INDISCREET.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 291, 2 September 1908, Page 7

INDISCREET.

A UNIQUE CHINESE MINISTER. (by TEIiEGHAPH— press association—copimght.) (Rec. September 2, 1.2 a.m.) Pekifl, September 1. China is considering tho desirability ofrecalling Dr. Wu Ting Fang, Chineso Ministor to Washington, owing to his alleged in-discreet-utterances on the platform, and elsewhere. MASTERPIECES OF EVASION. Dr. Wu Ting Fang has been described m a Chinese humourist. He was formerly Chinese Minister at Washington, but five or six year's ago was recalled/ and, after a struggle with adverse influences in China, returned to his post at Washington early this year. Hero is a sample of him:— "You will find me an open book, the little, diplomatist, wearing tho same childlike and bland smilo as of yoro,- assured the journalists who crowded round anxious to learn if his opinions regarding tho stupidity and vanity of American women, and the superiority of his own countrywomen, had been in any way modified by his sojourn in China. Those opinions wero embodied in £23 speeches delivered in the United States, and in innumerable drawingroom- dialogues. "Why do you go about with your neclc bare ?" he once innocently asked a celebrated American beauty, whom ho further embarrassed by inquiring how many children she had, and why sho was not at home attending them._ He compared the innate modesty of tho Chinese woman with the shameful flirtations of her American sisters, and even satirised American political corruption, which ho found infinitely worse than that prevailing in his own country. American respect for the astuteness of tho Chinese Minister has been sensibly increased by the disclosures of a recent lawsuit, which showed that in negotiating with a syndicate of financiers ho proved.hiiiiself much more cunning than the millionaires with whom he transacted a "deal."' Alluding to all these pranks "Mr. Wu," who, by the way, is an Oxford graduate, assured the interviewers that he has reformed. "I shall," he said, "ask no more questions and return no more ovasive answers." He immediately proceeded to illustrate his new principles in the following dialogue:—. Interviewers: Shall you tako up the matter of Chinese exclusion from Hawaii at Washington? - ■■■.■ Mr. Wu: Have you had much rain recently? Interviewers: But is not there friction between China and Japan regarding the Manchurian Railway? Mr. Wu: Do they still play ping-pong at Washington? Interviewers: What do you think of. Mr. Roosevelt's campaign against wealthy malefactors? Mr. Wu: I have the greatest admiration for Mr. Boosevelt, and regret my age makes it impossible for me to join him in his athletic pursuits. But I have a few stories he will appreciate. Though they questioned him for two days, the interviewers have not yet succeeded in reading more of the "open book." ..