The New York herald., 1922-06-24
WI TING-FANG
IS-DEAD IN CANTON
Twice Chinese Envoy Here,
Recently Sun Yat-Sen's
Foreign Minister.
CODiFIED LAWS OF CHINA
Vegetarian, He Expected to
Become Centenarian, but
Died at 80.

Annoy. China. June 23 (Associated
the death of wu Ting fang, former Min
lister to Washington. more recently For
eign Minister for Sun Yat-sen in the
Southern Republican Government, was
received here by telegraph from Canton
to-day.
Was death was hastened, it is be-
lieved. by political worries which have
piled upon him since the disruption OF
the Southern Government. He had given
no reply to President Lis offer of the
Premiership of the reconstructed Pekin
Cabinet.
Sound statecraft and liberality of
view marked the official career of Wu
Ting-fang. and interspersed with his
qualities of dignity and knowledge of af-
fairs was a breeziness of temperament
that made him one of the outstanding
and popular figures in diplomatic cir
cles In Washington during the many
years he spent as Minister from China to
the United States. He succeeded in i'm
pressing his personality upon Americans
to a greater degree than any other Chi
nese, with the possible exception of Ii
Hung-chang, and his progressive outlook
did great deal toward bringing the two
countries to a better state of understand
Ing In the days when the actions of
Ministers were perhaps more closely
watched than later.
Absorbed Western Views.
His facile absorption of the Occidental
point OF view and his passion for the
reformation Of outworn customs i'm his
country led to periods of great unpopu-
larity among the conservative rulers of
the empire, who on two occasions
showed their displeasure by having him
recalled from his post In Washington.
He first came to Washington in 1897
and was recalled n 1902. owing to his
sympathy with the American Viewpoint
OF the Boxer uprising.
submerged for time in the reac-
tionary condition of the Empire, Dr. Wu
gained personal triumph by again
beirg appointed to the United States in
19O7-remaining here until 1909-and
several years later he was robust enough
to take his place among those who
steered the nation through the turbulent
years OF the revolution and to act as
Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was
one OF the foremost advocates Of the
open door" policy and his feelings of
friendship toward the United States were
concretely demonstrated when in resign
Ing from the acting Premiership in 1917
he recommended his Government to fol-
low the example of the United States in
breaking relations with Germany One
OF his important acts was the codify-
ing the laws of China.
Personal Anecdotes.
Many anecdotes are told in Washing
ton of Wu Ting-fang's wit, originality
and apparently unconventional methods
OF expression. On the occasion Of one
OF his many visits to New York DR.. WI
had heated encounter with Mayor
James d. Phelan of San Francisco In
the corridor of the Waldorf Hotel. In
stead OF shaking hands with the Mayor
upon being introduced DR.. WI shook his
fist In the face of the California official.
berating him on the subject of the
Chinese exclusion bill with such de-
gree OF fervor that large crowd coll
lected and the employees of the hotel
were forced to separate the Minister and
the Mayor. u
DR.. Wu was vegetarian, and had
predicted that because of the diet sys-
tenn he had worked out he would live
to be 100. Not only was he an enthusi-
astic bicycle rider when bicycling was
so popular, but he was an ardent base
ball fan. And he was a master at an
other American sport-poker
1t was more than twenty years ago
when DR.. Wu. sitting in at a little game
with several Senators and Representa-
tfves was asked by one of them from the
West. "Mr. WI. what do you wear that
fool pigtail for. anyhow"
Why" inquired WI, "do you wear
your fool mustache?"
The Representative said he did so be-
cause he had an impossible mouth
80 l should suppose. from your re-
marks" observed WI, as he pushed
some chips out to open pot
DR.. Wu was the author of book on
American people and customs that is
marked by n disconcerting frankness
and a keen observance of the differ
ence between Oriental and Occidental
civilization. In 1900 the University OF
Pennsylvania conferred uon him the de-
gree Of LII. ID. His eldest son was
graduated by that institution. DR.. WI
was born in Singapore in 1S42 He was
educated at Canton and studied English
in Hong Kong. later taking a law course
at Lincoln's Inn. London. He was ad-
mitted to the bar in England in 1876.