Evening star., 1921-05-08

completely to meet the essential re-
Gu1rement Of continuity in negotia-
ton and in the understan nding of pol
icy. Any one who has had any ex-
perience in such matters can testify
that it is seldom possible to conclude
a question at issue between two
countries in day. week or a
month. Questions of Importance
tand. for that matter questions of
Slight importanceD often require long
negotiations. stretching over months
and requiring many exchanges of
views between the two governments.
Again. the method of negotiation by
infrequent visits Of ministers or of
hciais renders it quite impossible to
secure the advantages of the personal
factor that counts so much in the
case of resident diplomatic repre-
sentative. Such representative
soon acquires a large acqua int ancc-
ship among the officials, public men
and legislators of the country, to
which he is accredited; he estab-
knowledge of the people with whom
negotiations must be conducted; and
in this way achieves a position which
enables him to negotiate with much
possible in the case of an Official
making cnly infrequent visits. II
may stlll be necessary. and indeed it
may be of the greatest benefit as the
experience of the war has shown
abroad, that cabinet ministers of two
countries should sometimes meet face
to face; but this cannot obviate the
need for continual representation.
Furthermore. the method of occa-
sIonal visits has no value whatever
in connection with the importan;
greater facility than could ever be
function Of diplomacy of forestalling
timely information or representations.
One of the most important functions
of diplomatic representative is to
strive at all times TO avoid the rails
ing OF issues at all. thus preventing
friction.
AS things stand at present. Canada
is badly handicapped in her dealings
with the United States. We lack the
great advantage arising from direc;
and continual personal intercourse
with the American authorities We
are hampered by the inevitable diff
ficulties that are involved in any
effort to explain or discuss a COM
plex question solely by means of cor
respondence. We are sometimes with
out information concerning projects
or matters in the United States that
affect Canada. This is in no sense a
reflection upon the British embassy,
which in the nature of things has not
an intimate knowledge of Canadian
conditions, and so is unable instinc-
lively (as ought to he the case) to
Canada. British ambassadors in the
past have been the first TO feel the
need which the present proposal is
designed to meet.
Indeed. it is not too much to say
that the present lack of intimate
means of official intercourse between
Canada and the United States is a
danger to good relations. This does
not refer to any concrete case, nor
does it mean that our relations are
in any present peril. 1t does mean,
however. that in the new conditions
of the world resulting from the war
our respective interests are likely to
touch at many more points. and that
the lack of effective representation
would be a handicap in the conduct
of our relations that no responsible
person ought to contemplate with
equanimity.
Everything considered, therefore. a
Canadian minister at Washington is
desirable. Not because of any high
faluting talk about national status.
not because there is any thought or
hint of breaking from the Motherland
or weakening the empires united
front. but simply because such an
appointment is a practical necessity
the motive behind nearly every ad-
vance in the empires constitutional
growth.