Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-02-25
CRANE, WHO TALKED
 TOO MUCH,' IS MADE MINISTER TO CHINA
Diplomat, Recalled on Eve of Departure by Taft,
 Re-Named
LAPS OPPOSED HIM
 AS TAFT APPOTNTEE
Alleged Remarks About Manchurian Settlement Made Him Persona Non Grata Several Years
 Ago

Washington, Feb. 2i.--Charles R. Crane of Chicago. business man, mil lionaire and world traveller. ap- pointed minister to China by Presi- dent Taft in 1909 and recalled while on the way to Picking. for "taking too much" has been selected by Pres ident Wilson for the same post
 Mir. Cranes selection re-opens chapter of diplomacy which forgot ten ny many, was one of the live in- cidonts in American foreign rela- tions.
 It was generally stated that MT. Cranes recall in 1909 was at the in sistence of the Japanese government which was reported not only to have regarded his appointment as offen- sive, but objected also to Il man whom Crane was taking as private secse- tary and adviser, and who was quite well known for writings constructed as anti-Japanese.
 None of the real inside story of MT. Cranes recall appears on such diplomatic documents as were per mitted to become public and as the records stand. President Taft chang ed his mind about MT. Cranes fitness for the post in the Far East after agreeing with Secretary Knox that MT. Crane had talked too much" and been "indiscreet" in speeches he made while enrOute to San Francisco to sail for China
 MT. Crane came again into public notice when President Wilson offer- ed him thS post of ambassador to Russia which he refused. Later he was member of the mission headed by former Secretary Root which went to Russia, and he has generally been regarded as one of the new men who were "close to the president"
 Talked Too Much"
 Whether the Japanese knew of President Wilson's intentions to send Mr. Crane to China can only be conjecture, but some Washington of- ficials feel that in view of the pre- vious incident in which MT. Crane figured and the general aspects of the situation in the Far East, President Wilson probably would not have se- lected him without feeling that this appointment would cause no disagree- ment between the United States and Japan.
 Mr. Crane was appointed minister to China by President Taft in Sep- tember, 1909, and in Chicago, on his way to San Francisco, quoted Mfr. Taft as having told him of America's interest in China's welfare and ada ing that whenever he made speech Re ought to speak it out" The storm did not break, however, until month later when in San Francisco Mir. Crane got a telegram firm Sec ron hn nxyo <,f nv~a hsr relri tH ordering him back to Washington. The action was not made public ati the time, Mr. Crane protesting ignor- ance of it. It finally developed that story appearing in q Weshrdlu story appearing in a western news- paper, accredited to MT. Crane and representing him as attacking the Manchurian agreements between China and Japan, was the real cauaes of his recall. The story also appeared in the Japanese press and caused V considerable feeling.
 Mir. Crane announced that he had seen the offending article but assum- ed full responsibility for his eonnec- tion with it, purely incidentalS ap the connection was.
 The state department then let it be known that it was unfortunate that MT. Crane should have referred to the probability of an American pro- test on the Manchurian agreement he- cause it was it's purpose to have Mr. Crane sound out the diplomatic corpa at Picking on the subject before draWss ing g protest.
 Mir. Crane was not the first Ameri- can minister to China who failed tos reach his post because some goyetn- ment objected to something he had said. In the previous case the prctest of China itself held up former Sena- tor Henry w. Blair of New Hamp- shire, who was on his way to PekinE, because he had made certain ssyel- low" statements in <he senate on the Chinese exclusion Yaw which China felt made him persona non grata.