The Washington herald., 1913-03-23
english POST
GOES Begging
St. James Mission Thought to
Have Been Declined by
Charles w. Eliot.
PRESIDENT IS UNDECIDED
Administration Anxious to Avoid I'm
preston. that Good Material
Is Not Available.

There is good reason to expect that
the first news given out of President
Wilson's selection for Ambassador to
the Court of ST. James will come with
the announcement of an appointment
which has been accepted. DIR. Charles
w. Eliot, president emeritus of Harvard
University, certainly has been offered
the post, and his declination is regard
ed as strongly probable, but no an
nouncement of this declination will be
made by the White House or by DR..
Eliot himself until an appointment has
been decided upon and accepted.
DR.. Eliot's declination is expected to
reach the White House today. Every
development indicates that the aged
scholar will refuse for a second time
the Enthusiastically. which first was
rendered him by President Taft. and
now by President Wilson. Officially.
however, the tender OF the appointment
TO DIR. Eliot and his declination Of it.
IL he does decline, will not be men,
toned here. Neither is DIR. Eliot ex-
pected 10 authorize a statement bear
ing upon it
The situation simply is this: Presi-
dent Wilson and his advisers do not
want the most important position in the
American diplomatic service to have
the appearance of having gone begging.
The definite statement that the post
had been refused twice in the few
weeks of the Wilson administration. 1t
is felt. might prejudice some other man
whom the President has in mind for
the position.
The belief that the President Will
chouse a man who has not been men
toned for the Amba assadorship in the
event that DR. Eliot declines. gained
ground here yesterday. 1t has been
known for several days that besides
DIR. Eliot the President was hard put
to ii to find a man whom he thought
available and desirable.
Judge George GRAY. OF Delaware: :
Dir Thomas Nelson Page. of Virginia :;
eX-GOv. Francis of Missouri. and William
Church Osborne. of New York. have been
urged upon the President for the Ambas-
sadorship. but the information secured
Yesterday is that the President is bv n
means certain to choose one OF these
men in case DIR. Eliot's decision makes a
third choice necessary.
Other Plum. in Doubt.
Prof. John Burchard Fine. former
dean of Princeton University. has not
yet accepted or declined the Amhdssa-
dorship to Germany. which was offered
him by the President this week. Neither
has John r. Moot. the Y. NJ. =. A.
worker. given a definite answer TO the
offer of the appointment of Minister to
China. George W. Guthrie. of PCEnsSl-
vania continues TO be mentioned for the
Mexican Ambassadorship, but il is lot
believed that the President has formally
t,Ddercd him the position.
President Wilson has made no effort
TO pick a man for the French AmbaS
sadorship. definite refusal of which was
made by National Chairman McC"mbs
Yesterday. II is believed probab:.' that
this post will lie left open until Aprl :.
Despite the fact that National Chair
man McCombs limited means is reported
to have been one of the reasons for his
refusal of the French Ambassadorship.
President Wilson's determination to give
little consideration to mans wealth in
selecting his Diplomatic Corps is regard
ed as definite as ever. 1t was announced
ny one of the Presidents confidential
advisers in the first week Of the admin
istration that Mr.. Wilson would choose
his ministers and ambassadors on the
ground of ability and merit. ard with
little regard for their money. Steadily
the President has made it evident that
he believes a mans availability for a
diplomatic appointment depends upon his
mental equipment and not upon his
financial ability to withstand the social
obligations of the European capitals. He
has not yet offered an important li:.!o-
matte post TO a man of large wealth