The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-29
SHORT SKIRTS AND DIPLOMACY AT WAR Real Reason of kaiser's Objec- ton to David Jayne Hill MRS. HILL TOO DEMOCRATIC Story Goes That Mrs. Hill Went To Market on Bicycle, and This
 Does Not Suit Fastidious
 German Court.
MRS. HILL TOO DEMOCRATIC

Washington, March 28.-(Special. )-Robt. may be the next American ambassador to Germany, according to well defined reports today among members of the for cign diplomatic circles here. Charle . magne Tower, the present ambassador is to retire from this post voluntarily, CT be recalled by the President according tc information at the stateA department
 The appointment of Secretary Bacoa is regarded as certain, because of the fact thta the usefulness of David Jayne Hill is ended so far as the duties of American ambassador at the court at Berlin are concerned, owing to the mis- UT derstanding which has suddenly de- veloped as to his standing with the Kaiser.
 Nothing will be done, however, until the letter which the German Emperor s reported to have written to the President, explaining his attitude in the affair, IS received and considered by President Roosevelt and Secretary Root. Nothing further developed today to clear the mys- tery whi T has surrounded the affair siace the report that pr. Hill would not be satisfactory to the Kaiser. Secretary Root said today that nothing further had been learned and nothing would be done until the arriviI of the letter.
 Diplomatic factions in Washington dis count the theory that Dr. Hill is not as eble diplomat as the Kaiser would like to have as the United States represen- .ative at his court.
 The most remarkable bit of gossip re- lating to the whole affair is that it will be found, if the Tower letter is ever pub lished, that Mrs. Hill is discussed therein
 One of the officials of the state de- partment, who knew Dr. Hill very well, today said that the only reasonable sup position was that the German courtiers, who had retailed small talk to the Kaiser, got hold of the story of the de- tails of Mrs. Hills democratic methods nile in Washington.
 This official said that 1t was we'll known fact that Mrs. Hill was regarded in society as peculiar" Asked what that meant he said
 Well, she dressed too gaily for wom- an of her age and distinction as wife of the assistant secretary of state. One of her customs was to go to market her. self, often on her bicycle She usually wore 5aunty little Dutch cap and many people said that the skirts of her bicycle suit were short. All this, however, can scarcely weigh much in the opinion of a broad-minded man like the Kaiser.
 Tt Is possible that Mrs. Hill did a. great deal of bicycling and possible mar keting when she was at Berne, where Dr. Hill was minister before he went to The Hague. It is poss.oie, also, that she d.4 the same thing at The Hague, and that the German imperial delegates there did not like her democratic methods and so began the gossip, which doubtless had some assistance from American enemies Of the Hills now in Berlin.
 When all is done and said, however, we do not see how the fact that an am- bassador's wife prefers to go to market herself, on a bicycle and wears Dutch caps, that she does not wear long skirts when riding. and that she is democratic should enable Dr. Hills enemies to get any assistance from democratic country like the United States.
 .'It is just possible the letter of Chare- magne Tower will be the funniest piece of diplomatic literature ever sent across tho Atlantic.
 So far as Mrs. Hill is concerned she is the peer in intel;sctuality of any wom- an on either side of the Atlantic" seaboard, quick line to Atlanta.