2110-7-3-31

8, Gower Street Bloomsbury.

Telephone, 0799 Museum.

April 16th 1935

My dear John,

I have had a letter from Mackenzie King tonight & must let you know what he says on one important point.

He writes with great delight of your appointment & his agreement with Bennett about it. Then he goes on ---

"I do not know what the King may have proposed to Buchan about a title but I imagine a peerage must have been or will be offered. Should you have a chance to speak with him & should there be any doubt in his mind I wish you would tell him from me that I do not think he could do anything which would serve to win for him a stronger place in the admiration & affection of the people of this country than to forego its acceptance till after his return from Canada &

come out as the finest commoner to fill the high office of Governor General. It could be made known to the world that he had been offered the peerage & declined it. I don't know how many members of Parliament & others have said to me that they hoped he would come out to Canada just as Bryce did when he went to Washington as Ambassador - plain Mr Bryce going to the House of Lords afterwards & after he had revealed to the American people the nature & working of their own political institutions. I have a feeling that Buchan will be able to reveal to Canadians generally what they have as an inheritance through nature, race, political institutions. It would be first rate for Buchan to be made an Imperial Privy Councillor, & this honour I imagine would appeal to him more than any other. It would be a relief moreover to our people to have someone other than

8, Gower Street. Bloomsbury. Telephone, 0799 Museum.

a lord to rule over us & action of this kind would be of real service to democracy & the strengthening of democratic institutions. He can be perfectly sure that should he be so inclined there will be general acclaim at his taking such a stand. A few stories of wealth & "social position" & a few snobs might view it otherwise, & there so far as Canada is concerned any regret would begin & end. However I realize from an old country point of view all this may be wide of the mark & that probably the matter has already been discussed & settled."

Well dear John in communicating above I must tell you that the identical idea has been strongly in my mind. You have a name that is world wide & I have felt reluctant from the first to see it merged before you go

to Canada in a new title. The Bryce precedent of which he speaks had been uppermost in my thoughts. You may play a part as great as Bryce did in making England & America intelligble to each other, & like Rex I believe that apart from the odious snobs that flourish across the Atlantic you would be in a stronger position to do that work as a commoner than as a peer. Of course again like Bryce I should like to see you enter the House of Lords on your return. But no title can ever add to the honour & fame of John Buchan.

All this may be too late but since I was charged with this message I felt I must tell you that quite independently I had arrived at the same conclusion.

I leave for Spain on Wednesday for a fortnight's holiday. I have struck a rough bit of country latterly.

Much love

Yours ever

Violet