Evening star., 1937-08-22
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

Nelson lruSler Johnson, American
Ambassador to war-torn China, the
worlds political "hot-spot' today, not
only was born in Washington, but is
the product of two of its educational
institutions, Friends School and the
George Washington University.
Such an example has his career
been Of merited reward for conspicu-
Gus ability and whole hearted devotion
to duty in every field of the diplo-
matte service on up the line from 49,
year-old student interpreter TO an
Ambassador upon the threshold of his
50th birthday anniversary. that the
expression career diplomat" might
have been coined to f1t his particular
case as a foreign service officer in the
State Department of his country.
This month of August is the thir-
tieth anniversary of as many years
devoted to the Orient and its chang
ing world picture by this State De-
partment official, who last April
crossed the half century mark, recog-
nized as a world authority on Far
Eastern affairs.
Literally having known no other
business but that Of dealing with the
Orient and Orientals, he not only reads
and writes classical and modern
Chinese with ease, but speaks fhlently
with its people of all classes and
cliQues in their own dialects. and un-
less he prefers otherwise, uses Chinese
in all OF his dealings with them. Fa-
miliar with Chinese history and art
he has sat at conference tables with
all OF the great Chinese leaders of tht
present as we'll as with those Of the
last three decades.
Likes People.
Yet, despite his long sojourns in the
Orient, Johnson is intensely, devotedly
and patrioticallv American. Only re-
Gently an old-time neighbor Of hit
and a friend of his parents said OF
him: With all of his interest in the
people of the other side of the world
don't believe Nelson has ever for
gotten a friend of his here in America
or ceased to have an interest In his
or her goings and comings.' OF him
6Sll, WIFI Sildi az sSl otAN liJASo'J' AN
says, very simply: Il like people
They interest me quite as much as all
of the books that have been written
about them
Ambassador johnson is the name
sake of his maternal grandfather. Col
Nelson Trusler of Indiana, who sa"
service during the Civil War at Chick
amauga with the 9th Infantry of his
State His father was at one time
member of the news staff OF the In.
dianapolis News. Later he decided tc
study law IN the Office of Col, Trusler
but did not meet the colonels youth.
full daughter Salome. whom he after
ward married, until he came t
Washington to further pursue his Law
course. Their romance began at {
meeting OF the Indiana Society.
Saw Oklahoma Opportunity.
Admitted to the practice of law be-
fore the District bar. Mr.. jeremiah
johnson, the Amba ssador's father, was
one of the first to foresee the oppor-
tunities likely to come to those OF the
legal profession in the then Territory
Of Oklahoma through the opening up
of the second free strip Of land to set
tiers in 1893.
While waiting for his law practice
to develop his father busted himself
with running local newspaper near
the town of New Kirke, not far from
the city of Guthrie, early capital OF
Oklahoma.
His mother not only organized the
first Episcopal church in New kirke
but for their mutual benefit and uplift
and that of their families banded the
women together from near and far
into the first women's club In Okla
homa.
Until their death, both parents con-
sidered Oklahoma their legal resi-
renee and it was to Oklahoma that
Nelson Johnson's first State Depart
ment appointment was accredited
when he was still under 2l years OF
age
Ambassador Johnson's wife. WHO
as Jane Beck was graduated from
Miss Madeira's School for Girls. ha!
achieved the very difficult feat Of
learning to speak Chinese sufficiently
we'll for all of life's daily usages
Shortly after coming to Peiping (pro'
nounced "Bayping") she installed I
Girl Scout troop among the native
girls there, speaking to them in theil
own language as she did so.
The real linguistic rival in the
johnson family, however. is Nelson
Beck Johnson. their sturdy young
son, born in China. who. chip oi
the parental block. is practically bi-
lingual, speaking either English OF
his adopted tongue with a f1uency
that quite outshines even his fathers
facility with the Chinese language
Skill Effects Surprise.
One of the stories which Nelson
iohnsons friends most like to tel
about his sangfroid with the uses o
the Chinese language concerns a pub.
lie appearance of his in an officia
capacity. just after his return t
China following term of detail Il
the State Department here in Wash
ington. The officials then in charg,
of a recent change of government il
China apparently had entirely over
looked or had never heard of hi
linguistic accomplishments in thei
tongue. They consorted together il
various conferences for several days
At length at large, formal gather
ing, he was greeted in Chinese, pains
takingly translated to him in Eng
lish by an interpreter. Rising to re-
ply. he phrased the opening sentenc
of his remarks in English. which wer
in turn translated to the Chimes
audience by the same interprete,
Then in hawless Chinese he addresse,
a group whose tabled Oriental ex
pressionless calm was. UNEQUAL t
controlling its astonishment, perhap
chagrin, at the supposed "foreig,
devil" In their midst who was speak
ing to them with the readiness O
one Of their own countrymen.
Thirty years ago this Summer, Am