The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-02-11
R.U.JOHNSON
MADE ITALIAN
AMBASSADOR
Former Richmond Man, Grad
uate of Earlham, Given For
eign Post by President Will
son-Is Famous Poet.
LOVE OF ITALY NOTED

Robert Underwood johnson, famous
poet, and former editor of the Cen
tury magazine, who is a graduate Of
Earlham and a former Wayne county
man, has been appointed United States
ambassador to Italy, according to
press dispatches from Washington.
President Wilson is expected to send
the nomination to the senate within a
few days.
Mr.. Johnson's appointment comes as
the climax of long and distinguished
career in letters and conservatiOnal
service in which love of Italy has been
manifest. Many of his poems and
articles have been on this country, and
his latest poem, published in the Pal
ladium only few weeks ago, was an
appeal for dolls for Italian children.
He was born in Washington, D. c.,
Jan. IL, 1853, while his mother was
visiting there. He was the son Of
Nimrod Hoge Johnson, who came to
Wayne county from Ohio and lived in
Cambridge City and Centerville, was
elected circuit judge and became one
of Indiana's distinguished jurists. He
died in 1869. Robert F. Johnson's
mother was Catherine c. Johnson.
Mr.. Johnson had many relatives in
Wayne county, Henry U. Johnson,
lawyer and former congressman, being
a brother. owen Johnson, the novel
list. is Robert Johnson's son.
His education was begun at Center
vile Collegiate Institute, at Center
vile, which was long ago abandoned,
and he was graduated from Earlham
college with a Bachelor of Science de-
gree in 1871. He holds an honorary
IT, Ill lI,ar nd nv,
A. M. from Yale.
a., Becomes Scribner Worker.
After leaving college, he went to
Chicago as member of the publishing
firm of Scribner & Son, and later went
to New York. Here, in 1873, he
formed the connection with the Cen
tury Magazine which lasted until 1918,
when he retired after serving as editor
four years, and associated editor for
IS years. He married Miss Katherine
McMahon, of the District of Columbia,
in 1876.
During his career. Mr. Johnson has
supported with voice and pen the
causes of international copyright,
forest conservation, free art, civil serv-
ice reform, and low tariff.
For his services as the secretary OF
the American Copyright league, and
in the interests of international copy
right, he was made chevalier of the
legion of honor by France. 1891. and
! Cavaliere of the crown of Italy, 1895.
B, He took leading part in the origi-
nation of a memorial to the poets
Keats and Shelley in Rome, and first
proposed to President Roosevelt by
formal letters of August and Septem-
Der, 1896, conference Of governors to
preserve eastern forests.
In 1918, he was chairman of the ma
tional commission for preservation OF
Yosemite National park. He holds
many other offices, literary and con
servational, and belongs to many
clubs. During the war he established
the American Poets ambulance move
,ment for Italy.
Has Written Many Volumes.
His published works include many
volumes of poems, which have been
published in volume of Collected
Poems, and his poetry has been com
pared to that of Browning, for the
orowding of intensive thought into
small space, and for a likeness IN
literary temperament.
'sThey are delightful for their sym
rathies, their appreciations, and theil
record of years surrendered to the
pursuit Of things of good report. Man!
of the poems recall special public
activities of their author" says Re
view of Review report Of them. Man!
of them are devoted to scenes of hi:
boyhood in Wayne county.