Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-10-15
TOO MUCH TALK
COST CRANE JOB
Secretary of State Knox Early In
Afternoon Notifies Him He Will
Accept His Resignation From
the Position.

MACE1ANGAO VT -h@NNANNoAI ~
state Knox, early this afternoon inform
ed Charles r. Crane, minister delegate 10
China, that he would accept his resigna-
ton.
Mr.. Crane had already advised the sec
Rotary that he was prepared to resign If
the recent developments had made his
further service in that position embar-
RAISING to the department. Mr.. Knox has
advised President Taft OF his action.
RESIGNS TO PRESIDENT.
Should Mr.. Crane decide to accede to
the secretary's suggestion. which 1t Is
taken for granted he will do promptly,
his resignation will in the nature Of the
case be addressed not to the state de-
partment but to the president, who ap-
pointed him.
II was said at the state department
that Mr.. Knox would return this after
noon TO his home at Valley Forge, Pa
: Mr. Crane, when seen at his hotel this
afternoon. said he had received formal
letter from Secretary Knox, requesting
him to tender his resignation as min
lie had not seen the statement given out
+. to the press at the state department. and
declined to talk for publication until he
could read IL.
In announcing his action, Mr.. Knox
gave out the following statement, adding
that he would have nothing to add to it:
SECRETARY KNOCKS STATEMENT.
The department Of state has been en-
gagged for some time In making the usual
study of the recent agreements between
China and Japan in relation to Manchuria
from such data bearing upon the situation
as il was able TO secure. with view of
determining whether there is anything in
the agreements adversely affecting Ameri-
can interests or In conflict with the prin-
ciple of equal opportunities to which the
powers are pledged; a study not yet con-
cluded and In respect TO which no decision
has been reached. .. !
while this investigation was proceed
ing Mr.. Crane, the minister to China,
came TO the department and while there
was informed by one of the clerks that
such an examination was being made.
REFERS TO STORY" Il
without consultation with the acting
secretary or any other responsible officer
OF the department. and without the
knowledge or authority OF anyone con-
nected with the department. Mr.. Crane
gave out a newspaper story to the effect
that this government was preparing to
protest against some features of the
agreements. and that the PRONUNCIATION Of
the protest only awaited the return of an
official who was TO formulate IT.
The story appeared in a western paper
and at the same time or a day later, in
the japanese press and subsequently, was
generally published. Such were the rep
reservations made to me October l by
the responsible officers of the department
of state, accompanied by their statement
that they had sufficient reason to believe
them to be true. Whereupon I sent Mr.
Crane at San Francisco the following tele-
gram dated October 3, 1903.
4" You have been charged with the re-
sponsibility for the canards recently APP
pearing in the Japanese and American
press TO the effect that the United States
Is preparing to protest against the Chi
nese-Japanese agreement. The evidence
that you are responsible for this is OF
such a character as warrants me in d.
recting you to come TO Washington at
once and meet II. II you are not respon-
sible, as 1 hope you are not, matters
relating to Orietnal affairs have developed
since you lea Washington 10 make IL ad-
visable for me to communicate with you
personally and in the utmost confidence
in relation thereto
ADMITTED GIVING INTERVIEW.
AT a conference with Mr.. Crane Sun
day evening he Animated having an indis-
Greet talk with a reporter which resulted
in the publications referred to, and as
sumlng responsibility SNdleu thaN II lle
indiscretion was great enough to shake
my confidence in his usefulness, he would
willingly resign. / have reluctantly
reached the conclusion that the good OF
the service demands that I should inform
Mr.. Crane that his resignation will be
accepted. and 1 have done So"
CRANE TO REPLY LATER.
Mr.. Crane, after receiving Secretary
Knox's letter calling for his resignation,
was shown a copy of Mr.. Knox's state
ment and read it attentively. Returning
the paper TO the reporter who brought it.
he remarked that the matter was one too
serious to be discussed off-hand but prom
ised an interview later in the day.