anteroom be all of equal rank if they all be Ministers, for example they are received in the order of their arrival. But it there be ten Ministers seated in the little waiting chamber when an Ambas sador, arrives, the latter is admitted by the Secretary ahead of them, because an Ambassador Is the personal representa tive of his sovereign Is, technically, that sovereign himself. Casslni's Advantage. It is here that his excellency, Comte JCasslnl, dean of the diplomatic corps, 'master of the Imperial court of Russia, and more especially Ambassador of the Czar, may score an advantage over Mr. Kogoro Takahlra, Minister of Japan. Mr. Takahlra, after cooling his heels on the anteroom floor for an hour, may Just breach his turn when the big, white-haired, 3e-monocled Comte comes sauntering in and may see the Czar's personal repre sentative whisk by him into the Secre tary's presence in time to upset some Scheme which he has tucked up his sleeve. Or, if the Czar may wish something of import communicated directly to the ear of Theodore Roosevelt, the Comte may carry his errand to the Inmost sanctum of the White House a prerogative denied to Mr. Takahlra, simply because he Is a mere Minister. But to the pro-Japanese enthusiast who may cry that this seems unfair, let it be said that it is the fault of the island empire itself that such a condition exists. If the Mikado's govern ment elects to elevate its mission here to the dignity of an embassy, why then, as between' the Russian and Japanese envoys, the rule of "first come first served" will obtain. But on diplomatic days Ministers are not so embarrassed, If they recover suf ficiently from the good times of the night before to hop out of their pajamas early, urge their valets to dress them with dis patch and appear in the diplomatic ante room at 10 o'clock sharp. Such a cry arose from Ministers some few years ago over this very question that genial Lord Pauncefote, the then dean of the diplo matic corps, saw fit to gather all of the Ambassadors together and got them to agree not to call at the State Department before noon on diplomatic days, that the small fry among the corps might have a chance. How Received. Secretary Hay does not receive these diplomatic callers in his office. He must guarantee to each a confidential tete-a-tete without danger of interruption or an noyanceor the possibility of eavesdrop ping. Hence an apartment adjacent to the Secretary's office is reserved for these receptions. Across Its threshold none but the duly accredited envoys or charges THE GOLD THERE is one thing that the Anglo Saxon does better than the "French or Turk or Rooshlan" to which add German or the Belgian. When the Anglo American appoints an official he appoints more or less a servant; when the French man and the others put a man in gold braided uniform, they add another to their long list of masters. If among your ac quaintances you can discover an Ameri can or Englishman unfamiliar with the Continental official, it is worth your while to accompany him, the first time he goes out to post a letter, say. Ho advances toward that postoffice a breezy, self-confident gentleman, borne up by pride of race. - While mounting the steps he talks airily of Just getting this letter off his snlnd, and then picking up Jobson and going on to Durand's for luncheon. He talks as if he had got the whole day before him. At the top of the steps he attempts to push open the door. It will not move. He looks about him and dis covers that it is the door of egress, not of ingress. It does not seem to him worth while descending the 20 steps and climb ing another 20. So far as he is concerned, he is willing to pull the door instead of pushing it But a stern official bars his way and haughtily Indicates the proper entrance. "Oh bother, ' he says, and down he trots, and up the other flight "I shall not be. a minute," he remarks over his shoulder, "you can wait for me outside." But If you know your' way about you follow him in. There are seats within, and if you have a newspaper in your pocket the time will pass pleasanter. Inside ho looks around, bewildered. The German postoffice. generally speaking, is about the size of the Bank of England. It does not occur to the German bureau cracy that one and the same employe could sell a penny stamp to one man and the next moment sufficiently hitch oft his mind onto a new train of thought and sell a postal order to somebody else. It would be too risky, considers the German bureaucracy. Human adaptability has Its limits. Let the stampseller stick to his stamps, the dispenser of postal orders ave himself up for postal orders. Soma K different windows confront your trou bled friend, each one bearing its own peculiar legend. Starting with number one he sets to work to spell them out It appears to him that the posting of the letters is not a thing that the Ger man postoffice desires to encourage. Would he not like a dog license instead, is what one window suggests to him. "Oh, never mind that letter of yours, come and talk about bicycles," pleads another. At last he thinks he has found the right hole; the word "Registration" he distinctly rec sgnlzes. He taps at the glass. Nobody takes any notice of him. The foreign official is a man whose life Is taddened by a public always wanting tomething. You read it In his face whor- d'affaires of foreign powers may pass on diplomatic days. This apartment long, narrow and well lighted Is appointed to a king's taste, and only the state parlors of the "White House can be compared with it Its ceil ing and walls are beautifully frescoed, and its inlaid floor is covered with costly rugs from the Orient It abounds with sofas and chairs upholstered In tapestry, and at either end rests a massive table, on one of which treaties are customarily signed. From the three sides look down oil portraits of our ex-Secretaries of State, and through the rich draperies of the win dows may bo seen the Virginia hills across the Potomac Near the center of the room stands a large globe handsomely mounted, a globe whose boundaries are being altered these days by some of the very hands which touch it The "Note Verbal." Secretary Hay is always prompt on dip lomatic days. He stands ready to receive the first visitor to enter the diplomatic reception-room. Each Ambassador he formally greets as "Your Excellency"; each Minister as "Mr. Minister." He con verses with most of the diplomats in French, this being the diplomatic lan guage of the world. So long as other callers are waiting he expects his guests to be brief and to the point He remem bers each detail of the conversation and as soon as each envoy has departed he retires for a moment to his office, sum mons his private secretary and distates a "note verbal" a memorandum contain ing the" import of the interview. This is tucked away in the confidential archives of his office and is retained there for ref erence until the time comes to publish a "blue book" upon the negotiation. History is made in this diplomatic room every week. It is here also that newly arrived diplomats in court dress first preaent their credentials with speeches and great ceremony and It Is here that some have received their "walking pa pers" with less ceremony. One of the most stirring scenes which ever took place therein was that between Secretary Qresham and Minister Thurston, of Ha waii, which ended in Mr. Gresham's re questing Mr. Thurston not to call at the State Department again and that only written communications from him would be thereafter received. BKAIt) UNIFO'RM AND ever you go. The man who sells you tickets for the theater! He is eating sand wiches when you knock at his window. He turns to his companion: "Good Lord!" you can see him say, "Here's another of em. Ilf there has been one man worrying "What the use there'll only be a fresh crowd." me this morning there have been a hun dred. Always the same story; all of 'em want to come to see the play. You listen now; bet you anything he's srolntr to fcother me for tickets. Really, It gets on my nerves sometimes." At the rail way station it is Just the same. "An other man who wants to go to Antwerp! Don't seem to care for rest, these people; flying here, flyhig there; what's the sense of it?" It Is the absurd craze on the part or the public for letterwrltlng; It Is spoil ing the temper of the Continental post office official. He does his best to dis courage it: "Look at them," he says to his assistant The thoughtful jurlsm con tinental government is careful to provide every official with another official to talk to, lest by sheer force of ennui he might be reduced to taking Interest in his work. "Twenty of 'em, all in a row; some of 'em been there for the last quarter of an hour." "Let 'em wait another quar ter of an hour." advises the assistant; "perhaps they'll go away." "My dear fellow," he answers, "do you think I haven't tried that? There's simply no getting rid of "em; and it's always the same cry, 'Stamps! stamps! stamps!' Pon my word, I think they live on stamps, some of "cm," "Well, let 'em have their stamps," suggests the assistant with a burst of inspiration, "perhaps It will get rid of 'em." "What's the use.' wea rily the older man replies; "there'll only come a fresh crowd when those are gone." "-Oh, well," argues the other, "that will be a change, anyhow. I'm tired of looking at this lot" I put it to a German postoffice clerk once, a man I had been boring for months. I said: "Xuj thJnXc I write Jattm3-a j. 'tSECfZEv&y or AH factions of the diplomatic corps rub elbows in the diplomatic ante-room. Baron Ladlslaus Hengelmuller von Hen gervar, privy councilor of the Emperor Franz-Joseph, and that sovereign's per sonal representative at Washington, often comes in close contact here with his ene my, Senor Don Manuel de Azpiroz, the Mexican Ambassador, whom the Aus trian court has never yet forgiven for his part In the prosecution of the ill-fated Maximillian, and whom the Austrian Am bassador has proceeded to snub ever since short stories, these three-act-plays, on purpose to annoy you. Do let me try and get the idea out of your head. Person ally, I hate work hate It as much as you do. This is a pleasant little town of yours; given a free choice, I could spend the whole day mooning around it never putting pen to paper. But what am I to do? I have a wife and children. You know what it Is yourself; they clamor for food, boots, all sorts of things. I have to prepare these little packets for sale and bring them to you to send off. You see, you are here. If you were not here, If there were no postoffice in this town, maybe I'd have to train pigeons or cork the thing up in a bottle, fling it Into the river and trust to. luck and the Gulf Stream. But your being here and calling yourself a postoffice well, it's a tempta tion to a fellow." I think it did good. Anyhow, after that he used to grin when I opened the door, instead of greeting me as formerly with a face the picture of despair. But to return to our inex perienced friend. A LAST the wlckot is suddenly opened. A peremptory official demands of him "name and address." Not expecting the question, he is a little doubtfl of his address and has to correct himself once or twice. The official- eyes him sus plclosly. ."Name of mother?" continues The hotel porter can swear In seven differ ent languages. the official. "Name of what?" "Mother!" repeats the official; "had a mother of some sort I suppose?" He Is a man who loved his mother sincerely while she lived, but she has been dead these 20 years, and for the life of him he cannot recollect her name. He thinks it was Margaret Henrietta, but is not at all sure. Besides, what on earth has his mother got to do with this registered letter that he wants to send to his partner in New York. "When did it die?" asks the offi cial. "When did what die? Moth ax-?" I&tf the two envoys have been colleagues In Washington. Eddie Savoy, the afore mentioned messenger in the ante-room, is, however,, a born diplomat himself and makes every endeavor to keep warring factions apart It has been his fear of late .that the Russian and Japanese en voys might meet face to face, and per haps personally take up the strife of their two countries. The other day while Comte Casslnl was closeted with Secre tary Hay in the diplomatic reception room Minister Takahlra came saunter ITS EFFECTS "No, no, the child." "What child?" The Indignation of the official is almost pic turesqe. "All I want to do," explains your friend, "is to register a letter" "A what?" 'This letter I want" The window is slammed in his face. When ' We might each day come and dress in the postoffice. 10 minutes later he does reach -the right wicket the bureau for the registration of letters and not the bureau for the registration of Infantile deaths it is pointed out to him that the letter either is sealed or that it is not sealed. I have never been able yet to solve this prob lem. If your letter is scaled it then appears that it ought not to have been sealed. If on the other hand you have omitted to seal It, that is your fault In either case, the letter cannot go as it is. The continental official brings up the public on the principle of the nurse who sent the eldest girl to see what Tommy was doing and tell him he mustn't Your friend having wasted half an hour and mislaid his temper for the day, decides to leave this thing over and talk to the hotel porter about It Next to the Burgo master, the hotel porter is the most in fluential man in the continental town; maybe because he can swear in seven different languages. But even he is not omnipotent 'THREE of us, on the point of starting I for a walking tour through the Tyrol, once sent on our luggage by post from Constance to Innsbruck. Our idea was that, reaching Innsbruck, la the height of the season, after a week's tramp on two flannel shirts and a change of socks, we would be glad to get Into fresh clothes before showing ourselves in civilized so ciety. Our bags were waiting for us in the postoffice; we could see them through the grating. But some inform ality I have never been able to under stand what It was had occurred at Con stance. The sosolcions of the Swiss pos "1 ing into the ante-room, where the Rua slan Ambassador's great fur coat was re posing in the custody of Eddie. A meet ing between the envoys of the warring nations seemed Imminent, and the mes senger was visibly nervous. "When the tall Russian came out of the reception room and started for the ante-room Sa voy grabbed up the great fur coat and ran toward him. He helped the Ambas dor Into It and handed him his hat be fore the ante-room door was reached, and thus did Eddie, as he thought pour tal authorities had been aroused, and special Instructions had been sent that the bags were to be delivered up only to their rightful owners. It sounds sensible enough. Nobody wants his bag delivered up to any one but the proper owner. But it had not been explained to the authori ties at Innsbruck how they were to know the proper owners. Three wretched-looking creatures crawled into the postoffice and said they wanted those three bags "those bags, there in the corner," which were nice, clean, respectable-looking bags; the sort of bags that any" one might want One of them produced a bit of paper, it is true, which he said had been given to him as a receipt by the post office people at Constance. But in the lonely passes of the Tyrol one man, set upon by three, might easily be robbed of his papers and hl3 body thrown over a precipice. The chief clerk shook his head; he was a kindly-looking man; but he had had his Instructions to be careful, and he Intended to be caref uL He would like us to return accompanied by some one who could Identify us. The hotel porter occurred to us as a matter of course. Keeping to the back streets w returned to the hotel and fished him out of his box. "I am Mr. J," I said; "this Is my friend. Mr. B. and this is Mr. S." The porter bowed and said he was de lighted. "I want you to come with us to the postoffice," I explained "and Ident ify us." The hotel porter la always a de he leeks ores bewildered." practical man; his calling robs him of all sympathy with the hide-bound for mality of bis compatriota. He put on his cap and accompanied us back to the office. He did his best; no one can say he did not He told them who we were; they asked hiin how he knew- For re ply he asked them how they thought he knew his mother; he jat knew us; It was second nature with him. He im plied that the Question was a silly on. oil upon the troubled waters. A moment later the Japanese Minister hurried into the hall, on his way to the reception room, but the Comte's tall figure was disapearing" in the distance. Secretary Hay has been busier than the head of any other foreign office In neu tral territory since the war In the East began. His task In whipping the other powers into line over the matter of the "integrity" and "entity" of China was, of course, a responsible one, and he has been In electric touch with our diplomats By Jerome and suggested that as his time was valu able, they should hand us over the three bags and have done with their nonsense. THEY asked him how long he had known us. He threw up his hands with an eloquent gesture; memory re fused ' to travel back such distance. It appeared there was never a time When he had not known us. We had been boy3 together. Did he know anybody else who knew us? The question ap peared to him almost Insulting. Every body in Innsbruck knew us, honored us, respected us everybody, that is, except a few postoffice officials, people quite out of society. Would he kindly bring along, say one undoubtedly respectable citizen who could vouch for our identity. The request caused him to forget us and our troubles. The argument became a personal quarrel between the porter and the clerk. If he, the porter was not a respectable citizen of Innsbruck, where was such to be found? Both gentlemen became excited, and the discussion passed beyond my understanding. But I gathered dimly, from what the clerk said, that Ill natured remarks relative to the porter's grandfather and a missing cow had never yet been satisfactorily replied to; and from observations made by the porter, that stories were in circulation about the clerk's aunt and a sergeant of artillery that should suggest to a discreet nephew of the lady the advisability of talking about other people's grandfathers. Our sympathies were naturally with the por ter; he was our man, but he did not seem to be advancing our cause much. We left them quarreling and persuaded the head waiter that evening to turn out the gas at our end of table d'hote. -The next morning wo returned to the postoffice by ourselves. The clerk proved a reasonable a mother should be a source of Joy to all, but the suffering and danger incident to the ordeal makes its anticipation one of misery. , Mother's Friend is the only remedy which relieves women of the great pain and danger of maternity 4 this hour which is dreaded as woman's severest trial is not only made painless, but all the danger is avoided by its use. Those who use this remedy are no longer despondent or gloomy; nervousness, nausea and other distressing conditions are overcome, the system is made ready for the coming event, and th f ' t . .1 'x 1 serious acciaents so common to me cnacai hour are obviated by the use of Mother's Friend. "It is worth its weight in gold," says many who have used it. $1.00 per bottle at drug stores. Book containing valuable information of interest to all women, will be sent to any address free upon application to "laffUffl WMirTO mamAttm oou , 1 1 IV WI the world over during the past few weeks. All of his dispatches of a diplomatic character must go out in cipher and all of those received in reply must be trans lated from cipher into English. A year ago last Spring Congress made appro priation for a cipher code to be placed with all legations, embassies and consu lates of the United States. The State Department studied all systems and finally designated for use the Western Union telegraphic code and international cable directory of the world as the safest and most expeditious. Some Swift Moves. The alertness demanded of our Sec retary of State during such stirring times as these may be appreciated at a cas ual glance at the diplomatic chessboard during a few days last week. Following Japan s attack at Chemuloo. Russia mates a move by complaining to our Ambassador at St Petersburg that such an attack In neutral territory was a vio lation of international law and one which enaangerea foreign shipping. Japan at once gives notice of a protectorate over Corea, which allows her military occupa tion, itussia makes reply that such a treaty Is Invalid because Corea negotia ted It under duress. Japan then makes the clever reply of announcing a treaty guaranteeing the independence and In tegrity of Corea after the necessity of military occupation has vanished. Rus sia replies that she will pay no attention to a treaty negotiated after Corea vio lated her neutrality with Russia. Mean while the Secretary of State Is negotiat ing for the opening of "WIJu. In Corea, and 13 keeping an eye always on our commerce , with the Orient It Russia wins he knows that she will claim Corea. Thus will the game gb on until the treaty of peace between the warring nations Is signed. M'-anwhlle dispatches from our envoys in the Orient and Russia are pouring In upon Secretary Hay every hour, "Good Offices." The entire diplomatic colony in Washlng 13 all agog over the war!. It Is the sole topic among the men accredited here by the powers. They, of course, keep Secre- tary Hay informed as to the attitude of their governments, and he Is thus keeping in touch with the entire civilized world. Moreover, he has considerable routine business with the Japanese Minister, for we have extended our good offices to Japan during the conflict and our Am bassador at St Petersburg technically represents Japan for the time being. Just as England acted for U3 In Spain during our war with that kingdom. To deal with such an active factor in diplomacy a3 John Hay has grown to be, Russia and Japan must of course, be rep resented here by diplomats counted among their shrewdest Comte Casslnl was called the cleverest diplomat of Eu rope by those who heralded his coming here. He Is supposed to have been se lected for this post because of Russian uneasiness over the possibility of an Anglo-American alliance, and that he might use his influence to antagonize such a move. In recent weeks there have been persistent rumors of his recall because of his government's displeasure at his fail ure to prevent the "telegraphic ratifica tion" of our new treaty with China and to convert Americans to more of a pro Russian view of the Eastern question. He knows the Eastern situation like a book, having been Russian Minister to China Just before being sent here. Mr. Taka hlra has the advantage of being a young er man than the Comte by about 15 years If that be an advantage in diplomacy. He was no stranger in thi3 country when, he arrived here a3 Minister, having been Charge d' Affaires of the Japanese Lega tion here when still in his 20s, and Consul-General in New York 12 years ago. He has also held the post of Charge d' Affaires of his country In Corea, and consequently understands conditions in .that kingdom. It is with these two functionaries that Secretary Hay has most to deal during these stirring times. Meanwhile, he has closed the Panama deal. Is putting some finishing touches On a treaty with France providing for the settlement of all future disputes between that republic and ours by arbitration, and is negotiating for sim ilar treaties with Great Britain. Italy and Holland. And 'tis said that after thus actively engaging all day In the making of world history he still finds time in the evenings to scribble oft a poem or two. Just for relaxation. JOHN EL.FRETH W ATKINS. (Copyright, 1904.) K. Jerome man when treated In a friendly spirit He was a bit of a climber himself. He admitted the possibility of our being the rightful owners. His Instructions were only not to deliver up the bags, and he, himself, suggested a way out of the diffi culty. We might come each day and dress In the postoffice. behind the screen. It was an awkward arrangement even although the clerk allowed' us the use of the back door. And occasionally. In spite of the utmost care, bits of us would show outside the screen.' But for a couple of days, until the British Consul returned from Salzburg, the postoffice had to. be our dressing-room. The continental offi cial, I am inclined to think, errs on the side of prudence. (Copyright 1901.) JEROME K. JEROME- The Sands -of Dee. Charles Kingsley. "(X Alary, go and call the cattle home, And call the cattle home. And call- the cattle home. Across the eand3 o' Dee!" The western wind was wild and dank wi foam. And all alone went she. The western tide crept up along the sand. And o'er and o'er the eand, . And round and round the sand, As far as eye could see; The rolling mist came down and hid the land. And never home came she. 'Oh, Is it weed, or fish, or floating hair A tress o' solden hair, A drowned maiden's hair Above the nets at sea? Was never salmon yet that shone so fair. Among the stakes on Dee." They row'd her -in across the rolling foam The cruel, crawling foam. The cruel, hungry foam To her grave beside the sea; Bat still the boatmen hear her call the cattk) home Across the sands o' Dee. Every mother feels a great dread of the pain and danger attendant upon the most critical period of her life. Becoming diner's
