The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1903-02-25
CLASH WITH GERMANY
Critical Incident of the Late Chi
nese War. Gen. Chaffee'S
Vigorous Action.

Former Attorney General Griggs in a
recent talk let out some state secrets
regarding the events which followed
the landing of the allied forces on Chi
nese soil in the summer of 1901 and
| told of a clash between Germany and
the United States never before related.
saws a Washington special TO the Chi
cago Tribune.
.'The story which General Chaffee is
now telling" said Mr.. Griggs, about
how America saved $S0,0OO,OO0 for the
Chinese government reads almost like
a romance, and yet there is another
story in connection with our forces in
China which 1 am surprised American
newspapers have never learned of, and
that is about a letter General Chaffee
wrote to Won Waldersee, the COM
mander in chief of the allied forces in
China.
"Shortly after the entrance of the
German forces into Peking the soldiers
of the kaiser entered into and de-
stroyed the great and historic observa-
tory in that city. So fragrant was the
outrage that General ChaffAa wrote
letter of protest to Won Waldersee.
THE letter of General Chaffee was
read one morning at cabinet meeting,
and upon the conclusion of its reading
the members of the cabinet were found
applauding the sentiments therein eH-
pressed. | can only remember the
tenor of the letter, and now that the
al fTNn
our soldiers, as well as the soldiers OF
the nations, have been drawn from the
celestial empire it seems the incident
of the Chaffee letter should accompany
the story General Chaffee is now tell
ing.
SIN substance the letter was a pro-
fest against the destruction of so an
cient an observatory as that OF re
king. In the letter General Chaffee
said it was the act Of barbarians, and
he wanted to protest as strongly as he
possibly could against such ruthless
demolition. In due course General
Won Waldersee returned the letter to
the German ambassador at Washing
ton without comment. Speck Won Stern
burg, then charge daffaires, presented
the letter to Secretary Hay and de-
manded an apology from the American
government.
sit was serious moment in the Chi
nese situation. General Chaffees let
ter was not couched in diplomatic
language. 1t was the letter of a stur-
dy American soldier protesting against
useless and wanton destruction of
property that should have been held
sacred.
"Speck Won Sternburg, who is
splendid fellow, is at the same time
the perfect embodiment Of the i'm
perialism of his august majesty. Stern
burg was greatly excited, and he was
rushing around demanding reparat1on
for the gross insult General Chaffee
had put upon the commander in chief
of the allied forces in China. 1t was
necessary for the cabinet to move in
the matter, and it was finally decided
to write a letter that would appeasG
the angry feelings of the kaiser and
Won Waldersee.
'That letter was read to Mr.. McKin-
ley's cabinet before it was sent. l do
not now recall who wrote it, but it
was read by Secretary Hay. l believe
that President Mckinley had some
thing to do with it's preparation. At
least it was satisfactory to the Ger
man government. 1t was a master
piece of diction, and it served its pur-
pose. If | were General Chaffee, moth
ing would give me more pleasure than
to have the original of the letter he
wrote Won Waldersee and the letter of
apology, so called, framed, so future
generations might see how an Ameri-
can soldier conducted himself i@ a for
eign war"