Speakers with a reputation, orators, statesmen, or foreign diplomats
are frequently invited, and sometimes eminent men from other countries
are the guests of honor. These functions occur every year,
and the Foreign Ministers with whose countries the Associations
have commercial relations are generally present.
The topics discussed are nearly always the same, and it is not easy
to speak at one of these gatherings without going over the same ground
as that covered on previous occasions. I remember that a colleague of mine
who was a clever diplomat, and for whom I had great respect,
once when asked to make an after-dinner speech, reluctantly rose and,
as far as I can remember, spoke to the following effect:
"Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I thank your Association for inviting me
to this splendid banquet, but as I had the honor of speaking at your banquet
last year I have nothing more to add, and I refer you to that speech;"
he then sat down. The novelty of his remarks, of course, won him applause,
but I should like to know what the company really thought of him.
For my part, I praised his wisdom, for he diplomatically rebuked
all whose only interest is that which has its birth with the day
and disappears with the night.
Banquets and dinners in America, as in China, are, however,
often far removed from frivolities. Statesmen sometimes
select these opportunities for a pronouncement of their policy,
even the President of the nation may occasionally think it advisable
to do this.
Pages:
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185