The sun., 1918-12-02

Consul-Gcneral at Mukden, where he
served until 1905. 1t was In this ca :
pacity that he exhibited a courage and
iorcefulness in safe guarding Ameri e
can interests that attracted the atten-
ton Of his supcriors in the State De-
partment.
Adventure OF the Postman.
Consul General straight's reports
reached the State Department as a
matter OF course, but the details of
exactly what happened after the situa-
ton in Mukden became acute md the
erstwhile pleasant relations between
the American and Japanese Consuletes
ceased to exist are told only In private
accounts. In effect these are as fol-
low:
In April. 1908, n japanese postman
With mail for the American Consulate
attempted to enter upon the American
territory that surrounded the Consul
ate by a private gate connecting with
garden adjoining. rather than
through the public gate.
\ Chinese servant who was In q
moro or less ofilcial way connected with
American newspaper mar there, OBJ
jected and barred the entrance to the
Japanese letter carrier. The American
Consulate in Mukden was a former
Chinese temple. 1t comprises some
eight or ten buildings and is sur.
rounded by a wall eight or ten feet
high. When the alteration arose
Consul-General Straight was In his Of
fee and witnessed II. He went out and
directed the japanese to the proper
gate.
When the postman returned no was
accompanied by three or four COM
patriots. The Chinese servant was Of
a nation lately humbled by Japan and
the postman and his associates chased
him TO a place In the enclosure almost
under tho window OF the American
onsul-General. There they were
about to administer chsstisetsent In the
most approved japanese manner,
| which was described IN reports at the
time as involving the holding OF the
Chinese servant by the queue while
| some Of the other celebrants kicked
him in the stomach,
Administers Direct Law.
Whatever It was 1t was too much
for Willard Straight. He disregarded
the code set down for the guidance Of
young American diplomats abroad and
went out himself to the assistance Of
the Chinese servant. 1t was coon
| over. He locked the postman and his
allies in the gate house OF the Consul
ate while he sent for the japanese
| police. When they did not respond
quickly enough he piled the prisoners
into a Chinese wagon and himself
took them to the japanese Consulate.
where he made verbal report OF the
circumstances.
Tho next day the Japanese Corsul-
General notified Mr.. Straight that the
account he had from his own compa-
rio1s--the onenders-did not agree
with MS ana asked Tor a written state
ment OF the facts. Mr. Straight stood
on ms dignity az representative OF
inc Chiteo states Government ana
uechhed 10 comply with tne request.
Ills reiusai was the sishai Tor some
OF the japanese newspapers to print
statements charac'erizlnS the young
American representative at Mukden
as Drawer.
-
e'p r'
These circumstance Here brought
TO the attention OF Washington and
diplomatic exchanges were begun,
with the result that the japanese Con-
sui al Mukden was summoned to
Toxic to make explanation and the
participants In the riot ultimately
were punished
In the fall os 1908 Mr.. Straight re-
turned 10 the United States on leave
and became for a time Acting Chief Of
the Bureau Of Far Eastern Affairs OF
the state Department. In 1908. when
the syndicate OF American bankers.
made up Of j. z. Morgan & Co., Kuhn.
Loeb & Co. and the First National and
National City banks. was negotiating
to obtain a share Of the railroad loan
70 China, Mr.. Straight became repre-
| sentative Of the American syndicate.
lis first important achievement in
the bankers he represented one fourth
OF the soo'oOo'ooo Hukuang railway
ioSh utter heeotiat'ohs instlns more
IMAM Two years Nieantihle' IN the au-
tuInn OF tsto, heso.!atiohs had begun
TOT inc hotatIon OF me SoV'ooV,ooV