Evening star., 1937-04-09


leading representative OF the Congo
Reform Association wrote to him: II
have spoken Of you in highest terms
to thousands Of people all over the
United States in my Congo meetings" :"
In another part Of Africa, Root did
not foresee the future Importance of
Abyssinia. Roosevelt wrote him about
appointing a Minister to Adds Ababa
Root replied: Il never could see any,
thing for Minister to Abyssinia to
do. I understand that Prester
John never wes really there and that
their only Theodore killed himself
after grossly violating the constitu-
ton"
Then there was the important uues-
ton OF the persecution of the Jews
in Russia. John Hay had struggled
with this problem, but had been par
ticularly influenced by domestic po-
litical considerations. Root was more
interested in doing something for the
poor victims Of frequent and savage
pogroms. In sending check to the
relief fund, he wrote:
I'VE have little power to help them;
but for some of the homeless and de-
spoiled money may be helpful, and
for some who are in despair the
knowledge that there is friendliness
and sympathy in the world may be an
encouragement and the expression
OF adherence and condemnation by
the civilized world for the cruelties
which may have been practiced may
IN time come to have some little re-
straining effect"
Principle Of Diplomacy.
"One fundamental principle of di-
plomacy," he once said, has always
been never to do or say anything
which will prevent your having frank
and confidential conversations with
people" While he sent confidential
instructions to the American Ambas-
Sador to Russia urging that the Cars
government take some steps to check
the atrocities. he was opposed to pub
lie official action by any branch OF
the United States Government, be-
cause, as he wrote the chairman of
the House Committee on Foreign Al
fairs, They would tend, by produc-
ing irritation and antagonism (on
the part of the Russian government)
TO aggravate the dangers OF the I'M
fortunate people whom they are in
tended to aid" 1t IS lesson which
might well be relearned today, even
by municipal officials.
Perhaps the thorniest problem with
which Root had to deal while he was
in the State Department was the
question Of Japanese American rela-
tions As in the case of South Amer
lea, he did not try to go the whole
way at one bound, but merely laid
the foundations for future policy.
Through his "gentlemen's agreement"
with Japan, he obtained that govern
ment's cooperation in checking the
flow of immigrants to this country 1t
was not q solution which satisfied the
Californians and it did not wholly stop
the inflow, but 1t eased the problem
from the domestic point of view in
the United States and laid the base
for friendly relations with Japan.
When Root, at the age OF rs, was
| called back to Government service by
President Harding to be one of the
| delegates to the Washington Disarma-
| ment Conference in 1921, the Japan
ese and the Chinese delegates turned
to him as a friend. Upon Mr.. Root S
death 16 years later. Japanese, both
omctally and privately, were among
the foremost in their sympathetic
homage. But the passage of the jap
anese exclusion law in 1924 dealt a
blow to Japanese-American relations
from which the world has not yet re-
covered; it was step over which Root
grieved greatly.
Won Nobel Prise in 1912.
OF all the international matters
with which Root dealt, those looking
toward the perfecting OF the interna-
tional system for peaceful settlement
OF disputes will longest be connected
with his name. For them he received
the Nobel Peace Prize in 1912. His
experience in that field could not have
been more varied. As Secretary OF
State he negotiated a series OF arbi-
tration treaties which are still known
by his name. Meager though they
were, they were a first step. As q
Senator he fought for the ratification
OF further treaties. He sat as judge
IN two international tribunals and
pleaded as counsel for the United
States before = third.
He fathered the establishment in
1907 Of the Central American Court
OF Justice-the first permanent tri-
bunal Of that nature. He strove val
iantly, but without success, to have
The Hague Conference create q real
permanent international court. How
ever, as he wrote at the time, he did
not put much weight upon the evil
consequences Of a defeat In q
good cause good fight bravely lost is
always victory" Thirteen years later,