bout de papier, Vol. 30, No. 4 (2019), pp. 42–44
SUCCESSFUL CANADIAN PRIME MINISTERS DEVELOP the habit early of consulting those with expertise or experience across a wide spectrum before making any critical decisions. Nobody who has occupied that office proved this rule better than William Lyon Mackenzie King, whose tenure as first among equals is unsurpassed. King was notorious for his methodical and careful approach to deciding on the optimum (or least risky) course of action. Very often he would excuse the time taken to make up his mind by stressing the need to consult key advisers as well as his counterparts in other governments. Not without some justification, King believed that his wider circle often gave him much better advice about the world than the Canadian foreign service.
King’s closest relationship with any American president was his remarkable rapport with the man who held that office longer than any other, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Apart from many summits and personal visits, they corresponded frequently and spoke often on the phone. As veteran politicians and leaders of neighbouring countries, they respected I and trusted each other — though King never forgot who was a world leader and who was not (though FDR would refer to King’s long time as an international statesman as adding weight to his views and advice).
Thus it is no surprise that when King contemplated political retirement-, FDR contacted him and urged him to stay on at a time of uncertainty and trouble in the world and that King paid close attention to what FDR said, though he did retire earlier than FDR advised.
What makes the episodes recorded in the documents below exceptional is the fact that FDR died in April 1945, well before his sage counsel to his Canadian friend. Marshall McLuhan once remarked that “the medium is the message,” but it’s unlikely he had in mind Geraldine Cummins when he referred to the medium (she preferred to be called an automatist in any event). Even so, Cummins was the medium who put King in touch with his distinguished but deceased friend at a séance in his hotel room in London when he was there for the Royal Wedding. The session in 1948 took place when he returned to London for a conference of Commonwealth prime ministers. The documents below come from the Geraldine Cummins Papers, Cork City and County Archives, Cork, Eire — in a file entitled “Roosevelt Message to Mr. Mackenzie King”. Editorial clarifications or corrections are in square brackets. Only those parts of the sessions recording FDR’s advice from beyond the grave have been reproduced below.
Saturday afternoon, November 22, 1947
[Note in pencil at the top: (Present: anonymous sitter Mr. Mackenzie King, Miss E. B. Gibbes, automatist Geraldine Cummins. Miss Gibbes made notes of some of Mr. King s remarks) “‘] … [from ‘Franklin]
Iam most uneasy. You can put my mind at rest. I learnt that you might consider retiring. I beg of you at whatever cost to continue in public life.
It is wiser from the point of view of your health to retire. But I feel it is your duty not merely to your country but to the world to stay on.
Iam most anxious that you do /so/ for two reasons.
One is I want you to retain Canada’s independence. There is a bunch of rough necks in finance in USA. They would like to get hold of Canada through economic penetration. It is not a visible merging of the two countries but an invisible one behind the scenes they are after. That is my view. I may be wrong. But you want capital for development of your country. In that respect your care and foresight will prevent any encroachment on your independence and liberties. I fought finance all my life. I don’t want big business later on to get undue control of Canada.
Read this. Do you agree?
Iunderstand your reluctance to continue in office and no man more richly deserves a rest. But my own feeling is that you are needed still. You are not Winston /Churchill, wartime British Prime Minister who was defeated in the general election of 1945, then returned to power in 1951]. Winston was in the opinion of his own people a fighter and by God a fine one too. But you have the wisdom he lacks – the caution and that integral honesty that hold a country together. I know no man who can do it so successfully as you can.
There is that cheerful cut throat Joe Stalin /General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and leader of the USSR]. Don’t imagine he is going to leave your country alone. It isn’t war. Oh no, not at present or for a few years. But you had experience of his intrigues in that plot /the espionage network revealed by the defection of cypher clerk Igor Gouzenko from the Embassy of the USSR in Ottawa in September 1945] not long ago. He knows Canada has those valuable minerals /and/ more will be found. He would like to stir up discontent, make mischief in your country and between your people and my people. You are worried for many reasons Mac. I know there are good men. /Douglas/ Abbott /then Minister of Finance] is a sensible fellow no doubt. But I want your wisdom behind it all. I don’t know how long you will remain the skipper. But even in opposition you would be mighty useful – a break /sic/ on men who are too impulsive, too anxious for quick returns. Mac you know the old saying. The 19th century was the century of USA. The 20th century will be Canada’s century. That is in my opinion far more likely to come true if you remain in public life some years longer. Say what you think??
My God man. No. I had my faults. But you will admit I could size up character pretty rapidly. You have that slow Scotch way with you. You are not clever you are wise. That is why I! want you to hold on and why I called you up through Miss /Marguerite] Le Hand /FDR 5s longtime personal secretary who died on 31 July 1944] and I saw you wanted to get out. Don’t. Don’t…
We all urge you to go on in your job but we are going to get behind you and help you. You will not know how we come. But when you sleep we will put suggestions into your mind. Wilfred L /Sir Wilfrid Laurier, former Prime Minister and King s mentor, apparently in life and after death] of course will [form?] our Brains Trust. So go forward with confidence knowing we are behind you. Don’t let the doctrinaire theorists in the English gov/ernment/ get hold of you either and pass their theories on to you. Keep your independence of thought.
… We want to keep you going old man for the sake of the whole continent of America. Canada has a great future no doubt but not if US gets too strong a financial hold there. You can keep her big business within bounds. They can’t fool you … Have I your assurance you won’t retire yet at least stay on some years more?
[pencil note: “Mac was evasive in his reply]
Cautious Mac!! Don’t be rushed by any of us. Good luck.
Always your friend.
Franklin DR Apparently later message from session with someone else, 22 March 1948.
To Mac’ from “Frank” or “the President [put pressure on him not to retire before; now sees need to rest; also refers to writing memoirs] Script “signed” Marguerite A. LeHand
Note [attached to document below]
This second script obtained for Mr Mackenzie King is unpublished and did not therefore appear in my book Mind in Life and Death. I merely mentioned evidence in this script in my book.
The popular press had made such a cheap story out of my visit with Miss Gibbes to Mr Mackenzie King’s bedroom for this sitting I thought it better not to include the script in a serious book.
Geraldine Cummins
I did not show the script to Mr. Leiterman Canadian Television Corp when they visited my house, 25 Jubilee Place, Chelsea.
Oct. 23, 1948. Dorchester Hotel [London, UK]. Present Mr. Mackenzie King, Miss E.B. Gibbes, Geraldine Cummins autonomist disabled by a cold in the head. Returned by Mr. Mackenzie King’s [Executors] to Miss Gibbes.
[from FDR.]
What I want to tell you is that three years from now is the critical time. That is when you will be wanted for advice.
… And now you Mac. Spend 6 months away from all affairs of state then you will be fine. But if you don’t take six months you are going to get in a pretty bad way. Now so long Mac. No war for three years about as we see it here. Then you and others may prevent it but it is going to be touch and go later.
Soviet Russia Yes.
They are not ready to fight. But they will try to make us attack to bring them unity. lf we don’t attack us they believe we won’t they expect to conquer France through the present cold war. But as I see it France gets a big leader who pulls the country out of the mess. In that the Kremlin misjudges counts too much on success. They will fail to get hold of France through the Communists. Our people must be firm with them and they the Soviet will begin to retreat for they are not ready to fight. I guess they will think about fighting in two years time. But not now. So we have to stand up to them and bully them at this moment. Stalin and co have in mind a big scheme of cold war for Asia. Look out for underground developments in Asia later. It is a weak spot and I don’t like it in connection with the defence of my land and yours. Brings them nearer to us if they get away with their schemes.
Just tell your people to keep their attention partly on Asia. Not to forget it while they discuss Europe. Europe more a red herring while Asia being dealt with by the Kremlin. That is my view and my warning.
Originally published in bout de papier, Vol. 30, No. 4 (2019), pp. 42–44. Read the rest of this issue →
