Washington Journal., 1943-04-02

HNANNt ~
port of Smyrna and it's governors frantic dis
patches to him, turned a willing ear to Lloyd
Griscom's Diplomatic suggestions of a plau-
sible way out of his difficulties. So long as
appearances were safeguarded by not coun-
tenancing the ~exaction of an indemnity, why
not hide the payment in the lump sum for
an American construction of a Turkish cruiser
in a contract exceeding the Cramp shipyard's
bid by 10000 dollars? At the same time, why
not avoid awkward appearances by turning
the unwelcome dispatch of an American war
ship to Turkish waters into a friendly visit
at the solicitation Of the Sultan.
Therefore, after a friendly conference with
Lloyd, wherein the welcome solution was dis
cussed in the politest of language, the Sultan
was prevailed upon graciously to extend
through the American charge a cordial invi-
tation to Captain Chester to bring the "Ken-
tucy' for a visit to STEAMBOAT.
In consequence of Lloyd's cyphered dis
patches to Washington neither he nor Cap
tain Chester met with any objections from
the Secretaries Of State and of the Navy to
their proceedings. AS for Cramps shipyard
it was more than willing to have it's price
for a cruiser boosted by 100000 ON a private
understanding that the first 100000 paid to
it by Turkey, should be turned over to the
State Department for distribution among the
missionaries in Turkey on behalf of their old
claims. The principle of the transaction did
not bother Mr.. Hay, as it had poor Abdul
Hamid. Long afterwards Lloyd told me that
just before his solution Of the difficulty IN
Constantinople he received a private note
from John Hay saying: "You may make as
unprincipled a settlement as you please"
Thus LLOYD was enabled to settle up all
pending claims from Turkey on the strength
of which he obtained a leave of absence to
return home. Abdul Hamid, grateful to Lloyd
for having helped him to save his face, as a
farewell gift bestowed upon him a magnificent
decoration.
Mr.. Hay, during a chat I had with in Wash
ington, told me that my cousin in Turkey had
scored a most enviable record Of achieve
ments in American diplomacy. He was the
only one in the service returning with a clean
slate of all claims granted.
Then John G.. A. Leishman was appointed
by the President to take the place of Oscar
Straus as Minister to Turkey. Immediately
after Mr.. Leishman's arrival there Lloyd
cam home on leave. At the same time |
betook myself to South America as a special
correspondent, SO | failed to see him in New
York or Washington.
Envoy to Persia
While / was in a South American campaign
| learned that Lloyd had been promoted by
President Mckinley to be Minister in Persia.
On his Ieisurely way there he met Elsa Bron-
son again in Europe and was married to her
at st. Margaret's Church in London. For
their honeymoon they went to Constantinople,
where the Sultan gave them a party and hung
around Elsa's neck the diamond-studded
Grand Gordon Of Chefekat. Their subsequent
voyage across the Black Sea and the overland
trip over the mountains to Teheran was bound
to be rough for a bridal couple, since Persia
then had no railways. During Lloyd's slow
progress to Persia and my own adventures
IN the Cordillera DIES los Andes an anarchist
assassin in Buffalo shot President Mckinley,
whereupon Vice President Roosevelt became
his successor in the White House. Knowing
that Col. Roosevelt thought well of Lloyd's
diplomatic abilities, | felt sure that he would
confirm Lloyd in his Persian post by furnish
ing him with new letters of credence to the
Shah.
Promoted to a Post in Japan
A few years passed. While Lloyd was still
at Teheran he was promoted by President
Roosevelt to take charge of our legation at
Tokyo. The resentment of the Japanese over
our exclusion Of their emigrants seemed to
bode i'll for promoting good relations between
the United States and Japan. Few persons
III America had any inkling of the troubles
brewing between Russia and Japan over
Korea.
When these troubles came to a head early
il February 1904 | was sent to the Far East
as a war correspondent for Golfers Weekly.