The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-05-19
MR.. TAFT AND MIR. BRYCE.

Prom the London Daily Chrunicie.
The questions regarding Mr.. Bryce, to
which the Prime Minister gave a con-
elusive answer yesterday in the House
OF Commons, are part of the latest
phase in a squalid campaign. This lat
est phase arises out OF the publication
of a letter Of President Taft's. Some
time ago, when the question OF recipro-
city between Canada and the United
States was coming TO a head, the Presi-
dent correspondent privately upon the
subject with Mr.. Roosevelt Mr.. Roose-
welt was then against reciprocity. and
Mr.. Taft, IN trying to convert him TO II,
said that It would make Canada an
adjunct" to tho United States. There
can be no doubt that in the context all
that was meant was an economic ad-
tunct: the idea OF annexation OF political
absorption was not suggested; but the
phrase, while natural enough in a pri-
vate letter, was obviously not well
chosen for publication. Recently, in the
course OF his contest with Mr.. Roose-
Welt for the Presidential nomination. Mr.
Taft published this among other letters
a publication which Mr.. Roosevelt has
adversely criticised on the ground that
the unlucky phrase lent itself to misquo-
tation and misconception. The sequel
confirms Mr.. Roosevelt's criticism; for a
section OF the Unionist press and party
have seized on the phrase with avidity
and quote 1t freely as showing that Mr..
Taft meant 10 annex Canada, and engi-
neered reciprocity for that purpose.
They go on to attack Mr.. Bryce for be-
ing either fool enough not to know what
Mr.. Taft was after, or knave enough to
second his wicked designs.
The truth Is, OF course, first, that Mr..
Taft had no wicked designs, or at least
avowed none, and the letter adds moth
ing upon that: and, secondly. that, as the
Prime Minister said last night, Mr..
Bryce did no more in the matter than to
place his good offices at the disposal Of
the Canadian government, in The way
in which We hope every British Ambas-
sador at Washington will always be able
to do for every Canadian government.
Whether the original initiative in the
matter OF reciprocity came from Wash
ington or from Ottawa Mr.. Asquith
was unable TO say: but he stated cate
gorically that so far as concerned Mr..
Bryce it came entirely from Ottawa. He
never interfered in Canadian policy: he
simply gave. when from time to time he
was asked for II, such assistance and
advice as any other British subjects in
Washington are entitled to receive from
British Ambassador. Ii seems to US
that the minor politicians who try to
make capital out Of this business are
playing a singularly unpatriotic game. 1t
IS one which cannot but annoy both
Canadian statesmen on the one side.
whose right to make use of our Ambas-
sador is impugned, and American states
men on the other, whose words are dis
torted and whose good faith is gibbeted
for INSCRIPTIONS party purposes. The
more we can keep the policy OF our
Dominions and the leading personalities
OF foreign states from becoming the
subject matter of British party squab-
bles, the better. And much the same
may be said respecting our Ambassadors
particularly one who has made so dis
tinguished a mark in so many fields as
Mr.. Bryce.