Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-18
MASSEY IS TERMED
4ALL-AROUND MAN..
Canadian Minister Is Scholar,
Business Man, Professor,
Soldier and Politician.
By FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

An "all,around man" has become
the first Canadian Minister to the
United States in the person of Vincent
Massey. Mr.. Massey is a business
man, former university professor. pa
tron of the arts, amateur actor, phii-
anthropist and soldier. Like many
Americans who pursue one or all OF
the careers inst mentioned. Mr. Mas
sew is also a politician. The Canadian
government considers him ideally
.eouipped to represent 1t at Washing
ton in the many and momentous mat
ters demanding attention at the ndhoS
of the two countries. 1T is because
these have grown so rapidly in extent
and Importance that the British I'M
perial government at London readily
consented to the establishment or an
independent Canadian legation IN the
United States.
Water rights, relating to the Great
Lakes, bulk conspicuously In the ID
nadian-American diplomatic ihcl
The withdrawal Of water from lake
Michigan by the city of Chicago, 1or
sanitary and drainage uses. concerns
Canada no less than it interests tne
American States which also abut the
Great lakes. The Great Lakes-St.
Lawrence deep waterway enterprise,
recently recommended by secretary
Hoover az a route prefefaple 10 an
aIIAmerican canal through New YORK
s+ate will almost at once become a
matter of diplomatic discussion BE-
tween Washington and Ottawa.
See Need for Patrol.
rrncle Sam and the land of the
ma nile leaf maintain no foftllcdtioils
along their far-f1ung border Tor mil
tsrv purposes, but both countries nave
come to realize the necessity OF tisIu
Frontier noticing to prevent smuggling.
Amer1can prohibition conjures up a
crave problem for Canada and the
fTnited States, because traffic In liquor
ecy,oss the border Is in more or less
snceSsant progress. Other contrapano
also filters across the frontier. SILK.
originating in Japan and transported
IN eastern Canada from Vancouver, Is
one Of the commodities sometlmes
snuggled into the United states.
The American immigration statutes
daily bring I'D controversial questions
with the Dominion. Many European
horn are in the habit of emigratlng to
Canada, obtaining Canadian citizen
shin. and then seeking admission TO
the limited States regardless OF quotas
that apply to the countries or their
respective origins. Canada does not
see eve to eye with us on NUMBER
IF fundamental immigration AFFAIRS.
For instance, the Dominion holds that
Britisher who has become natural
lied Canadian has the right 10 enter
the United States as Canadian, ana
should not be subject to the British
quota restriction.
Heads Big Company.
The Canadian Minister at Wash
ington has not yet turned 40, having
heen born in 1887. He is the heir of
one of the Dominions great captains
of industry, the late Chester II.
Massey, founder of the Massey Harris
agricultural implements business.
which is the only serious world COM
petitor of the international Harvester
Co. of the United States. The new
envoy is a graduate of St. Andrews
college and the University Of TORONTO.
Later he did post graduate work at
oxford ma joring in modern history.
In 1918 Mr.. Massey returned to MS
Toronto alma mater as lecturer.
Soon after the World War began
Mr.. Massey became commanding
officer of one of the Canadian armys
principal schools of musketry. with
the rank of lieutenant colonel. Some
30. 600 of the Canadian infantry con-
tingent sent overseas were trained
under Massey's direction. After the
armistice he was made a director
of the Massey Harris Corporation,
rising to the secretary treasurership
and afterward to the presidency. 1t
was in the latter office, a few months
ago, that Premier Mackenzie King
found Mr.. Massey and persuaded him
to serve the Dominion in the impor
tant post upon which he has just
entered at Washington.
Essentially Boyish.
The following pen picture of Mr..
Massey was recently drawn in Lon
don by friend and admirer:
"Only in appearance does the
newest plenipotentiary at the court of
Broad in scholarship, case-hardened
in business experience. wise beyond
his age in many things, Vincent
Massey. in the flesh, is essentially
boyish.
His talent for and love of anna
tsur theatrical ventures has meant
a great deal to his native city, where,
due in no small measure to his aid,
the Little Theater movement has had
remarkable growth.
Until the elections of a year ago
Massey had taken no active interest
in Canadian politics. His recent
participation has resulted from a
gradual awakening of q genuine de-
sire for public service. Wealth and
the leisure to travel have helped to
make him a cosmopolite: native
ability and diligent cultivation have
given him wisdom and understand
Ing; a kindly nature has made him
q favorite among his fellows-and
ordinary common sense has kept him
an ordinary citizen of the world. His
great chance comes in Washington !"