Evening star., 1932-03-02
DAVID JAYNE HILL
D|ESAT AGE Of 81
Former Ambassador Recalled
for BIunder of Kaiser in
Rejecting Him.

Dr. David Jayne Hill, educator, his
torian and former Ambassador to Ger
many, Switzerland and the Netherlands,
died early today at his home, l745
Rhode Island avenue He had lived in
retirement here for many years. taking
part in limited social life, but main
tanning close touch with governmental
and international affairs. He had been
i'll for some time. He was 81 years old.
DR.. Hills appointment as American
Ambassador at Berlin was the occasion
for an extraordinary incident in the
diplomatic relations between the United
States and Germany. He had served
as Assistant Secretary Of State for five
years under the celebrated John Hay
and was Acting Secretary of State for
long intervals when Mr.. Hay was i'll,
was socially popular in Washington and
was respected for his learning when, in
November. 1907, President Roosevelt
announced his appointment as Ambas-
sador to Germany.
Surprise From Berlin.
In conformity with custom, inquiry
had been made of the Berlin foreign
Office as to whether DR.. Hill would be
agreeable as American Ambassador and
it was announced that both the Ger
man Emperor and the foreign Office
had given immediate approval. Great
ly to the surprise Of the President and
diplomatic circles in Europe and Amer
lea, word came from Berlin in the fol-
lowing March that Emperor William
had declined to receive DR.. Hill and
it was reported that the Emperor stated
his objections in a personal letter to
the President. This was afterward
denied. For a considerable time none
but those most intimately concerned
knew upon what ground the Emperor's
objection was based. Meantime it
evoked much criticism and it was re-
ported that President Roosevelt was
mad clear through" Emperor William
quickly discovered that he had made a
blunder and withdrew his objection,
which apparently had been purely per-
sonal and based on the Emperor's desire
that the American Ambassador should
continue to maintain as expensive an
establishment and to entertain as law
ishly as had DR.. Hills predecessor.
DR. Hill went to Berlin, leased a
comfortable house, was cordially re-
ceived by the Emperor and diplomats,
and when he resigned in 1911, giving
no reason the German foreign Office
expressed the usual regret over his
resignation. and declared that he had
contributed to maintain friendly rela-
ttons between the two countries.
After the Peace Conference OF 1919
DR.. Hill took an active part in the
fight against the League OF Nations.
Career as Educator.
A long and successful career as an
educator preceded DR.. Hills venture
n at in O
field, N. j., June 10, 1850, he studied
at Bucknell University and at Berlin
and Paris. Within five years after his
graduation, in 1879, he was elected
president of Bucknell and remained
in that position for nine years. In
1888 he was elected president of the
University of Rochester, but resigned
in 1896 to study law and diplomacy,
and to further that object he then
spent nearly three years in Europe.
President Mckinley recalled him from
Europe to appoint him Minister to
Switzerland in 1903. Two years later
DR.. Hill was promoted to be Minister
to the Netherlands. He was a member
of the Permanent Administrative
Council OF The Hague Tribunal and
second Peace Conference at The
Hague. While in Washington he oc-
cupied for several years the chair of
European diplomacy in the School of
Comparative Jurisprudence and Diplo-
macy
Probably DR.. Hill was most notable
for his writings. He was the author of
biographies OF Washington Irving and
William Cullen Bryant but the Majority
Of his books dealt with questions of
government or International relations
Among other works he wrote "The Prin-
cipleS and Fallacies of Socialism, " The
Social Influence Of Christianity" Gle
ments of Psychology and "A History
of Diplomacy in the International De-
velopment of Europe" He was a fellow
Of the American Association for Ad-
vancement of Science and of other
learned, scientific and literary clubs and
societies.
DR.. Hill married, in 1886, Juliette
Lewis Packer of Williamsport, Pa. She
died in January, 1923.
Family funeral services will be held
at the home, probably on Friday. The
body will be taken to Williamsport, Pa,
his former home, for burial.