Evening star., 1940-09-15
Seat Awaits Ca..dda
In Pan-American
Council Of Nations
Chair Stored 30 Years
At Union Building for
Dominion Occupant
~ the Associated Press.

HlSH-DaCkeO NldIlOSany Cldl
inscribed with the word Canada
and that country's coat of arms ha!
gathered dust in the basement o.
the 100000 Pan-American Unior
Building here for 80 years awaiting
the Dominion's entrance into the
American family Of nations.
There is no official indication tht
chair may be busted off soon for the
Canadian ministers. Yet swiftly
moving hemisphere developments
have brought defensive arrange
ment between the United States
and Canada and the Dominion has
cast a speculative eye at Latin.
American markets to replace those
lost in Europe Lastly the United
States has leased a naval and all
base in Newfoundland.
Canada'S chair, stored since It was
delivered in 1910, is only one OF
several indications that statesmen
then looked to the day when the
northernmost hemisphere govern
ment would join in solving American
problems.
In the patio of Pan-Americanism s
home, built through the generosity
Of Andrew Carnegie, the Canadian
escutcheon hangs beside those OF
Argentina, Brazil, Chile and the
other l8 republics. The name
"Champlain," the French explorer
appears with those of Washington,
San Martin, Bolivar, Higgins and
other national heroes of the other
American nations.
Included in Decorations.
Looking down on the oval ma
hogany council table in the Board
Of Governors room of the Pam
American Union Building is a panel
depicting historic meeting of
Champlain and the Huron and AL
gonquin Indian chieftains.
John Barrett, seventh director of
the 50-year-old International Union
Of American Republics, who retired
in 1920, described these prepara-
tions for possible Canadian mem
bership in the union in 1926.
w AlOll VIC pl COClll
Onion Building = was being erect
ed and we were planning the future
as we'll as the present use of that
temple of Pan-Americanism," Mr..
Barrett said. Il suggested to Elihu
Root, then Secretary of State and
chairman ex-officio Of the Govern
Ing Board that we should look
into the future and consider the
entrance of Canada into the union
and so prepare decorations and
workings which could not easily be
changed later on.
After consideration and consul
tation not only with President
(Theodore) Roosevelt, but with
eminent Latin American statesmen,
he Root instructed me, first. to
place the escutcheon of Canada In
the patio or court alongside those
OF the United States and other
countries; second. to in
clude Canadian panel in the
bronze frieze of the governing board
room, and third, to have a chair
made carrying the name Canada
Tor the governing boardroom."
Carnegie Expected Entrance.
Expression of a similar thought is
attributed to Mr.. Carnegie, whose
gift of $75O,OO0 made the building
possible. Although there were only
81 members Of the union, % chairs
were purchased.
AT the time the order was given
Mr.. Carnegie said:
Il don't expect Canada to be-
come a republic, but I do expect
her to join our family of nations
sometime"
Brazil was a monarchy when the
nrst conference of American States
opened here, but revolution made
1t republic before the closing ses-
sion. 1t and another monarchy,
Kingdom of Hawaii" had been
invited. The Hawaiian representa-
tive did not attend. Chile and
the Dominican Republic did not
become members of the union until
several years after its formation.
and Cuba and the Republic of Pan
anna Joined as they gained their in
after 1900.
Carnegie's reference to Canada
came many years before the I'M
perial Conference of 1926 and the
1881 statute Of Westminster gave
the Dominion determination of its
foreign policy.
The subject OF membership in
the Pan-American Union never has
been put forward officially in Can
ada, but major events in the de-
velopment of inter- American re-
lationS have often brought discus
sion of that possibility.
When and if Canada should be-
come a member of the Inter-Amer-
lean Council, the Canadian envoy
extraordinary and minister pleni-
potentiary in Washington would
take his place at the Governing
Board, using the chair made 80
years ago but still "hrand peup