New-York tribune., 1912-01-12
AMBASSADOR RESIGNS
At CALL OF HARVARD
Robert Bacon to Quit Paris
Post to Become Fellow Of
University Corporation.
NO POLITICAL REASONS
Will Not Take Part in Coming
Presidential Struggle and Has
No Intention of Helping
Roosevelt.
Try Cable to The Tribune !

Try Cable to The Tribune
Paris. Jan. 1l.-Mr. Robert Bacon's
resignation OF the post Of American Am
DassadOr to the French Republic. which
is already in the hands of President
Taft, is due solely to his determination
10 return to the United States and fulfil
in'thc most thorough and active manner
bis Guties Of Fellow Of the Corporation
of Harvard University, to which position
he was elected this week in place Of
Judge Lowell. deceased.
Mr.. Bacon will. of course. remain at
his post in Paris until his successor is
appointed.
In conversation this evening with The
Tribune correspondent Mr.. Bacon said:
II am ont and ont Harvard man. and
to-rcrform conscientiously the duties NJ
n fellow means very hard work. in
tend to reside In Boston and take part in
the great questions Of our time.
America needs earnest and sincere
men on the firms and fghting lines, who
SOC the needs Of the practical idcaIism OF
city. state and national lite. l cannot
predict the future, but hope 20 put my
shoulder Ia the wheel and complement
The important work 81 Harvard 10y SER
VICE IN the interest Of the progress Of
the country
Mr. Bacon said he had no intention Of
going into politics, hut meant TO be a
good and public spirited citizen. He
laid great stress upon the fact that
there are no other reasons for his res
ignation than those above stated.
He pointed out that he had been "a
member of the board of ovcrseers oi
Harvard for the last seventeen years,
and that it was impossible for him TO
decline the honor Of becoming fellow
If the university. which he considered T."
bc the best single influence for good i'm
America.
is your resignation at this time in
fluenced by the Presidential election"
nc was asked.
Certainly not" he answered. Il have
no intention of entering politics, and
wish il 10 bc particularly understood
that my relations with President TAFT
are most friendly and most cordial.
This. moreover, ] have voiced in my let
ter Of resignation.
There is no hidden meaning in the
step | have taken, and emphatically il
implies no differences between myself
and the President" He added specifi-
cally that his resignation did not mask
III. fr,.T.., D.. ,rF1T mr.
anybody else.
Mr. Bacon remarked that he had al
MaIs been attracted by the power and
influeDcc of journalism to do good and
hoped that the day would arrive when
he could identify himself with the own
crshir or management of one Of the
great daily newspapers.
During his term Of Office in Paris Mr.
Bacon has won the esteem Of all with
whom he has been brought in contact
The ambassador and Mrs. Bacon will be
deeply missed here, especially by Ameri-
can students, who are thoroughly de-
voted to them.
n Boston. Jan 1.-THE resignation Of
iI;obert Bacon as American Ambassador 10
france was stated here to-day TO be for
the purpose Of accepting the vacant place
IN the Corporation Of Harvard University.
MIR. Bacon's attachment TO his alma
mater has always been very warm, and
besides serving as one of the board Of
oyerseers of the college. body that is
elected by the alumni. he has contributed
literally to the support Of the university.
lie has been particularly keen in encOur-
aging rowing. Three Of his sons attended
Harvard. Robert Bacon. jr., was captain
Of the 1909 crew, and Mr. Bacon himself
pulled an oar in q Harvard crew when In
college
The Harvard Corporation is a self-per-
ieetuating body Of six fellows and the
president, and has its Office in Boston.
The present corporation consists Of Pres
ident Lowell, Major Henry L. Hgginson,
Charles Francis Adams. Cd. DR.. Henry p.
Walcott, DR. Arthur T. Cabot and Thomas
Nelson Perkins The vacancy was caused
bv the death Of Judge Francis G. Lowell.
The meetings OF the board are frequent.
as il has full charge Of the adminstra-
tion Of the university, and for this reason
the members all live in or near Boston.
Mr.. Bacon is the son OF an old Boston
East India merchant and his ancestors
were closely associated with those OF J.
.Pierpont Morgan. his leading business
associate before entering diplomatic life.
He graduated from Harvard, in 1850,
with Theodore Roosevelt, and while in
college was one OF its leading athletes,
being captain Of both the football team
and the crew. lie was appointed Ambas-
sador to France on December q. 1909. He
had previously been Assistant Secretary
OF State and was also Secretary OF state
from January p, 1909, until March 8.
1909