Evening star., 1922-06-27
Glittering Generalities, But Not
Concrete Facts,

Perhaps a faint tinge of tariff bias
is traceable in editorial discussion of
talking ambassadors" in connection
with Senator James Watson's attack
on the Italian envoy for his public ad-
dress on the pending tariff legislation,
in which the ambassador hinted at
reprisal. Nevertheless the majority of
papers insist that il open diplomacy
is ever to mean anything more than
la noble phrase some of the fine
drawn niceties Of diplomatic etiquette
will have to be sacrificed to blunter
common sense.
The essential Of open diplomacy, as
the New York Tribuae defines it, "is
that onel people, when desirous of
good relations with another, shall
speak directly to the other people
rather than solely to their govern
that ais not afraid Of the results OF
free talk" will scarcely "be benefited
by gagging foreign representatives
or otherwise denying them access to
the open forum Of American public
opinion"
Granted, answers the Scranton
Times, and therefore this country has
no intention of tying the tongues Of
foreign representatives in this coun-
try" but neither would We have
them interfere in or endeavor to In
fluence purely American legislation"
Ricci has been guilty Of interference
in purely domestic concern fairly
Substantial minority Of the press
sides with the Indiana senator In the
controversy. We show our friendship
for our foreign diplomats by offer
Solt
the extent of excluding them from
the structures of the eighteenth
amendment" but in return. the Grand
Rapids Herald says, we want them
to mind their own business. the
way for them to attend to that busi-
full liberty" accorded them ito dis
cuss from all angles the subjects un-
der such consideration with the Presi-
dent, his Secretary Of State and other
officials representing the chief ex.
ecutive," but, the New York Herald
been jealously insistent that such
foreign business should be done only
under such circumstances" and they
have been quick on the trigger with
vigorous protest against any FOR
eigner that ventured in this country
upon any other course"
Even conceding Ambassador Riccfs
point that his discourse was econo-
mic and not political, the Buffalo
News suggests that ut is not ordinar-
lily far cry from economics to poll
tics; the fact of the matter is that In
and while it is equally true. as Signor
Ricct contends, that the tariff Is an
international question, the manner
and extent Of it's imposition are ''pri-
marily Of domestic concern" Since
| influence 10 the effect, even though 1t
signor Ricci's remarks on Italy's atti-
tude toward our tariff proposals, his
address, tho New York Times holds,
| does not meet the test Of the funda-
mental principles Of diplomatic inter-
course between natfona"
procedure seem to q good many folk
to have a lot of fiummery and flap
doodle about them," the Albany
Knickerbocker Press believes, especi-
ally since diplomats no longer COM
mand the awe with which they were
| indiscretions" In common with other
kinds, may be ''excusable. II not justf-
fed, by the circumstances" suggests
| the Baltimore Sun, and in the pres
ent, circumstances SiEnor Ricci's real
offense Is that he has told the truth, u
in diplomacy for an Ambassador to
be perfectly konest and unafraid. II
certainly 10 refreshing"
Indeed, the New York World and
the New York Globe unite in the feel
] ing that, az the latter expresses 1t.
I the italian ambassador has earned
4 by his indiscretion the thanks Of al
most every American who has to meet
q monthly bill at tho grocers or the
dry goods meruhant.s"
! Sance the State Department faa
| pronounced the incident CLOSED" the
Philahelphia Bulletin predicts that
we may hereafter expect foreign dip
| lomata "to talk Of the canals Of Mari
and to say pretty thtnSu about the
people Of the United States, but con-
corning the matters in which the
people OF the United States and the
~ xit,s,n fl,ex sr,eurenanf nI.a lssussoned