Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-10
ADEE FORTY-F|vE YEARS
IN STATE DEPARTMENT
Has as Intimate a knowledge of
American Diplomacy as Any
Man Who Ever Lived.
REAL MASTER OF PRECEDENT
Knows Formula for Every Kind OF
State Paper-Is Gifted Linguist,
Author of Prose and Poetry, and
Recognized Wit Of Washington
Especial to The Times-Dispatch. ]

Especial to The Times Dispatch.
WASHINGTON. September 9--Alvey
| a. Adee. dean of American diploma
lists. to-day completed forty-fve years
Oh continuous service in the State De-
partment Adee Is the man who since
the outbreak Of the European war has
passed upon every message which that
struggle has inspired the State Depart
meht TO send He is the State Dcpart-
| hents master of precedent
| IL devolves upon him to see that
uesPite the volumnous correspondence
| "hich daily flows to every corner of
the earth, not Il word shall he said
| "nich VIII violate precedents already
es,aoilshed or create a precedent which
might embarrass the next generation
Oh diplomats. Adce is and for thirty
years has been Second Assistant Secrc
| tary of State.
| he began his career In the American
foreign service on September g. 1870.
Mneh ne was appointeN secretary OF
| legation at Madrid. General Dan sick
les then fresh from the fame of Gcttys
o"rr field. had just been appointed
american minister to the Spanish court.
tromotlons came rapidly to the
aou,s dlpiomnt He served frequently
! us charge danaires while General Sick
| les was hobnobbins over Europe, and
| within ten years was brought back 70
Washington as chief of the diplomat tic
80 eau VI the state Department
he served for four years az Third
| Assistant Secretary of State bcforo 10
was appointed TO the second assistant
SecretafEship, the duties of which he
| ton.
1t is claimed for Adee thar be has
| as Intimate a knowledge Of American
oiPioinacE as any man living or that
| ever lived. He grew up and has grown
p,u IN MS country's foreign service
re KNOWS the formula for the compo-
sltion of every kind of state papcr
| He has written every kind of ,rcatr
convention and protocol lie was writ
ing thanksgiving proclamations a
quarter OF a century ago. and pcnncd
the personal greetings OF American
PRESIDENTS at the birth Of present and
future soHereiGns OF world powers
w nenercr an occasion arises for the
United states to express its good will
10 sister nations il is Adee who knows
the exact degree of regret or rejoicing
! TO Ut the situation. he il the advent or
an heir 10 the throne or the death OF
the Kings mother-in-law.
DIPLOMACY ONLY ONE
OF HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
And diplomacy is only one Of this
| mans accomplishments. Seemingly
there is no end To his learninEs He
! mas done notable work IN the field of
| photography. is gifted linSuist an
| author OF both prose and verse, is
recognized authority on Shakespeare
and an accomplished literary critic and
appreciator.
The recognized wit of Washington
| olllcialdom. he is much sought and
always welcome dinner guest and the
lion OF many a salon. IIis recreations
! In his scventy-third year of single
! blessedness arc bicycling and canoeing,
and not day tho past summer has he
| been missed either from the streets
panse OF the Potomac River, on which
he delights to ply his bark ten miles
Or so any day. rain or shine,
This is the first summer for twenty
years that Adce has not mad bicycle
trip over Europe. Last year he was
, bringing this annual stunt to n close
! just as the war broke out
Not infrequently his companion on
wheel Jaunts to quaint and out-of-the-
way inns In France and Belgium has
been Consul-Gcncral Thackara, now
stationed In Paris.
They tell scores OF yarns about
Adce's impuisive ways. He has never
denied The story that he once threw
| a piece of custard pie fun in the face
! OF the Bey OF Tunis. rs claboratelv
! done on canvas and hung In the state
| Department.
| This painting has served decorative
and other purposes in the state De-
partmcnt for nifty years Adce had a
I i''N messenger VINO na0 bcen caN-
toned that the diplomat in the press
of his work might forget his luncheon
Accordingly the servant having de-
posted liberal cut of custard pic and
Il glass OF milk on a tray before his
master, twice admonished Mr.. Adee 10
eat by pulling his coat sleeve and
| pointing 10 the pie.
| third time the diplomats coat
sleeve was twitched, and Adee, losing
all patience with the messengers zeal
threw tray. pie and all over his
! shoulder. it struck the Barbary
worthy sGuareiy in the face. The pic
ture has never hung in conspicuous
place since.
Adec is n great punstcr. One day,
while fumbl!ng to adjust his speak
| ing tube, he sprung this one from
! Tom Hood on the affiiction OF defective
| hearing:
! odd Mrs. p was so very deaf
That she might have worn percus-
sion cap
| And been knocked on the head with
! out hearing IL snap
! Well sold her horn, and the very
| next day
She heard from her husband in Botany
| Bay