The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-02-09
See New Era
In Diplomacy
BIZ DAVID 1kwaEScr''
(copyrirat By The Intsllls snesF.)

WASHINGTON. Feb. f.-Speskins OF
letters destined to become famous III
American history. that latter OF Elscouht
Grey discussing the controversy Dc
,wsen the executive and legislative
hra,ches OF our government over the
form in which the treaty or peace ahAAl
hn ratified establishes precedent Oh
,,r-rsach,n9 s!gnttcance IN information
n affairs. 1t means long step loE-
ward in overcoming the barriers or o'u-
fashioned diplomacy which nave hlther-
TO hlndercd peoples from understanding
one another.
II the letter Of Lord Grey has given
President Wilson oftensc. however. II Is
NOT merely because the BRUSH sIates
man has addressed communication "
the public on a matter which naa pIe,
yIouSly been confined 10 u'hc'en
branches OF the American So'elnttteI
and at a moment when intense pot1tLS11
strife over the issue cannot De lShoEeu,
II is because Siscuunt Grey, received py
the Secretary rf State as the Specta.
ambassador Of Great Britain. ehtereu
into communication with memoirs w
the legislative branch OF our government
instead Of cUnttuinK his COMMUNICATIONS
80 tbe rxecutlye branch which under the
American constitution has sole Sharse
Of intercourse with foreign nations;
II has been suggested that Nj wilson
appealed over the heads or the Br'I'Sn
peOple in his address at Manchester. ~
mas been said that ne appealed 10 the
ItaIian populace on the Fiume question.
Neither oS these points are valid paraI-
lels because in neither instance did MT
Wilson associate himself or communi-
cate with members OF the opposition
Marty in the House OF Commons or the
italian parliament. But there Is some
what OF a parallel in Mr.. Wilson's act
ion in Paris when he besought Prime
Minister Lloyd George 10 grant near
ing 10 MessrS Frank 2 Walsh and for-
mer Governor Dunno OF Illinois VINO
camo as American citizens 10 plead the
c,use OF Ireland. a controversy still re-
saTded by the British government rs a
domestic affair. But TO have oeen =
more exact parallel the President
should have been discovered communi-
eating with the Sim Fcin leaders IN
stead OF taking up the matter In the
natural and proper way. namely
through the British Prime Minister who
is the executive OF the British govern
ment. and duly permitted 10 receive
communications from the heads OF
other governments.
The interesting circumstance how
over about the Yiscount Grey letter iS
that ne intended no disrespect. intended
no mcddling in American polltcal
affairs but earnestly hoped to make u
easier for the treaty TO be ratlned ana
America To become partner In the en-
terprisc OF preserving peace That Wis
count Grey failed In his cleverly word
ed document 10 include a casual refer
ence 70 the unfortunate plight OF the
presider OF the United States. who
signed tie treaty but has been lying III
AT the white House while the opposition
has waged inccSSant warfare against the
document ne negotiated: that the Brit
ish envoy did not So to express pass
INK sympathy FOR the President who did
as much as any one man to bring the
covenant into beinB and Will deserve
the credit for the structure whether
reservations are adopted or not provided
rhe instrument does work as EiScount
Grey ia confident that 1t Will. and the
discrcdit II il is a failure--all this has
had an effect on the situation in Wash
inEton during the past week which can
not be lightly dismissed AZ q tempest III
a teapot aS some OF the British news
papers arc doing.
Prime Minister Lloyd George is APP
parently awake TO the seriousness of the
cnIsode FOR in the interview cabled by
Charles Grasty from London. nc states
specihcallv that Il would be improper
for him TO express the views which
Lord Grey expressed and generating
tho British envoy on the ground that
ne wrote as private citizen" Yet the
Prime Minister promptly steps into the
gap and speaks a word OF sympathy for
the President and praise for hts achieve
ments in the war. his readiness to
plodge the American resources 10 the
succor Of losing Allied cause.
But what the incident illustrates
more than anything else Is the new era
in modern displomacy. President Will
son may not like the tone Of the Grey
letter. He may not be pleased because
Lord Grey saw ht 10 minRle with mem
bers OF the American Senate and dis
~TusS questions at the moment SO vitality
related 10 internal politics. But his re-
sentiment is only analogous TO the
anger which was stirred in Britain when
Messrs Dunno and Walsh went to Ire
and and mingled with the "inn Feiners
md when President de Valera OF Ire
land not only was received by the may
or OF New York city but when il be-
came known that De Valera was a fire.
ouent visitor at the Offices Of United
states Senators. Surely. argue my
British friends. the President would not
given to De valera for technically neith-
er one had been received by our own
government and the one had as much
privilege therefore as the other.
There Is much unnecessary ceremony
and fuss about precedents in the con-
has himself argued that article eleven
Of the Covenant will give anybody. rep
ressntInK any nation. the opportunity 20
bring before the assembly OF the league
for debate any question which may
affect the peace not only but the good
understanding between nations. He has
insisted that tho matter OF Ireland did
affect tho good understanding between
the. United States and Great Britain. II
Is therefore tho principle involved in
Viscount Grsy's intimacieS with Ameri-
can Senators followed as II was by a
public comment on a subject that had
become matter OF heated dispute be-
tween political factions. and not the
substance Of his communication which
is involved. II President Wilson per-
mits the incident 10 pass without pro-
test. formal or informal. 10 the British
government IL will stand as a preceden,
and hereafter all governments will be
able to point 20 Il as Justification for d.
rect Interchange or views between par
liaments and senate and houses OF con-
gress on all matters OF domestic or for.
eign concern which touch the fringe OF
international lnterest-a direct inter
change without the necessary assent Of
the executive branches OF modern
states.