Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-11-21
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| Wu Ting Fang's appointment as for-
eign minister of China calls to mind
the strenuous interview some HARRIS
burg newspapermen had with him
when he stopped off for luncheon in
the Pennsylvania station about fifteen
years ago. The station restaurant was
not as good as it is now, but that real
| ly did not have any effect. Mr.. Wu
was on his way to or from Washington
and had been much in the limelight
because of the Boxer outbreak and his
| marvellous adroitness in Sidesteppin2.
When he came this way preparations
| were made to give him luncheon and
| the newspapermen were there to meet
| him. AS the minister in native garlA
somewhat subdued, came up witfN
some secretaries he spotted the
newspapermen and shook his head.
Then he went in and sat down. The
scribes watched for him from the
doorway and finally one went in and
presented his card.
whats your fathers name?" de-
manded the minister as he read the
| card.
Then followed: "How old is he?s
| Have you any brothers,, What do
they do?" Where were you born?'
and finally Are you married."
When the answers had been given
one more bolder than the rest broke
in to ask Mr.. Wu something about the
effect on China of the army of occupa-
ton, of whose actions some words had
| come over the wire.
The Chinese minister looked at his
questioner and asked, What army?"
! Before any answer could be given he
| inquired in perfect English:
How many men are in the Penn-
sylvania National Guard?"
| How many companies have you
here?"
! "Is there an arsenal here?"
| when will you finish your capitol?"
How many trains come in here
| every day?"
The affable minister never bIinked
as he fired off the questions, never
| asked the newspapermen to sit down
| and although it was broiling hot, he
calmly famed himself with one hand
and ate ice cream with the other.
| Hence there appeared in one news<
paper in Harrisburg that day a notice
| to the effect that Minister Wu had
passed through Harrisburg.
1t is not often that employers or
| employees ask to have a peacemaker
come back. They generally want him
| to go away suddenly and not to return
| and he is lucky il he is not followed
by some unkind words in letters. But
the record in Pennsylvania is broken.
| Paddy Gilday, the official harmon
izer of the State, officially chief of the
Bureau of Mediation and Arbitration
of the Department of Labor and In
dustry, has been up the State and in-
stead of brickbats has been getting
bouquets. The other day Gilday set
tied strike which was spreading by
getting the men, instead of a big in
crease in wages they demanded, q
bonus system which was to last as
! long as the present high prices last.
1t was a great stunt and when he at
tempted to leave all hands asked that
he be retained The men were afraid
it would not be true and the operators
, ,were afraid someone would buck and
spoil the operation of the new system.
Hence the letter to please keep Mr..
Gilday on the job.
The Welfare and Efficiency confer
ence, which opened at the Capitol to-
day is the fourth to be held. The
first was opened by Governor John X.
; Tener, whose interest in it made it
possible in 1913. 1t was Jointly ar
ranged by the Engineers Society OF
4 Pennsylvania and the newly created
4 Department of Labor and Industry.
Commissioner Jackson, just appointed
| by Governor Tener, laid the PROPOSE
ton before the Governor and he
promptly declared it an excellent idea.
and everyone in the State government
was interested.
officials of the Public Service COM
mission got an interesting complaint
with a request tied to it yesterday. 1t
came from Reading and one of the
points set forth was that a club had
builded an house and q cruel water
company would not furnish water so
that it could fire up it's heating sys-
tenn AS the morning was cold tho
officials looked with favor upon the
request for early action and the COM
pany was instructed to answer within
five days.
Capitol park squirrels have taken
to raiding Front street lawns and other
places where hyacinth and tulip bulbs
have been planted for next Springs
blooming. In the last few weeks the
squirrels have taken to hunting for
easy provender without disturbing
their winter stores. Consequently
they have taken to prowling about the
lawns and the way bulbs have been
torn up to furnish a midday luncheon
for the wards of the State is worth
noting.
Bishop Earl Cranston, of Washing
ton, who is presiding at some of the
| Methodist meetings this week, was the
presiding officer at the last Methodist
! conference of Central Pennsylvania
| held here. He is a preacher of un-
usual force and enjoys wide circle of
| friends hereabouts.
|