The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-22

SECRETARY KNOX'S TRIP.

When a man starts out to make a
friendly call ON a ncighbor he never
can be quite sure what will come of
il. He may--in spite of himself
step on the tail of a favorite cat. or
he may he carclessly confident with
a parrot that Is the pride of the
household and the parrot may bite
him. 1t is the unexpected things of
this sort hat shape the final impress
sion on both sides. MIR. Root took
this risk Of the unintended with him,
when he was secretary Of state at
Washington, in his notable visit to
the more southerly of the Latin re-
publics in South America. and the
same risk attends Mr.. Knox, our pres
cnt secretary of state, who has al
ready started for a visit to Cuba. to
the Central American states and to
the northern countries OF South
America.
There is not so much difference in
the habits Of men of about the same
type rs to constitute a social barrier,
but differences of language arc hard
things TO get over Men Of scholarly
attachments may get along with each
other in some language that is not
their own, but 1t is not the same
thing. or n man may nave a work
ing knowledge OF the language which
the other speaks habitually, and that
is not the same thing, either. Habit.
| ual knowledge enables one to concen-
trate his mind upon the thought be-
hind the words used; working knowl-
edge. both for speech and for com.
N~zl ,o:- ~a,, sh@ 1~-
ly fixed upon the words. Two men
are only on equal terms when they APP.
rroach each other with a mode OF
speech to which they are SO accus'
toned that they use II unconsciOuslv
All those republics stretching alons
from Mexico to the lower end OF
South America have hopes and am.
billions pretty much in common with
the United States. but when 1t comes
to getting on common ground in re.
gard to these common aims the diff.
ference in the sound of the words
spoken there and here is a difficulty
! When our statesmen make friendly
visits there, or their statesmen make
friendly visits here. this difficulty may
be overcome fairly We'll. An in
tention Of good will and friendly &C
quaintance is hard to disguise or OBJ
struct in any language. But however
it may be with Observation-Disclosures
we'll they may understand each other
and however much in agreement they
may find themselves to be-ordinary
business intercourse does not push
along with its own instructive initia.
tive through the barrier Of a foreign
tongue. Business does proceed, OF
course. with every place where there
is business to be done; but where
languages are different. and the sys'
tens Of weights and measures vary
business has to give itself a big push
to get through. Dur exports to South
America last year. for example
amounted to 1921. 900. 900. and our ex.
ports to Canada to $299, 600, 900. The
former was an increase of $4,000, 00(
as compared with 1910, and the latter
an increase for the same period OF
100000 or very nearly double
Mr.. Roots trip through South Ameri'
ca left nothing but friendly impress
sions behind it, but our manufacturer,
and bankers and stea mship men can
not get the full good Of 1t for thi.
''u'AeA' AS''OA 81 PC'la WI III MA
tive effort of their own. The ties O.
language. OF historical origins and O.
social interest run from South Ameri
can to Europe, and not to theil
friendly northern neighbor.
In n respect the countries which
Mr.. Knox is now on his way to visi'
are much more within our circle thar
those greater and more commercial
republics visited by Mr.. Root. W.
are down there ourselves at tn.
isthmus. with our W language and
our W wavs--and little by little thi.
will make a difference, and on the
all the lands which he plans to visi,
runs directly 20 our own coasts. Mr.
Root went in a way to distant lands
and quite aside from the routes usual.
ly taken by the runabout American
when he is seized by the w%anderlust
whereas the Caribbean sea is alread,
pretty we'll within our home waters
n is more and more frequented by
those Americans who Go not wish Il
take a foreign trip, hut merely a shorl
run. We hope that Mr.. Knox may
have a pleasant journey, and have nc
doubt that his soiourn down there
the hest interests of both the country
to which he belongs and the coun.
tries which he visits.
Curious Condensatious