The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-04

america at the Court of st. James. Nv
authority for the following is A CORE
spohdent who has seen MIR. Hay daily,
aiiu sometimes twice daily, for the past
three years. He selects an average"
aay-the conversation quoted below
having taken place while the Panama
situation was still acute.
MIR. Hay is at his desk soon after TO-
sometimes before. He is glancing over
dispatches that have arrived during the
hlght. The representatives of the aft
erhoon newspapers and news agencies
are announced. They usually arrive
at ABOUT the same time every day. Oc-
caslonally Mr.. Hay is receiving a for
elgn diplomat. and the reporters wait.
usually they are shown into Mr.. Hays
room without delay.
This particular interview is brief, and
more for the purpose of obtaining a
brief summary of fresh developments
IN foreign questions affecting the
United states-Panama, Kishineff,
Manchuria, Beirut, etc. Mr.. Hay talks
freely to the men. in whom he mas
great confidence, often explains a GER
tain obscure dispatch. says just how
much is 70 be published and how much
kept secret. 1t has happened many
times that the first reportorial callers
were given copies of fresh dispatches
before they had reached Mr.. Roosevelt.
Often the morning newspaper CORE
spondents will drop I'M for a moment
before Mr.. Hay goes to luncheon mere
ly to get in touch with the days work
They are sure to do SO if there is a
particularly delicate situation abroad.
But the big interview-the roundup
takes place about o'clock, when the
official days work is practically done.
Then the respondents-there may be
from ten to twenty of them-are shown
into the secretary's office, and there be-
gins good-humored game of parry
and thrust.
Always Suave.
Every man may have some particu-
lar question to ask, and he has no hes
itation about doing so. Mr. Hay, may
answer it and allow the answer to be
published, or answer it privately, mere
ly to enlighten the correspondent, or
turn it away with a keen sally which
leaves the questioner as much in the
dark as ever. But in any event his
temper is unruffled.
Il saw Count Cassini (the Russian
ambassador leave here a few minutes
ago." one correspondent may say. Can
you tell US anything about it, Mr.. Sec
retary?'
Yes" Mr.. Hay replies. HE left this
note" and picking up document from
| his desk, he reads it to the corps of
correspondents. Then he may explain
or amplify it, and as his visitors listen
'attentively, the scene suggests a gray
bearded. college. professor instructing a
class.
We'll, but what does it mean? ?" asks
another correspondent.
Draw your own inferences," replies
Mr.. Hay. II needn't tell you that
About this time the inevitable idiot,
who can be counted upon to come to
the front upon almost every possible
occasion, asks the usual idiotic ques-
ton. 1t may be as to why America
does not order Russia out of Man
churia or whether war will be declar-
ed against Turkey because an American
citizen has been assaulted at Alexan-
dretta.
Mr.. Hay reduces him to confusion by
a swift and often singing reply. The
inevitable idiot retires silently to the
rear.
Mr.. Secretary" says another ,corre-
spondent, I'VE haven't had a story for
long time about those islands in the
Pacific which are claimed by Japan
There is nothing new" replies Mr..