Truth-Telling Diplonmatists.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 28 February 1912, Page 4

Truth-Telling Diplonmatists.

Sir Henry Lucy writes in the Sydney Morning Herald: Writing tie other day about Sir Edward Grey's constitutional habit of telling the simple truth as the exponent of British foreign policy, a custom occasionally embarrassing to Continental Ministers, I remarked: "Till he was found out Bismarck was accustomed to get the better of hie adversary by, upon occasion, telling the simple truth. That being wholly unexpected, the other follow wae temporarily led astray." A correspondent calls my attention to a remarkable parallel case, Sir Henry Wotton, James the First's Ambassador at Venice, being asked by a friend nominated to another court, what was the best thing to do in the conduct of negotiations, replied, "That to he in safety himself and serviceable to his country, he should always, upon all occasions, speak the truth. For you shall never be believed," he added, "and by this means your truth will secure yourself, if you shall ever be called to any account, and it will also put your adversaries (you will still hunt counter) to a loss in all their disquisitions and undertakings.' Wotton tvas the author of the witty, oftenquoted aphorism, - "an ambassador for the good of his country.