Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-02-25
CHAS. R. CRANE !.
IS CHOSEN FOR /
CHINESE POST
:. BY PRESIDENT
CTs"9Q5 . Millionaire Is Ap-
pointed Minister to China,
Thus Reopentng a Chap
ter of Diplomatic History.
WAS NAMED BEFORE;
TALKED TOO MUCH
Recalled in 1909, While En-
route to Peking, Because
of "IndiSCreeto State
mentS Credited to Him.


tsV MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wIREl
Washington, Feb. "a (by the AS
sociated Press. )-Charles r, Crane
of Chicago, business man, Million
aire, and world traveller, who was
appointed minister to China by
President Taft in 1909 and recalled
while on the way to Peking for
talking too much" has been select
ed by President Wilson for the
same post to succeed DR.. Paul
Reinsch.
Mr.. Cranes selection py the
president, reopens chapter of
diplomatic history, which, although
forgotten by many. was one of the
most lively incidents in American
foreign relations.
1t was believed by many in touch
with foreign affairs, that Mr..
Cranes yecall in 1909, was at the
instance of the Japanese govern
ment which was reported not only
to have regarded his appointment
as offensive but objected also to
man whom Mr.. Crane was taking
as an adviser, who was quite we'll
known for writings construed as
anti-Japanese.
The inside story of Mr.. Cranes
recall did not appear on such diplo-
matte documents as were permitted
to become public and as the records
stand President Taft changed, hts
mind about Mr.. Cranes fitness for
the post in the far east after agree
ing with Secretary Knox that Mr.
Crane had talked too much" and
been "indiscreet' in some of the
speeches he made while on the way
TO san Francisco to take an army
transport for China.
Mr.. Crane came again into public
| notice during President Wilson'S
administration when he was Of
fered the post of ambassador to
Russia which he declined. Later
Mr.. Crane was a member of the
mission which went to Russia and
he has generally been regarded in
government circles as one of the
few men who were "close to the
president"
OF course, the Chinese govern
ment has accepted Mr. Crane as
being persona grata, as 1t had in
1909; otherwise, according to diplo-
matte procedure, he would not
have been selected again. Whether
the Japanese government knew of
President Wilson's intentions to
send Mr.. Crane to China can only
be a conjecture for while 1t Is not
customary for one government to
consult a third government on its
selection OF diplomats to be ac-
credited to another power, some Of
ficial folk in Washington feel that
in view of the previous incident in
which Mr.. Crane figured, and the
general aspects of the situation in
the far east, President Wilson prob
ably would not have selected him
without feeling that his appoints
ment would cause no disagreeable
incident between the United States
and Japan.
Mr.. Crane was appointed minis
ter to China by President Taft, In
| September, 1909, and q month later
when in San Francisco on the eve
of embarking he was ordered back
to Washington. The reason for the
sudden change was not made pub
| lie at the time, Mr., Crane profess
ing ignorance of 1t, but diplomats In
Washington began talking about
his speeches and it began to leak
out that some one was offended.
1t developed that story in a
western newspaper accredited to
Mr. Crane and representing him as
attacking the Manchurian agree
ments between China and Japan
| were the real cause of his recall
The story also appeared in the
Japanese press and caused a cons
siderable reaction in Japan over the
supposed views of the new minister
from the United states to China.
| Mr.. Crane was not the first AM
erican minister to China who failed
to reach his post because some gov
ernment objected to something he
had said beforehand. In the pre-
vious case 1t was the protest Of
China itself which held up former
Senator Henry w. Blair of New
Hampshire, who was on his way to
take up the legation at Peking be-
cause he had made certain yellow
peril" statements in the senate de-
bates on the Chinese exclusion law
which the Chinese felt made him
| persona non grata to them. Ha
Boston, Feb 24.-Charles r.
Crane, who was In this city tonight,
said that he knew nothing of his
selection by President Wilson to be
minister to China, as reported In a
news dispatch today. He added
that he would not comment upon
the matter until he had received
official notification from WASH
| ington. He remarked, however,
that in case he were chosen for the
post, there were several things he
would like to know about 1t before
deciding whether to accept.
Mr.. Crane spoke tonight at a
dinner in the interests of the Amer-
lean college for girls at Constanti-
nople, of which he is president of
the board of trustees. ts
--A------
Smith Goes to Senator's. +
Il