THE SUBTLE SOLF.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3427, 5 March 1920, Page 6

THE SUBTLE SOLF.

WHEN HE WAS IN SYDNEY.

“FM ONLY A LEARNER.”

(By “Old-Timex-.”)

Dr Solf, it is reported by cable has been appointed German Charge (IfAffaires a: Tokio, with a View to -his elevation eventually to the rank of Ambassador; and already there are specillations as to the significance of this in relation to Gerlnany"s future in the South Pacific.

Rightly or wrongly, Solf is regarded as having been one of the most trusted Ministers of the former Kaiser, a man in the centre of European intrigues for years past, a politician of the dangerous type of Bern-storff and Dernburg.

Perhaps this View is correct; and, indeed, i: was only’The other day that a Swiss diplomat complained of “the subtlely of Solfis language.” But, when Solf was in Sydney about 20 years ago, nobody suspected any subtlety in his language or his methods. It may have been, of course, the art which conceals art; but the fact remains that people who came in contact with him were inclined to look upon him as a very good, harmless sort of chap. His debonair way made him popular with those Whom he met, and among those whom he capitivated was the late Sir George Reid, who at the time was"che Premier of New South Wales. But that was before the war—long before the War—when the German was still held to be a man and a brother. Since then Solf ha.s been German Secretary of State for the Colonies, and Minister for Foreign Affairs; and these are not positions which are given to simple souls, whatever their charm of manner may be. For there is no getting away from it that in those days, at any rate. Solf was a pleasant personality, smoothly spoken and courageous. Obviously,‘ this may have been ‘part of his stocki in trade. Meredith somewhere hasl written of “the genialty of the insincere manfi’ _ NOT LIKE A GERMAN. ~ He arrived unostentatiously in Sydney xcn‘his way to take up the Gov-, ernorship of Samoa, and it was some} ‘days 'before the newspapers discover-5 ‘ed ‘him. Even then, it was only in} the evening before ai'l“€?L‘flY lIIOI‘IIiIIgS departure for Samoa that they heard of him. Twenty years ago the newspapers were slower than they are J_1;0-W_., V " I remember that I was hlll’l'ied ‘down by my paper to a. steamer lying at a Wharf in Darling Harbour, and there I found Solf. I had been wondering how I was going t.o get on. Solf probably did not know much English, and my German was limited to such elements as I had learnt at school for fear lest worse should happen to me. I introduced myself with some misgivings, but that was the end of my trouble. A long arm shot out from a tall body. “How do you do?” he said, and he shook my -hand cordially, There was not a trace of a German accent and I have not any recollection of a guttural inote in his speech throughout the interview, His voice was soft and‘-rather‘ low, Except that some tricks of phrase were absent he spoke the lan’glTa—ge' of the English Public schools man.

“ltfs very good of-you to come all‘ this way down there to see me,” he Went on. “I think We can find seats’ this way.’n’ And he guided me aft: along a dark alleyway to a spot Where ‘ the deck wasglfeserted. We sat on a. coil of rope for a. minute or two, and then he spied a. heap of canvas chairs. “Why not?” he asked, and thereupon he rose briskly and unfo«lded”a:’couple of chairs. “I think that will be better,” he said He appeared -to advantage as he leaned hack in_ his seat He was wearing _a grey flnannel suit, loosely cut, of the sort which is supposed to be favoured by tourists In fact, he looked like a tourist of a good type. Recent photographs depict him as heavy and inclined to be gross, and 1 have read of him as “ponderous.” But that night he struck a stranger as Vigorous and alert, with 3. figure of athletic lines, VVANTED INFORMATION. “NOW, what can I tell you?” he in-

quired. 4 I forget at this interval exactly what questions were asked. But I remember that he ‘spoke with what seemed to be engaging frankness. He had net the remotest idea, he decl-ar-ed, Why he -had been appointed Governor of Samoa. He Supposed that it was because it was necessary for his Governmentto have a representative of some sort in those parts, He was anxious tc study local conditions, and he was glad to have the opportunity, because some da)'—'Pl‘ob3«blY in‘ his

time -and my tinle——t-here would be 311 Empire in the South Seas.

“:I‘his Southern Pacific,” he declar-

Used, “is. romantic, and romance is very beautiful; but these seas are ‘capable of something more than ro~ mance. There are great 131'3CttiCa1 ‘possibilities. What is wanted is de;velopment, and that will come if it is Ito me; but you will understand that I am only a 1E'c1I‘I1€1’~*” He passed on presently to speak of the success of Australians in sport, and claimed to «be familiar with some of the performances of a recent Ans-, tralian Eleven in England. He had been in England at the time he said,‘ and regretted that he ihadnothad a chance to see the visitors‘ "play. No doubt, if Solf Were in Sydney to-day he would talk of the Davis Cup, and say that Australia was Very fortunate in the possession -of such eminent ‘players as Brookes and Patterson. Yes, it was a very delightful interview; but-, when we came to consider it afterwards, the uncolnforta.ble impression was that nothing had been said that was worth saying. It may be that that was the fault of the interviewer. and that Solf’s famous subtlety had beaten him as it had beaten others.

There is some consolation in thinking of the others. ‘