External Affairs Hires Norman

CANADIAN LEGATION
TOKYO

O.D. Skelton Esq., M.A., Ph.D.,
Department of External Affairs,
Ottawa,
CANADA.

18th November, 1935.

PERSONAL AND PRIVATE.

Dear Dr. Skelton,

Please accept my thanks for your letter of the 29th of October last in respect to the appointment of a Language Officer to this Legation. I am very pleased indeed that you agree with me as to the necessity of such an appointment. Of course as you very well remark a satisfactory man must first be found. I have read with considerable interest the copies of the correspondence which you have sent me. Both the applicants would appear to have excellent scholastic qualifications. E. H. Norman would to me certainly appear to be the better of the two applicants. However, in addition to scholastic attainments as I think I have already intimated to you in previous correspondence whoever is appointed to the position of Language Officer here must of necessity have other qualifications. Not only is he required to be a good office man which would include the handling of Japanese who call at the Chancellery to say nothing of translations, attending the Diet, and so on, but he must also be a man of the best social address and appearance and having an interest in outdoor sports. Our contacts in this country are extremely difficult – even exasperating – and after a service of more than six years at this post I find it very difficult to say that myself and my officers have made actual friendships with the Japanese. We have hundreds of acquaintances and our social contacts are pleasant but that I am afraid is about as far as they go. Part of this is due to ignorance of the language. A Language Officer to become acquainted with the Japanese must enter into their daily lives by way of contacts on the golf links, at their luncheons, dinners and so on. There is very much indeed I could tell you in respect to this matter and particularly in respect to the Language Officers at certain Embassies and Legations and the result or non-result of their activities.

I write what I do in the preceding paragraph because we need to realise the situation fully and not make an appointment which would not fulfil all these requirements – and the requirements are extremely difficult to fulfil.

What I would really like you to do if you think for example that E.H. Norman might be a good appointment would be to take him into the Department and for you and Beaudry to keep an eye on him personally from time to time – see that he is a gentleman, has good manners, understands approaches, to say nothing of being diligent.

As I read your letter I would very much prefer proceeding slowly than to have a man sent out here who would not measure up to our requirements. It would mean sending him back.

Yours sincerely,

[signed Herbert Marler]

Hamiliton, July 20, [1937]

Dear Mr. Keenleyside,

I ought to have let you know my plans for the next year before this late date. I should first tell you that I have just finished a very pleasant, — and what is more to the point, — a very useful year of work at Harvard. I received my M.A. for the year’s work with A standing in all courses. (I apologize for mentioning such academic details, but I remember Dr. Skelton asked me about my standing at Toronto and Cambridge, so I thought it would help me, in the eyes of the Department, to have a good record).

Before troubling you with any further details I should first ask whether there is still any opening for the post in Tokyo — needless to say, if there still exists a chance of filling such a position I am as keen as ever about it.

However, feeling that nothing might develop in that quarter for some time, I was determined to keep on working in the field — so I had my fellowship renewed for another year at Harvard. This second year will by no means be wasted, as far as training for the Tokyo position is concerned, as my language work is not sufficiently advanced for me to be able to read easily or fluently and I can always profit by the splendid library in the Far Eastern field at the Harvard-Yenching Institute.

I hope I may be able to discuss this with you in greater detail when I see you (as I hope I shall) this summer. When are you likely to be in Ottawa? I had hoped to be at Lake Couchiching for a time where Mr. Patterson told me you would be, but now I fear it will be impossible. Possibly after you are through at Couchiching I might have a chance to see you in Ottawa, if you are going to be there.

I regret that so much of this letter has been taken up by purely personal matters, but I am looking forward to a chance of seeing you and learing your opinion of the present situation in the Far East etc.

With best regards,

Yours sincerely,

E. H. Norman.

[Department of External Affairs Memorandum]

Ottawa, 25th November, 1938.

Tokyo Legation

Appointment of Canadian Language Officer

For a number of years the Canadian Legation have urged the appointment of a Canadian Language Officer in Tokyo. At present all the work of translation, whether oral or written, is in the hands of persons of Japanese race, though included in the number there is a Canadian of Japanese ancestry who is very competent and reliable. It has, however, been pointed out that it is desirable to have a Canadian permanently attached to the Legation who can speak and write Japanese freely and act as interpreter with a more complete knowledge of English.

It is not easy to obtain a man with all the personal and linguistic qualifications necessary. A number of men have been considered. Definitely the most promising is Mr. E.H. Norman. Mr. Norman is the son of a Canadian missionary. He was born and lived in Japan until he was 17, then came to Canada and graduated in classics at the University of Toronto and at Cambridge in history. In 1936 he was granted a fellowship by the General Education Board for the advanced study of the Japanese language and history and has been working at Harvard since then except for a visit to Japan. He has been awarded a fellowship for the third and final year and is at present carrying on work at Columbia and the Institute of Pacific Relations in New York.

Mr. Norman is a personable and competent man. He was married in 1935.

The resignation of Miss Andrews has led to the suggestion that a permanent private secretary or additional Third Secretary should be appointed to Tokyo. If Mr. Norman is appointed as language officer he would be able to take his share of the general work of the Legation and obviate the necessity of an additional Secretarial appointment.

540 W. 123 St.
N.Y.C.
Jan. 26, 1939.

Dear Dr. Keenleyside:

I am sorry that I have not had the opportunity to visit Ottawa in the past year but my summer in Japan kept me from returning to Canada for any length of time.

It is now the middle of the academic year and I would greatly appreciate your advice on my plans for the future. This year my work consists chiefly in preparing a study of the “Establishment of the Modern State in Japan” as part of the Research Project which the Institute of Pacific Relations has embarked upon. I am using to a large extent Japanese sources and the further I probe the more fascinating becomes the problem of the Meiji Restoration and the more light is shed on contemporary Japan. When I have finished my work here I should be in a good position to continue the study of more recent aspects of Japanese history. Such work could be done most profitably in Japan as materials available here become inadequate. It is unlikely that my fellowship would be renewed for a fourth year, and certainly not renewed if I go to Japan. So before I begin looking for academic work I should like to know whether any appointment for the Tokyo post may be made in the near future.

I feel quite confident that with my background of research and language work I could be of aid to the Legation; while from my own point of view it would be the most profitable time for me to go to Japan to continue historical and linguistic work.

To be quite frank, I should so much prefer working in the Canadian Legation as research or language secretary to all other prospects that before making inquiries about continuing my studies in the U.S.A. or elsewhere I would like to be advised of you on the matter. I wrote to Dr. Skelton last autumn after returning from Japan and I received in reply an acknowledgement from his secretary saying that he was absent. Would it be wise to write again explaining the nature of my work here as I have done to you and making further inquiry about the chances of a decision being made? If you think the question will not arise for some time then perhaps I ought not to trouble him. But before going ahead with my plans I should like to learn your opinion.

[...]

Yours sincerely,
[signed E.H. Norman]

E.H.Norman, Esquire,
A-33, 540 West 123rd Street,
New York City, N.Y.

Ottawa, 26th April, 1939.

My dear Mr. Norman,

I have much pleasure in stating that we are now in a position to offer you the post of Junior Language Officer in the Legation in Tokyo. The initial salary will be $2,220, rising by increments of $120 to $3,180. In addition there will be a living and representation allowance when in Tokyo of $750.

I think it would be desirable that you should report for duty in Ottawa early in May, though if this does not fit in with your arrangements, we can discuss a later date. I am not certain, in view of the situation in the Far East, whether it would be advisable for you to proceed there for some time. In any event there will be ample work to do in Canada.

We shall look forward with much pleasure to having you associated with us.

Yours sincerely,

[signed O.D. Skelton

540 West 123 St.
New York City
April 29, 1939

Dear Dr. Skelton: -

I am most happy to learn this morning by your letter that the Department of External Affairs has entrusted to me the position of Junior Language Officer in Tokyo. It gives me great pleasure to accept this offer.

Just recently the Rockefeller Foundation renewed my fellowship for a fourth and final year to enable me to take my doctor’s degree at Harvard in Japanese History. Although I have not been able to get in touch with them since receiving your letter, I am confident they will release me from my appointment when they learn I am in a position to make practical use of the training they have so generously given me for the past three years.

I am most anxious to report for duty as soon as possible. My work for the Institute of Pacific Relations on a monograph entitled “The Establishment of a Modern State in Japan” is well on the way to completion. However, I feel that two months more would be required to see it through. But I shall do my utmost to shorten this period in order to report at Ottawa as promptly as possible. Of course, I shall be glad to go to Ottawa at any time before that if you should wish to see me.

I am eagerly looking forward to this opportunity to serve the Department and the Government. My only concern is that I may justify the confidence placed in me.

Yours sincerely,
[signed E.H. Norman]

540 W 123 St.,
N.Y.C.
May 24, 1939.

Dear Dr. Skelton:

Since writing you to accept my appointment as Junior Language Officer in Tokyo, I have notified the Rockefeller Foundation of the fact and accordingly they have rescinded my fellowship for the following year.

As I indicated in my last letter, I expect to complete my work for the Institute of Pacific Relations by the end of June. Is it your wish that I begin working with the Department right away?

I would appreciate it greatly if you could indicate roughly the probable length of my stay in Ottawa. Such an indication would be helpful with respect to personal arrangements.

Yours sincerely,
[signed E.H. Norman]