Social Visit

"I have long been anxious to pay a visit to Canada. . . . This will enable me to renew my acquaintance with Lord Tweedsmuir. . . ." When Cordell Hull made this announcement last month, newshawks were unwilling to believe that the U. S. Secretary of State would ever make a purely "social visit" to another country. They concluded that he was anxious to discuss with Canada's Liberal Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King the future of their reciprocal trade agreement, most important one to be signed by Mr. Hull and now in its second successful year.*

Cordell Hull's visit to Canada turned out to be not purely social, but it was not trade which occupied the mind of the 66-year-old statesman last week as he entrained with his wife in Washington for Ottawa, accompanied by his adviser on political relations, Jimmy Dunn. Greeted on their arrival in Canada's capital by a squad of mounted police in scarlet tunics, the Hulls lunched with Governor-General Tweedsmuir at Government House, began a two-day round of official entertainments. From Ottawa, Prime Minister King accompanied them to Toronto, where Secretary Hull called on Ontario's bumptious Premier, Mitchell Hepburn. The extra-social purpose of Cordell Hull's visit was first indicated at a luncheon where he and Mackenzie King discussed what Mr. Hull called the "preservation of peace." A few hours later Mr. Hull, escorted to the University's Convocation Hall by Governor-General Tweedsmuir to receive his 10th honorary LL.D., proceeded to amplify on that subject.

Many who believe that behind Franklin Roosevelt's ringing, full-voiced abandonment of traditional U. S. isolationism at Chicago three weeks ago was the gentle, tutorial lisp of Cordell Hull, believe also that Pupil Roosevelt spoke more strongly than his adviser intended. Carefully avoiding expressions like "quarantine" and "concerted effort," whose use by the President jolted many a diplomat, Oldster Hull gave his measured definition of a changing U. S. foreign policy:

Isolation, "Theoretically, it is possible for an individual to lead a hermit existence, and for a family or a community to segregate itself and attempt to live solely within and unto itself. But in the end, an inexorable price must be paid for such isolation; and directly or indirectly, that price is always paid by the individual."

Britain & the U. S. "My country and the countries which compose your mighty union are among the protagonists of the idea that peace rather than war is the normal state of human relations, within and among nations."

The Future. "Just as sooner or later the outraged conscience of a community or a nation sets into motion forces which re-establish order under law, so, I firmly believe, the outraged conscience of mankind will set into motion forces which will create in the sphere of international relations unshakable order based on law."

*U. S.-Canadian trade jumped from $598,000,000 to $748,000,000 last year, is this year running 25% ahead of the first seven months of 1936.

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