The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1919-12-28

corduroy trousers. usually no hat at
all and old hunting shoes. Another
person We all know. who walks UP
Massachusetts, avenue in the early
morning. is Commodore Theodore
Jewell. who walks to his ONCE In the
Naval Observatory every day.
A State Department oficiaI, given a
warm welcome home, 10 Frank Lyon
Polk, Undersecretary OF State. who
headed the American delegation to
the international Peace Conference In
Paris. An interesting figure at the
Peace Conference was William Mar
tin. who has sometimes been described.
especially during the Peace Confer
enee at Paris. as the Col House Of
President Poincare. II the sagacious
and tactful colorel from Texas 10 the
conndential and personal adviser Of
the chief magistrate of the United
states on the subject Of foreign rela-
lions. William Martin may be said 70
stand In the same position with regard
70 the present occupant Of the Elysee
Palace in Paris.
He recently surprised Ms friends
by marrying the present Lady Sack.
vtue's sister. Amalia sackville- West.
who spent much OF her girlhood al
Washington. where her father. the
late Lork Sackville. was British envoy.
william Martin. despite his English
sounding name and his mastery Of the
most faultless English, 10 asserted to
descend from st. Martin Of Tours
one Of the patron saints of France
and uncle OF st. Patrick. He IL the
connecting link between the palace OF
the Elysee and the palace of the DUAL
d'Orsay, and as President Poincare
has not always seen eye to eye with
Premier Clemenceau or with Foreign
I Minister Stephen Plchon, the dutie,
OF William Martin have called for the
exercise OF no little tact and discre'
tion.
He holds the rank Of Minister Plepi-
potentiary of the first class in the
diplomatic service of France, and un-
til the beginning Of the war was in
trusted with the presentation OF the
! foreign ambassadors to the chief mag
istrste. with the guidance Of the for,
eign diplomatic corps through its
dean with the determination Of all
questions OF ceremonial and problems
Of precedence and with duties that may
be described as those of a grand
! master of the ceremonies Of the
French Republic.
AS head of the protocol bureau OF
the Department OF Foreign Affairs
William Martin has charge of the
drafting and elaboration OF the public
and secret treaties OF France with
foreign powers
He first attracted the notice and
won the regard OF Raymond Poincare
when the latter was premier. and
| when afterward Poincare became
President he grew to rely more and
more upon him. Martin managed
with great success the Presidents
memorable visits to the court Of
Madrid and to that OF St. James
where King George developed q grea,
liking for him.
MEMORABLE
CONFERENCE.
1t was owing 10 this that when in
the closing DAYS OF July. 1914. the
! French government realized that war
with Germany had become inevita-
/ BILE. William Martin was sent by
President PoinCare on confidential
but most important mission 10 King
George.
B The determination Of Great Britain
to line up with France was reached
at memorable conference at Buck.
! ingham Palace, at which Kin;
! Geoge, Herbert Asquith. then pre-
mier: Niscount Grey. the newly APP
pointed British Ambassador to the
, United States; Paul Cambon. the
! French ambassador and dean OF the
diplomatic corps in London, AMI
William Martin. the latter the bearcf
of an oral message from President
. Poincare to the British mona rch
alone took part. II was a confer.
ence which lasted three hours.
: There was one point upon which
, King George and his two constitu.
tional advisers. Asquith and Grey
required additional information oil
/ pledges from France. Martin lef'
straiShtway for Paris. conferred with
President Poincare and then. after a
few hours only in Paris, returned to
London. where the interrupted meet