The Dominion. TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 1915. ANCIENT AND MODERN DIPLOMACY.
Earl Haldane has been giving the world his views regarding tho effect the present war is likely t-o have on tho methods of diplomacy. In an interview with a representative of the Chicago Daily Hews, an account of which appeared in Saturday's issuo of The Dominion, he expressed the opinion that the abolition of secret diplomacy and political manipulation would be a great moral advance. By "political manipulation" he, noddoubtt t means the_ resort to Unworthy devices and various forms of intrigue in order to secure an unfair advantage over another nation. Such methods must result in bitterness and suspicion, and it is doubtfill whether they achieve much success in, the long run. Their abandonment would certainly tend-to improve tho tone of international relationships. The removal of all sej crecy from diplomacy, is another I matter. It is not difficult to conceive of circumstances in whioh some secrecy may be both necessary and justifiable. Secrecy in itself is not immoral, though it easily lends itself to discreditable scheming. Ought a nation to lay all its cards on the table when negotiating with another Power] This question is not easily answered. Perfect candour is a fine ideal. But how is a nation which desires to be perfectly candid to be quite sure that the other party to the contract is honestly "playing the game"? The straightforward State might be placed at a serious disadvantage if it made a complete disclo'sure whilst the other nation only revealed as much as it considered prudent and convenient to make known. Earl Haldane himself seems to have had an experience of thiß sort in connection with his discussion with the German Imperial Chancellor (Herr von BethmannHollwegg)'. Tho British statesman informs us that he assured the German Chancellor that Britain was prepared to .enter into a most binding agreement that in no circumstances would she be a party to aggression against Germany. This was a valuable piece of information for the Kaiser and his advisers. It gavo them a useful insight into tho mind of tho British Government; but they do not appear to have tola Earl Haldane very much about their own views or intentions. He tells us that he ;"came away' uneasy," and that "Gormany was piling up her armaments." Probably no harm was done in this particular instance by the disclosure made by Earl Haldane. Someone must make the first advance if an agreement on any point is desired between two Governments. Still, diplomatists are compelled to take into consideration the possibility of being put at a disadvantage by throwing all secrecy to the winds. Probably no living statesman has shown a greater desire to maintain the highest possible standard in tho conduct of international negotiations than Sir Edward Grey. Yet he has been accused by some foreigners of excessive • astuteness.' They will not admit that he is half as frank as he seems to be. The fact is that diplomacy has a "past," and the recollection of that "past" has made it very difficult for tha world to believe in the possibility of simple straightforwardness in the relations between State and State. _ A diplomatist who wanted to mislead tho other side would possibly succeed beyond all expectations if he placed all. his- cards on the table, and told the simple truth, for it is extremely doubtful whether other people would put.any faith in his frankness. Sir Edward Grey recently declared that the' difficulty in diplomacy is not to tell the truth, but to get j:topic to believe the truth when it is placed before them. Diplomacy has got such a bad name. It ha 6 surrounded ifcself with an atmosphere of suspicion and insincerity. Its history is full of hypocrisy and deception. An Ambassador is described in an old epigram as "a person who is sent to lie abroad for the benefit of his country." Louis XI was not troubled by many scruples in his dealings, with, the representatives of other nations. "If they lie to you," he said to his own Ambassadors, "lie still more to them." Three-or four centuries ago diplomatists were looked upon with so muqh suspicion that'they were treated like spies to be "quickly heard > and dismissed." In the course of time it was found convenient to acoord them the hospitality due to guests, but this change was not accompanied by any greater regard for. the claims of truth in international negotiations. One authority tells us that by tho close of the sixteenth century diplomacy had become frankly "Machiavellian," and the ordinary rules of morality were held not to apply to tho intercourse between nations. Germonius, after a. vigorous denunciation of lying in general, contends that it is permissible for the safety or convenience of a Prince as head of the State. Another writer holds that an' Ambassador must study to speak the truth, but is careful to add that ho is not such a "rustic bom 1 " as to say that an "official lie" is never to bo employed, or to deny that an Ambassador should, on ocoasion, "lie magnificently." Diplomacy has grown rather more respectable since those days. It has at any rate endeavoured to conceal its uglier side from the public view. Yet tho trail of Machiavellianism disfigured diplomatic niothorls of Bismarck, and recent events have ihown that German statesmen of tho present day arc even more unscrupulous—and much more clumsy—in thoir foreign policy than Bismarck civfir wiip. Therr. is undoubtedly jom tox iwuwracßt) is ,tlw wmes
of diplomatists, but it is easier to talk about reform than to act. Wc have heard a good deal lately about the democratisatiou of foreign policy, and as a step in this direction it has been suggested that all treaties should be ratified by Parliament. It has, however, been very sensibly pointed out, in reference to this proposal, that the British Parliament and people will have control of foreign policy just in the measure that they take an interest in it. If they are keenly interested no statesman "will dare to embody in a treaty a policy of which they disapprove, while-if they do not take an adequate interest n<i amount of constitutional provisions will enable them to exercise an intelligent control over the actions of statesmen."
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Bibliographic details
Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2428, 6 April 1915, Page 4
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1,049The Dominion. TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 1915. ANCIENT AND MODERN DIPLOMACY. Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2428, 6 April 1915, Page 4
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