Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-31
Stone-A Great Journalist
of

pronounced words of praise which it is
not necessary to repeat here. Mr.. Stone
went still further, and obtained an au-
dience with Pope Leo XIII, to whom he
submitted his plan. The great pontif1
also gave favorable opinion as to my
appointment, but added that what he
wished was that, like Protestant Ger
many and Orthodox Russia, America
should have an ambassador credited to
the Holy See.
All Difficulties Overcome.
At that time, owing to the acute an
tagonism between church and state, Mr.
Stone was undecided whether to appoint
only one correspondent in Rome or two
one to deal with the news about the
Italian government and the other with
affairs referring to the Vatican. In
deed, for the latter position he had al
ready in view member Of the Pope's
Noble Guard. He talked over this prob
lem with Cardinal Rampolla the papal
secretary of state. who approved the
idea OF my being appointed for the
whole service. Although" he said, II
think that his sympathy is with the
Quirinal, still think he will be just in
AL questions pertaining to Roman news
Another difficulty remained. that of
my being then correspondent of the
New York Tribune, owned by Mr.
Whltelaw Reid, whom had just visited
in London, and who was one of the
directors Of the Associated Press. could
not take over the new position without
resigning from the Tribune, nor did Mr.
Stone wish me to enter his news agency
without the consent of Mr.. Whitelaw
Reid. We both telegraphed to him, and
he nobly and kindly answered that al
though he was anxious for the success
of his paper. he cared still more that
the Associated Press should have good
service.
Took Pride in Men.
Such painstaking systems were adopt
ed by Mr.. Stone in choosing all his chief
collaborators, whom he considered not SO
much as Subordinates but as members
Of the same family, establishing with
them ties of affection and regard by
which correspondents worked for him
through q sense of duty as well as with
feeling Of friendship. He reciprocated
these sentiments, as could be seen when,
in speaking of his men, he used to say
with q mixture of pride and emotion,
They are fine, clean boys" When
something went wrong his reproach
often took a half-paternal lf-jocose
form. Once, in a reproving telegram,
he said: You are fined. The next time
we meet you must pay for bottle of
Marsha wine" This, however, must
not be understood in the sense that he
was not severe and infiexible when
necessary. once saw him Summarily
dismiss correspondent, and nothing
could make him change his mind.
Service Transformed.
To give an idea of the transformation
which the foreign service for America
went through after the establishment
of the Associated Press In 1893, it will be
SUFFICIENT to cite the following COMPARE
sons When, on February 8, 1873,
occurred the death of Pope Plus TX, who
had reigned 80 years, his pontificate
having been longer than that of st.
Peter, and had gone through wars, reyo-
lutions, exile and, finally, the fall Of
the temporal power, the American press
had only 10 lines about it, When Pope
Leo XIII died, July 20, 1908, the Asso-
ciated Press gave out from Rome suf1i-
Gent particulars to fill whole page Of
closely printed matter in the New York
Times.
On the occasion Of the Messina
earthquake In December, 1908, one day
the report of the disaster cabled from
italy reached $4,000 words. The enor-
nous work entailed by such services
Continued on Fourth Pase9