Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-31
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I
was prepared beforehand whenever pos
| sible, and always directed by Melville
E. Stone, who kept himself in daily
contact with his men, advising. suggest
ing, encouraging, praising, seldom find
ing fault, never giving orders.
Melville E. Stone, who met and knew
more crowned heads, rulers of nations,
statesmen and eminent people In all
/ fields than any other journalist, exer-
cised immense influence not only on
! the press in general and that of his
country in particular, but also on i'm
portant events Of international charac-
| ter. The peace between Russia and
Japan at the time of the Portsmouth
Conference of 1905 would perhaps not
have been concluded without his ac-
ton, which succeeded in making Presi-
dent Roosevelt induce Emperor William
II to exercise pressure on the TSar In
favor of the cessation Of the war. A
| famous message sent by the American
President to the Kaiser August 81, 1905.
which marked the turning point toward
peace, was dictated by Mr.. Stone.
Foretold Great War.
In the second fortnight of June, 1914,
I went to America aboard the Kron-
prinz Wilhelm, and a few days before
arriving in New York we learned that
Archduke Francis Ferdinand, together
with his morganatic wife, had been as
sassinated at Serajevo. Immediately
! after landing I rushed to the office OF
the Associated Press to tell everybody
there that the murders at SeraJevo meant
war, indeed a terrible European con-
fiict. However nobody took me serious
| ". They said, laughing, that We Euro
xxyara oil droaT 0f war
| that never came.
Only Mr.. Stone made no observation
and remained silent and thoughtful.
| In the evening he took me to the Lotus
| Club to dine with some friends, and
j there again my alarrnist. predictions
| met with incredulity, all the interest OF
the other guests being conferred on local
| topics.
Mr.. Stone continued to remain silent
| and pensive.
NV conviction that there would be
| war was somewhat shaken, seeing that
| no one seemed to share my feeling.
Late that night returned to the AsSo-
ciated Press Office to read the kilograms
received from the various European
capitals. Although there was not yet
anything positive one way or the other
still, knowing the unwTitten meaning OF
certain phrases according to the coun-
tries from which they came, was again
strengthened in my original impression
| that we were on the eve OF an awful
ccnfagration.
Considered Situation Grave.
The next morning / spoke most
| earnestly to Mr.. Stone, adding that ]
considered the situation so grave as TO
warrant my immediate return to my
post, on the first available steamer. 49,
| From the beginning" he said, !
| have felt you were right, but did not
wish to spoil your vacation here. l now
understand that you must go back, but
before leaving it is better that you
| should go to washington and see Presi-
dent Wilson. Charley Thompson ano
Eddy Hood will arrange an interview
| for YOU"
So / did. Mr.. Wilson also was not
prepared to accept my point OF view
| about the imminence of a European
war. He said that all the reports he
| had received from London, Paris, Berlin
| Vienna and st. Petersburg agreed that
strenuous efforts were being made to
avoid bloodshed and there was every
! hope of their succeeding. For my part
l on the contrary, I did not hesitate to
express my doubts as to the success OF
such praiseworthy endeavors, and went
! so far as to wonder whether America
itself would be able to keep out of the
| scramble.
This was really too much for Mr.
Wilson, who could not help showing
his pity for my shortsightedness, and
proclaimed in the most decided manner
that there was no fear of that, and in
so saying he shook his forefinger at me
like schoolmaster at his pupil.
Ordered to Switzerland.
The same night went back to New
| York, where Mr.. Stone had already
made arrangements for my return home
aboard the Won Moltke, the first steam
er leaving for Naples. Before my de-
| parture he gave me all the instructions
possible according to what could then
be foreseen. In case of complications
4 which might render it difficult to dc
any work from Rome was to 60 tc
Switzerland which, owing to its geo.
graphical position, would become the
best observatory" IN the event of wal
breaking out among the countries bor-
dering on that republic.
arrived In Naples when Austris
already had sent her ultimatum to
Serbia, which meant war, declared
shortly afterward. Italy announced hel
neutrality, and the Won Moltke was In
termed. This same steamer was seizec
by the italian government after declar-
ing war on Germany and transformed
into a cruiser called Italia, which Pre-.
mier Mussolini sent to South America
with floating exhibition Of italian
products.
Shared Hardshirs Of War.
Although almost septuagenarian al
this time, Mr.. Stone shared the hard.
ships and risks Of the war, going tt
the front with us and helping to re.
move the diffdence and mistrust against
the press existing in some headquarters
i / was in his company when, in 1918
again met President Wilson, at thu
Paris Peace Conference, for the frs
time since my interview with him II
Washington.
'.You were right, after ALL" he sale
at once to me, your predictions cam'
true" I
! Mr. Stone remained In Paris Through
out the Peace Conference, directing tn,
service of the Associated Press durinl
the entire historical event, showing hi
deep knowledge Of international affairs
which was much superior to that o
{ some Of the delegates /of the LEADING
powers. He himself participated Ia tn
B l. 70 )