Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-19

Literature and art might be CONSIDERED
within the diplomatic purview, but If
descended to busy himself with practi-
cal things, international law was the
limit of his condescension.
Such was the atmosphere Of the old
diplomacy. 1t was natural that it re-
fiected and fostered the high interna-
tional intrigue of the times. COMPETE
ton between nations was perhaps as
keen as it is today. But it was not
envisioned as economic competition.
The conception of the world economics
was hardly born. The international
competition of the day was a struggle
for military power and the national
prestige that went with 1t. Offensive
and defensive alliances were the breath
Of life.
It did not take a Wilsonian master
mind to see that this sort of diplomacy
was out of place in the modern world.
But the War President had his atten-
ton fixed on the evil symptoms Of the
old diplomacy. He desired to rid inter-
national relations of the curse Of
intrigue, secret alliances and backstairS
deals His remedy was open covenants
openly arrived at"
If the new diplomacy" of Woodrow
Wilson has not been marked success,
1t may be that the momentum of the
Old World monarchical system Is still
too powerful. But the evolution of the
modern industrial world is changing
diplomacy much more effectively than
Wilson's noralizing. 1t may be no more
open" than in ages past, but the very
nature of its task is abating the evils
which Wilson and all right-thinking
men abominated.
Nations Economic Units.
The nations are no longer mere
sources of power for the maximation
of monarchical egos. They are eco
nomic units whose primary concern is
the enhancement OF the material we'll
being Of their peoples. While some
reservations must be made to this state
Inent, there is enough of practical de-
mocracy in the world today to make
it substantially true. The competitive
factor in economics has by no means
been wholly eliminated, and it serves
to keep alive some of the characteristics
of the old diplomacy. But the world
Is rapidly learning that the old-style
diplomatic victory" which involved the
''defeat" of one of the parties is of lit
tie permanent value. A diplomatic VIC
tory in the modern interdependent
world must be q victory for both parties.
just as business transaction, to have
satisfactory results, must bring adj
vantage to both sides.
This major change In national aims
Is Transforming the whole aspect of
diplomacy. Even at Washington, where
these ideas are not as new rs in some
capitals. the international microcosm
is rapidly changing. The diplomatic
corps of which Sir Ronald Lindsey,
Paul Claudel, Friedrich Wilhelm Won
Prittwitze and Giacomo de MARITIME are
honored members Is quite a different
affair from its predecessor in the days
Of Lord Bryce, Jusserand, Count Won
BernstorH and the Marchese Cusani
Confalonieri
Scions Of Old Families
The difference Is not primarily one
OF personnel 30 far as the principal
powers are concerned. Bryce and Jus
serand, of course. were men Of an
amazing catholicity of interest, as dis
tinguished in their own day as they
would be in this. But Sir Esme-now
IOTd-Howard and Sir Ronald Lind
say carry on an honorable tradition OF
British ambassadorial representation.
Lord Howard is a scion Of one Of the
oldest families of the British peerage.
Sir Roland's father was the twenty
sixth Earl Of Crawford and the first
Baron Lindsay of Crawford dates from
1143. Both Sir Esme and Sir Ronald
HIG C6IEEE 0AQlOulnko Will 3D14A 4CNOANLo
in the British Foreign Service. Am
baSsador Claudel Of France and Am
basssdor de MARITIME Of Italy are like
wise career men who have devoted their
lives to diplomacy. although ClaudePs
gifts as q poet have won him place
in the succession Of literary anbassa-
doris.
Padilla y Bell, Ambassador Of Spain, the
Prince de Ligne, who has Just retired
as Ambassador Of Belgium, and Mr..
May, q career diplomat who has been
appointed to succeed him, may create
the impression that the diplomatic
corps today bears q substantial resem-
blance to that Of former times. But such
resemblance as there may be Is en-
tirely superficial. This is apparent as
soon as we include the rest Of the corps
in the picture.
Won PFittwitz, New Type.
Ambassador Won Prittwitz is totally
different type from Count Won Bern
storff. There Is nothing Of the aristo-
crat, the soldier or the high politician
about the present envoy from Germany.
Trained in the law he was hardly adj
n1itted 10 the bar before he transferred
his allegiance to diplomacy. His legal
attainments were supplemented by long
and arduous preparation in economics.
ears III the CDIlbuldT GCEN1CE-d cCINiOC
looked upon with scorn by the tradt-
tional diplomat-have given Won Pr1tt-
witz q grasp Of economic and financial
problems which enables him to feel
more at ease among induStrialiSts and
bankers than in the panoply Of formal
diplomacy. The German Ambassador
Is perhaps the most striking example OF
the new type OF diplomat In wash
tngton.
He L. closely rivaled. however. by
Ambassador Debuchi Of Japan. Debuchi
was a student In q college Of commerce.
A trip 70 Russia as secretary 70
special mission won him over TO
diplomacy. From the very beginning
he thought Of diplomacy in terms of
economics While he pays due respect
to ambassadorial fornlalities when the
occasion requires. there is about as
little Of the formal diplomat in him
as there Is In the average industrial
executive.
The remaining Ambassador from
Europe, Mr.. F1lipowicz Of Poland, Is
equally q product of the new school.
An engineer by profession, he was
drawn into the political turmoil leading
up to and following his countrys re-
establishment as an independent state.
He thinks in terms Of economics. and
where politics intrIdes he instinctively
translates the political problems into
economic ideas
Deal With Economic Affairs.
Turkey and the Latin American
countries represented by Ambassadors
at Washington on occasion have sent
ENJOYS who would 1T into the anti
quated scheme Of diplomatics. But for
the most part their representatives, too.
are men who comprehend and deal
with economic affairs and financial
matters with the ease that comes only
With lnr0 Familiarity