Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-09-25
Special DISPATCH to The Star.

he is in charge of efforts to line up
the soldier vote for President Hoover,
and told of his successful efforts to
induce the Dominion to join with the
United States in building the st. Law
renee seaway.
It was the story, told modestly. Of
man without previous diplomatic expe-
rience-"just a farmer boy from Iowa"
as he calls himsel-going to a strange
country; discovering. to his dismay. that
many of her citizens were positively
hostile to his own land discovering. too,
| that national sentiment was either In
different or opposed to the seaWay
project. and In two years obtaining the
| signatures of the Canadian authorities
to a treaty providing for the greatest
international undertaking in the history
of the world-a project to push the
Atlantic Ocean into the very heart OF
the continent and open the ports Of the
| Great Lakes to the commerce of the
| seven seas
No greater drama in international re-
lations ever has been staged than the
| work of this young Westerner. who.
single handed. tackled a big job, over
came obstacles, reached his objective
with great credit to himself and salts
faction to his country, and now, his
mission over. resigns to 60 back to Iowa
TO feed my hogs husk my corn and do
a bit of banking" 1t was drama re-
lieved by bits CT comedy and hunlor as
| Col. MacNider unfolded his story.
Talks of Trade Farley.
| Col. MacNider related, too, his I'm
pressions of the Imperial Economic Con-
| ference. which sat recently in Ottawa
| and he discussed opportunities for
American investment in the Dominion.
Il realized he said, that my rather
intimate relations with Prime Minister
Bennett might be misinterpreted dur
ing strictly family party. so I alb
sented myself from Ottawa during the
| conference. However, I believe any
movement within the British Empire
which may bring better conditions to
the United Kingdom and Canada. the
two best customers of the United States.
can't help being beneficial in larger
way to the United States. While GER
tain Of our interests and export trade
may be affected adversely. any benefit
to the British Empire ultimately mus
be reflected in improvement in economic
| conditions IN the United States
Are there opportunities for Amer
| lean investment in Canada?" Col.
| MacNider was asked.
Splendid" he answered. Canada
| has vast natural resources, scarcely
| touched. I know no other country on
earth, except the UniteN States. which
! will yield such rich returns for invest
ment Of American capital.
Now about this job in Canada" he
! continued. One day, more than two
years ago, President Hoover told me he
wanted to become Minister to Can
ada.
Mr. President I said. I know at
least 10000 men much more suited to
| that job than l. He said he didn't
| agree: told me he wanted me to go to
Canada to try to induce the govern
ment to join with the United States In
building the st. Lawrence seaway He
said he needed man with push and
| energy-don't laugh-that's what he
said. However. left his Office firm in
| my resolve not to take the post
Later friend of mine-at least up
| to this point I thought he was friend
| said to the President, The way to
| get Jack MacNider to do anything is to
| wish the job on him: he won't throw
you down The President appointed
me without further consultation. I
| said I would take the place for one
year. but l stayed two. It took that
long to push through the st. Lawrence
matter.
Opposed by Brookhart.
The Senate held up confirmation as
the result of efforts by Senator Brook
hart from my own State, Iowa. There
was gratitude. In 1921 Gov. Nate
Kendell offered to appoint me to the
Senate in succession to Senator Ken
Judge. I had Just been elected national
| commander of the American Legion
snd was pledged to put over the ad-
lusted compensation. The Governor
finally appointed Charles Rawson. Who
announced he would not be a cardi-
date for election In the primary
Brookhart won out. If I hadn't re-
fused the senatorship Brookhart never
| would have been in the Senate. I did
| him a good turn by refusing. and he
responded by an attack on me, How
ever. I was confirmed. a
The day arrived in Ottawa to be-
gin my duties Sir George Perley. act
| ing prime minister; DR.. O. D. Skel-
nal affairs. and several of DR.. Skeletons
staff called. My wife was greatly taken
with Sir George. After they had de-
are as nice as Sir George we'll have a
| happy time here
"A little later we learned that Sir
George was born in New Hampshire
and was a graduate Of Harvard. The
next time my wife met him she asked
| why he hadn't told her this.
Because it isn't anything to be
particularly proud Of he answered. l
| was amazed to hear him say this. had
come from a part of the United States
| where heard only pleasant things of
| Ito7 hExy| lie,
grew when I discovered that a good
many Canadians were very critical OF
my country.
Il have talked with prominent Cana
| dams about this. Some of them have
told me it originates in jealousy of the
commercial success Of the United
States. I'm not saying that is true.
I am Just reciting what have been
told. Anyway. I soon discovered my
country was none too popular. al
! though. broadly speaking. found
Canadians warm-hearted in their hos
pitality. Indeed. they were so nice I
vas in real danger of going native.
Il was determined n1 to create s = better tier
| those to whom was accredited. and I
believe I had at least a measure of
| success
| "A day or two after my arrival pre-
| sented my credentials to Lord willing
don. then governor general AS sort
of compliment to the Canadian expedi-
| tionary force. I wore my uniform as a
colonel of Infantry. Lord Wellington
is fine. outstanding man. and I recog-
nized that Jack MacNider. the farmer
boy from Iowa. was in the presence of
a real diplomat. with years Of expert
ence behind him.
| Later Visits Premier.
within few days called on Prime
! Minister Bennett. for whom I had a
letter from the State Department urging
the resumption of negotiations with the
United States on the ST Lawrence sea-
way matter.
When I called on Mr.. Bennett I
| dressed like a prize pumpkin-morning