New-York tribune., 1913-06-08

ullltitHl lHIHS. 1 ne atmosphere Is
different. The readers state OF mind
is different. And so what would be
quite harmless at home may become
! mischievous here.
Let me give YOU an illustration, con-
versey. When the new British Am
| bassador. Sir Cecil Spring Rice. landed
| in New York he was met with a hail
storm Of interrogations. He seems 10
have been asked what his views were
Of the Panama question in all its
branches, including the Hay-Paurce-
fote treaty Of the Panama Act and Of
| the declarations OF Senator Chamber o.
lain. He was asked about the relations
between the United States Government
and his own about the intentions of
his own Government. and a dozen other
like questions of the highest gravity.
When he patiently explained that he as
Ambassador could not express opinions
on such matters q reporter Of genius
asked him what he thought Of the ma
tional game Of baseball, and on his
cOnsenting TO say it was "A capital
game they were pleased and so parted
friends. All that was printed next
morning i'm london, and the English
man who read il at his breakfast table
| laid down his paper convinced that
his Ambassador could find his way
about in the States; and was con-
tent.
Sir Cecil Spring Rice. it is true, had
been in America before: as dipiomatist
and otherwise. Washington knew him
as attache at the British Embassy under
Lord Pauncefote. He has many Amer
lean friends: chief among them Mr..
Roosevelt. He was the guest of Mr..
Roosevelt al the White House on his
last visit. Mr.. Roosevelt said OF him
that he knew America better than any
body else who was not an American.
Perhaps his dexterty in dealing with
the American reporter will be accepted
as confirming Mr.. Roosevelt's words il
of confirmation.
II | add a testimony Of my OWL 1t is
because / find il a pleasure 10 agree,
for once, with Mr.. RooseVelt-with the
old Roosevelt. not the new. | have
known Sir Cecil Spring Rice a long
time. ! thought him marked out long
since for the post TO which he has now
been appointed. II was supposed there
L.
Foreign Office which prevented, his
nomination at the time Sir Mortimer
Durand was selected. That is denied
and do not press it. The Embassy at
Washington cried aloud for a dplo-
matst who understood diplomacy, but
did not get him; and has ever since mad
10 wait. In the English service. on the
Continent. in the East where he had
served. Sir Cecil was known as a mas
ter Of his business. If, for whatever
reason, he has had TO wait. he enters
at last upon his duties at very criti-
cal moment. Since Sir Michael Her
bcrt's death there has been none more
critical Sir Edward Grey. whose eye
is everywhere and whose judgment is
seldom al fault. was aware Of the crisis
and aware of the man most capable of
dealing with it. He has fitted the
Man 10 the Hour.
A friend Of Sir Cecil with whom |
was staying while he was Minister at
Toheran showed me letter Of his with
,rf,. ..e-g.
through which Persia was then pass
ing. II was a letter which filed eight
pages Of notcpaper and no more.
When / began reading 1t knew moth
ing about Persia and her crisis. When
| had finished / knew all. In those
eight pages Sir Cecil had stated the
case with a luminous force and com
pleteness which put the situation be-
map Of Persia which told you the whole
story. It was, in truth, such letter
as a Minister might write privately 10
his chief in the Foreign Office; suppOs-
ing he were a Minister Of rare gifts.
With that and his good opinion Of
baseball an Ambassadors equipment
for a difficult place might be thought
nearly complete.
Let me give one other Illustration;
this time an American one; the pres
ent American Ambassador in Paris.
Governor Herrick. He is another OF
the many eminent men who have been
sent abroad TO do a diplomatists work
without any sort Of diplomatic training.
He did not seek the place. The place
sought him. President Taft appointed
him Of his own motion, from his knowl-
edge Of the man. He was, and ! sup
pose still is, a political leader in Ohio;
and was q distinguished Governor Of
that distinguished State. By force OF
character and by the wise use Of his
abilities he made for himself in a few
months a place and a name in Paris
and not in Paris only. He became
. known as an excellent representative
OF his country. He had the wit TO see
that during the short term which was
10 be his. hardly more than year, II
was possible to do one thing and do II
well. He took up the subject OF Indus
trial Credits and Banks studied 1t In
France and throughout Europe. He
drafted for his own Government and
for the benefit Of American Industry