A well-known American newspaper-owner, Mr. Frank E. Gannett, to whom
I listened at a lunch at the English Speaking Union on Tuesday, mentioned the interesting fact that a movement is on foot in the United States, with apparently some serious backing behind it, for the appointment of a Secretary for Peace to balance the Secretary for War. It is common enough for speakers on peace platforms in this country to win a cheer by putting forward the same proposal.. The obvious answer is that there is one Minister whose first buSiness, as it is, should be to act as Minister for Peace. That is the Foreign Secretary. He ought all the time to be smoothing out difficulties and anticipating or removing dangers to peace. But the American project seems to go a little further than that. The potential Minister is to engage himself actively and continuously in dispelling misunderstandings, issuing denials of false Press reports and cultivating friendship with all nations indiscrimin- ately. President Roosevelt is quite capable of making such a departure.
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