Evening star., 1941-01-25
Halifax Is Greeted
With Shocking Lack
Of Formally
Reporters Crowd Around
Envoy on Roin-Drenched
Annapolis Wharf

1nformality that In normal times
could have been nothing less than
shocking to protocol-minded men
fresh from the British Foreign Of
flee marked the reception of Eng
lands new Ambassador to the United
States on a rain-Swept wharf of
the Naval Academy at Annapolis
last night.
NeWspapermen and photographers
who had been standing in the cold,
drenching rain for half an hour or
more, pressed forward to the edge
of the Relna Mercedes wharf as
Viscount Halifax stepped out on the
narrow deck of the presidential
yacht Potomac after dining aboard
with President Roosevelt.
Scores of photographers flash
bulbs went off in binding flashes in
the eerie light from flares set off
by newsreel cameramen as Lord Hal
ifax posed for pictures with Lady
Halifax and Secretary of the Navy
Knox.
Enjoys Secretary COrnered.
While this was going on, reporters
cornered Charles Peake, the new
Ambassadors press secretary, who
already had come ashore, a steel
helmet and gas mask hanging by
strap from his shoulder.
will the Ambassador have any
statement or will there be any
chance to talk with him?" Mr..
Peake was asked.
II don't think so tonight" he
replied. There probably will be
press conference at the Embassy"
He no more than had the words
out Of his mouth till Maj. Gen.
e. M. Watson, military aide and
secretary to the President, called
out from the Potomacs deck, where
he was standing beside Lord Halifax,
that the Ambassador had a state
ment to make.
A handful of reporters crowded
up the gangplank to press around
Lord Halifax while others did their
best to hear him and write legible
notes as they stood in the rain on
the wharf.
Starts Reading Statement.
Lord Halifax started reading a
prepared statement. He got to the
most interesting part and was say
ing Il have come here as member
Of the British war cabinet serving
as his majesty's Ambassador :"
when Gen. Watson tried to inter-
rupt.
The President is ready to leave,
you'll have to get off the ship" Gen.
Watson urged the reporters on
deck.
Lord Halifax was still talking.
Then, from behind him, Capt.
Daniel J. Callaghan, naval aide to
Mr.. Roosevelt, succeeded in inter-
rupting him to tell him the Presi-
dent was leaving and the i'm
promptu press conference must
cease.
With an embarrassed smile, Lord
Halifax told the reporters they
could get copies of his complete
statement from Mr. Peake.
There was rush out to the spot
on the wharf where MIR. Peake was
getting drenched with rain.
Raincoat Held Over Case.
He laid his locked dispatch case
atop a bollard on the wharf, where
one reporter held it steady and an
other held part of his raincoat
over it.
Mr.. Peake, whose name still is on
his Office door in the British Foreign
Office where he worked with Lord
Halifax during the latter's tenure
as Foreign Minister, removed his
gloves and held them between his
. teeth as he unlocked the dispatch
case and pulled out the typewriter
copies of the Ambassador state
ment.
While these were being distributed
Lord and Lady Halifax accompanied
Mr.. Roosevelt-under umbrellas
into the Presidents automobile,
pulled up alongside the gangplank.
Mr.. Peake quickly jumped into a
British Embassy car to follow in
the official procession to Washing
ton
Within five minutes after the
party left the rain stopped.