New-York tribune., 1922-02-26
Balkan WHIRLPOOL a Peril Technique of the Stag
Diplomacy
International Secrecy
World Menace
SEC RET DIPLOMACY. by PAU s. Reinsch-
Published by Usrcovrt. Brace & 60. ~.

Published by lIarcourt, brace u 20. a.
NNE or tho most debated prob
Y y lens that statesmen have had
TO face has been Tho question
Of how. in democratic government,
to insure continuity in foreign policy
and come measure Of rcticence in con
Quoting diplomatic business, and ot
tho Bane time TO sccure close liason
between the diplomat and progressive
public opinion Particularly has this
subject been tho object Of study since
tho great especially In England
because it has been widely felt that
secret diplomacy, so long sacrosanct
through tho force Of tradition, has
not acquitted itself satisfactorily when
Judged by Its results. This has served
to stimulate consideration Of the two
sharply opposed methods Of conduct
Ing foreign affairs, executive license
and parliamentary control. Vscount
Bryce and A. j. Balfour, among others,
have recently committed themselves in
the matter, and now DR.. Paul S.
Reinsch, lately United States Minister
to China, has ably set forth an Amer
lean view Of the question, which, in
real craftsmanship and in scholarly
qualities, need fear no comparison with
the work Of its authors distinguished
predecessors in this field.
DR.. Reinsch takes his stand on the
fact that if democracy means any
thing, its significance for tho wei
fare OF humanity must lie in the
value OF allowing constantly more
and more minds to participate in the
great things Of the world, and that
not only would such participation
seem to be natural right Of the
human mind, but also The things most
worth while can be achieved only
when the ablest and best freely lend
their efforts. To all this narrow
system of management by : lirnited
hierarchy is hostile. The old diplo-
macy rests entirely on skeptcism as
TO the wisdom and self-control Of the
people, who are regarded as merely
material for craftsmanship in the
hands Of an enlightened few. Yet in
falliblity is not to be expected in
the handling OF foreign affairs,
,,,, Il,
corded to statesmen or under strict
democratic CONTROL and it certainly
IS nowhere to be found in an histori-
cal survey ot European diplomacy
under the former method. particularly ,
in its conduc. OF affairs leading up
to the war in 1914 "Balfour sad: !
do not think that the government N
June, 1914, had the slightest idea
that there was any danger ahead, ,"
quotes DR.. Rcinsch, and comments
upon this that it has been quite truly
declared that diplomacy has been far
more eminent in autopsy than IN
diagnosis.
Dr. Reinsch concludes that since the
issues which confront diplomacy are
often those Of life and death, which
no small group Of sponsble and
more or less ISOLATED men is capable
Of determining for a nation, and since
1t seems that the fear of publicity is IN
most cases Gas he says it was at the
Washington conference) inspired by
motives which cannot stand the test of
worldwide public opinion, it is most
eXpedient that there should be public
control Of diplomatic policy, preferably y
through the medium of q parliamen-
tary body, such as the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee
The book is characterized through
out by true historical perspective Let
there be no more meddling with his
tory by men who, blind to the larger
economic and social forces that are
constantly at work shaping the destiny
OF the race, attempt to take short cuts
for the sake of nationaistic or selfish
ends, is the author's plea, and no stu
dent of gov l..ments and their works
can fail to respond 10 DR.. Reinsch s
, large humanitariansm. Secret Diplo-
Macy is brief, / it within its scope it
is most valuable contribution to The
literature of international relations.