Harrison's reply served to reassure us. Said he: "Oh, no, boys, I
couldn't do that; last year I promised Bok to write some articles for
his journal, and I didn't have any fun all summer." His two words,
"boys" and "fun," were the magic ones that caused the tension to
relax and generated the emotion of elation. We then sat back in our
chairs and, possibly, crossed our legs--I can't be certain as to
that. At any rate, in a single sentence this man had made us his
co-ordinates and caused the negative self-feeling to vanish. Then
for a good half-hour he talked in a familiar way about great affairs,
and in a style that charmed. He told us of a call he had the day
before from David Starr. Jordan, who came to report his experience
as a member of the commission that had been appointed to adjudicate
the controversy between the United States and England touching
seal-fishing in the Behring Sea. It may be recalled that this
commission consisted of two Americans, two Englishmen, and King Oscar
of Sweden. Mr. Harrison told us quite frankly that he felt a mistake
had been made in making up the commission, for, with two Americans
and two Englishmen on the commission, the sole arbiter in reality was
King Oscar, since the other four were reduced to the plane of mere
advocates; but, had there been three Americans and two Englishmen, or
two Americans and three Englishmen, the function of all would have
been clearly judicial.
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