The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-06-10

Ricci Feels Somewhat Hurt.
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Dispatch to The Reformer.)
Copyright 1922.
WASHINGTON, June lots an i'll
wind that blows no good-and already
enough has happened to indicate that
one of the unexpected effects of the
speech of James. Watson, Republican, of
Indiana criticizing European diplomats
for speechmaking on the tariff question
will be to muzzle American diplomats
abroad.
For long time the present adnninistra-
ton has been embarrassed by the speech
making proclivities of some of the Ameri-
can ambassadors The notable George
Harvey at London has with difficulty sup
pressed his desires for expression. Sig
niicant, therefore, is the constant en-
phasis by high officials of the American
government that in asking the foreign
diplomats to refrain from discussing the
tariff and other domestic questions the
United States is merely asking that
other governments observe the same
rules and instructions as are in effect
on this subject in the American code for
ambassadors and ministers.
Careful examination of the printed
code reveals the fact that all speeches by
American diplomatic officers are abSo-
lutely forbidden except on extraordinary
festal occasions and the inference is that
the American diplomats will even then
confine their remarks to comments on
the beauties of nature and the wonder
full opportunities that nations have now
adays to further the brotherhood of man.,
Really G0s at Harvey.
It's difficult to lecture an ambassador
like George Harvey, whose political in
fiuence is multiplex and whose ability to
express himself is atteSted by a long
career as a journalist and editor-a
master of after-dinner oratory and satire.
But it is important to note that even
Senator Watson used in his speech an
| Illustration based on the hypothesis that
Colonel Harvey might make Sundry re-
marks on British internal questions. The
truth Is American diplomats in the past
| have offended almost as much as the
European diplomats here and what we
are witnessing in fact is a return to
pre-war normal in diplomatic etiquette.
| The war period broke down all rules
Ambassadors discussed publicly questions
internal and external and without sub
! hitting copies of their remarks to the
I utB1ItLAtiII VI Stdbc 1oI dDIIOfdl. All
/ bassadors from foreign lands who have
/ followed in the wake of the war have felt
/ that same freedom to express themselves
on postwar questions.
! Senator Watson's speech and Score
/ tary Hughes's conversations with foreign
/ diplomats following Immediately after a
| private conference between the secretary
of state and Mr. Watson may bring about
a return to pre-war custom. In the pres
! ent dispute emphasis is laid on the tariff
! as an internal question, purely domestic il
| as an internal question, purely omestic in
the sense that bill now is pending be.
fore an American legislative body Ever
if it has international phases officials fee
that its status is for the moment domes
tic and speeches made by foreign diplo
mats cannot but be construed as an effort
to influence American public opinion.
No More Propaganda
This will also bring up several collat
eral phases of foreign governmental in
fiuence in America. 1t would be easy fOl
foreign government to tell its ambassa
dor or minister here to preserve the 81
lence of a sphinx and yet open bureau
of information or propaganda agency fol
the purpose of spreading its doctrines anC
ideas. Most countries started suel
agencies in connection with the wsr, bu
some of the countries have kept the bu
reaus going ever since then. The United
states government could protest againS
these and unqueStionably could secure
their withdrawal, but this would no
necessarily end the matter. For il woul,
be an even more simple thing for TIN
trade bodies and associations of busines
men in foreign countries to send a repre
sentative to America to conduct a cam
paign of education by speech making
Z publicity or otherwise and the govern
ment in Europe would in reality have N
direct cOpnection with the thing.
Ambassador Ricci of Italy feels hur
I by the attitude taken by the department
HI of state and thinks his freedom of expres
sion has been unnecessarily abridged We
nj he could resign tomorrow and as 9TH
former ambassador from Italy, coul
make all the speeches he wanted to max
and probably would be invited to spea
from one end of the country to the othe
The incident will have many effects
First, it will be a warning to America
diplomats abroad to keep their powers {
public speech dormant lest they furnis
precedent for violations on this sid
of the water by European diplomats
\ second, foreign governments win see
\ other ways to protest to the America
4 people over the heads of the governmer
concerning alleged injuries in tariff an
kindred matters; third. the censors at IL
j department of state will find themsely,
: reading proof of many innocuOl1sl
VI phraSed sDeeches for months m coma