ABSTRACT
From the point of view of diplomatic negotiation, it is far truer to say that a mass of people is really much too inflexible for successful dealing. One diplomat can find out that he was wrong, and change his mind; a whole people unlearns very slowly. One diplomat may see what is in the other diplomat's mind, and tune his utterance accordingly; a whole people cannot see quickly into another people's mind, and its utterance is inevitably crude. The whole difficulty can be visualized by imagining the situation between two nations which, had no diplomats and no government. The American newspapers print editorials which are telegraphed to the German newspapers and reprinted. The German writers then proceed to write their thoughts. In the diplomatic exchanges at the end of July, 1914, there was a very illuminating example of the danger to all negotiation when a nation has not granted its diplomats, full power.
