Evening star., 1924-07-09

TO w AFTER HINES rage.
Hailed by British.
Mr.. Davis served with distinction
in that tost until he resigned in 1921.
when Col. Harvey relieved him in
| London. II must be remembered that
Mr.. Davis was ambassador during
that trying period Immediately FOL
| lowing the cessation of hostilities,
when matters required extremely
| delicate handling. The press of Eng
land and officials of the Lloyd George
government, together with members
| of the opposition, We're unanimous in
| their praise of Mr.. Davis when he
| retired. He was given send such
as is seldom accorded "A diplomat
when he relinquishes his position.
| While in England Ambassador Da-
| Wis was cons dered the best speaker
| in that part of the world. and Balfour
said that he had never met n man of
| such notable ability. He has been in
| constant demand as a public speaker
throughout England.
Challenged Bryce Opinion.
When hearings We're conducted last
January before the House committee
on foreign affairs, which resulted in
the passage of the Rogers bill, reor
ganizing the foreign service of the
United States, Mr.. Davis was called
upon for expert testimony from his
own practical experience. In the
hearings is an incident narrated by
the temerity on one occasion to chal-
lenge the public statement of Lord
| Bryce. He told this story to the COM
| mittee as follows:
| 81 heard Lord Bryce say in an
| address delivered at Williams College
| when he was over here a year ago,
| that since the coming in of the tele-
graph the functions of the ambassa-
dor and minister have become less
| important than in the old days when
| he sailed away for siX-weeks' voy-
| age and was out of contact with his
| government months at time. and,
| therefore, was left solely on his own
| initiative and compelled to act with
| out instructions. Now, when the tele-
| graph wire is working every day.
| and he gets instructions constantly
| from the other end. of the line, his
service has become, if not less bur-
densome, rather less Indispensable.
| Says Duties Multiplied.
81 did rather rash thing, for a
man who challenges Lord Bryce on
| any proposition more or less takes
his life in his hands. | think he had
| the most encyclopedia mind | ever
| met. and when it is a question of
| knowledge. and not of opinion, | can
| hardly imagine anybody challenging
| him on anything. But | ventured to
discuss that with him and told him ]
| thought perhaps he was mistaken
| about it, and that instead of diplo-
| matte officer having become less i'm
| portant and less necessary by reason
| of the telegraph, he had become more
| so. because unquestionably the exist
| ence of this rapid communication has
| greatly multiplied the communica-
| tlons between governments. and the
drawing together OF the world by
| rapid transportation has greatly in
| creased the number of questions
which bring governments into colli-
| sion.
| 1T has made it possible. of course,
| for one foreign office to correspond
| directly with other foreign offices by
| telegram or by mail without the in
tervention of the personal equation
| at all.
! Acts as Adviser.
But If it must do so without hav-
| ing man on the ground at the other
end who can say. What sort of indi-
| Vidual is this who is being addressed
| what are his personal limitations,
| what are his prejudices, his views
| how far can he be expected to go
| along this line or on that the for
| eign secretary is like a man with a
| blindfold over his eyes. simply talk
| ing into the air.
| "The function of the diplomatic of
| flcer nowadays is to let his govern
| ment know who the man is at the
other end of the wire, and what sort
| of influences are working on him that
will make him amenaDIe to this sug-
| gestion or make him disposed to re-
| fuse that. diplomatic officer of to-
day who is receiving by wire corre-
| spending for transmittal to the gov
| ernment to which he is accredited
| even where it comes, as it frequently
| does, in the shape of formal note.
prepared in the State Department
must feel it his duty to examine that
| note in the light of his acquaintance
| ship with the men on the ground. If
| he finds anything in it which his
| knowledge convinces him is inexpe-
dent, it is his duty to advise his
government that in that respect the
note ought to be corrected to meet
| the particular situation
| Thus does John w. Davis show that
he has a broad conception of the du-
ties of the diplomatic service, which
| he calls "the first line in the coun-
try's defense" and the ability to recog
niZe and argue in the nations be-
| half important fundamental prin-
| ciples as they arise.
| Quote Hughes Statement.
| Mr.. Davis notable service in one
| of the most important foreign mis-
| sions is pointed to by his supporters
as an outstanding illustration of
what an able executive he could be
| if he should be elected. They quote
also from Charles f. Hughes. Secre-
| tary of State, as showing the high
| service required in the diplomatic and
| consular offices:
| "In every part of the earth Nhe
| diplomatic and consular officers of
the United States are watching every
turn of events in their relation to
/ the general policies of their govern
ment. They report every source of
international irritation; they note the
signals of economic and political un-
rest, of international rivalries, preju-
dices, subversive tendencies and dis
criminatory policies. They aid the
ralrr 90
disputes, but in removing or limiting
| the causes of possible controversy"
| Urges Five Reforms.
Out of his extraordinary expert
| ences before the three branches of
government, Legislative, executive
and judicial, and in foreign affairs,
Mr.. Davis has very decided views on
public questions and has advocated
| five important reforms as his per-
sonal platform. These are:
| 1. The inauguration of the Presi-
dent and Vice President and the con-
vening of the new Congress within Il
few weeks after election. instead of
on the following March 4.
| 2. The appointment of special
commission of the American Bar As
| sociation to codify the federal stat
| utes. (This was one of the chief
| themes of his address before the as
/ ISOLATION at the 1928 convention.)
3. An amendment to the Constitu-
| tHe fTeSlueHC Oh the
| United States to veto specific items
of an appropriation bill.
Backs World Court.
4. The ratification of treaties by
| a majority vote of both houses of
the national legislature. instead of
/ by two-thirds Senate vote.
/ 5. Americas active participation
in a world court.
/ In arguing for the. first plank in
this platform, Mr.. Davis points out