Walter Alexander Riddell (5 August 1881 – 27 July 1963) was a Canadian civil servant, diplomat, and academic. He was the Canadian Advisory Officer to the League of Nations from 1924 to 1937.
Walter Alexander Riddell
Born
(1881-08-05)5 August 1881
Stratford, Ontario, Canada
Died
27 July 1963(1963-07-27) (aged 81)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation
Diplomat
Known for
Proposing sanctions against Mussolini
Born in Stratford, Ontario to a single working parent, Riddell was the deputy minister of the Department of Labour for the Government of Ontario. From 1920 to 1925, he was the Canadian delegate to the International Labour Organization in Geneva. From 1924 to 1937, he was the Canadian Advisory Officer to the League of Nations. From 1940 to 1946, he was the Canadian High Commissioner to New Zealand. He later taught International Relations at the University of Toronto.[1]
At the League of Nations, he is responsible for what is known as The Riddell Incident, where he tried, oblivious to the desires of Mackenzie King, to place sanctions on Italy led by Benito Mussolini. The sanctions came to be known in the international press as the Canadian proposal, whereupon the government blanched because they were unready to occupy the centre of the world diplomatic stage, and Mackenzie King feared that sanctions on Italy would offend voters in Quebec, where Mussolini was popular with the right-wing Catholic intelligentsia.[2] He ultimately failed when the Mackenzie King government decided to repudiate the sanctions that he had proposed. The Minister of Justice, Ernest Lapointe, reported to Parliament on 2 December 1935 that:[3]
[Riddell] represented only his personal opinion, and his views as a member of the committee and not the views of the Canadian government.
Later that month, the Hoare–Laval Pact damaged the image of the League. Mussolini continued with the conquest of Ethiopia.
In 1936, King all but declared the death of the League, after Emperor Haile Selassie pleaded for help from foreign nations in his 7 June 1936 address to League of Nations.[3]
Canadian High Commissioner to New Zealand 1940–1946
Succeeded by
Alfred Rive
December 15, 2023
walter, alexander, riddell, august, 1881, july, 1963, canadian, civil, servant, diplomat, academic, canadian, advisory, officer, league, nations, from, 1924, 1937, born, 1881, august, 1881stratford, ontario, canadadied27, july, 1963, 1963, aged, toronto, ontar. Walter Alexander Riddell 5 August 1881 27 July 1963 was a Canadian civil servant diplomat and academic He was the Canadian Advisory Officer to the League of Nations from 1924 to 1937 Walter Alexander RiddellBorn 1881 08 05 5 August 1881Stratford Ontario CanadaDied27 July 1963 1963 07 27 aged 81 Toronto Ontario CanadaOccupationDiplomatKnown forProposing sanctions against MussoliniBorn in Stratford Ontario to a single working parent Riddell was the deputy minister of the Department of Labour for the Government of Ontario From 1920 to 1925 he was the Canadian delegate to the International Labour Organization in Geneva From 1924 to 1937 he was the Canadian Advisory Officer to the League of Nations From 1940 to 1946 he was the Canadian High Commissioner to New Zealand He later taught International Relations at the University of Toronto 1 At the League of Nations he is responsible for what is known as The Riddell Incident where he tried oblivious to the desires of Mackenzie King to place sanctions on Italy led by Benito Mussolini The sanctions came to be known in the international press as the Canadian proposal whereupon the government blanched because they were unready to occupy the centre of the world diplomatic stage and Mackenzie King feared that sanctions on Italy would offend voters in Quebec where Mussolini was popular with the right wing Catholic intelligentsia 2 He ultimately failed when the Mackenzie King government decided to repudiate the sanctions that he had proposed The Minister of Justice Ernest Lapointe reported to Parliament on 2 December 1935 that 3 Riddell represented only his personal opinion and his views as a member of the committee and not the views of the Canadian government Later that month the Hoare Laval Pact damaged the image of the League Mussolini continued with the conquest of Ethiopia In 1936 King all but declared the death of the League after Emperor Haile Selassie pleaded for help from foreign nations in his 7 June 1936 address to League of Nations 3 The British later evicted the Italians during the East African campaign of World War II to protect their position inEgypt References edit Bothwell 2007 Morton 1999 p 175 a b Creighton 1970 p 222Sources editBothwell Robert 2 December 2007 Walter Alexander Riddell The Canadian Encyclopedia Creighton Donald 1970 Canada s First Century Macmillan of Canada Morton Desmond 1999 A Military History of Canada McCllelland amp Stewart In Defence of Canada Appeasement and Rearmament James Eayrs Walter Alexander Riddell fondsExternal links editWorks by or about Walter Alexander Riddell at Internet ArchiveDiplomatic postsPreceded byNone Canadian Advisory Officer to the League of Nations1924 1937 Succeeded byHumphrey Hume WrongPreceded byNone Canadian High Commissioner to New Zealand1940 1946 Succeeded byAlfred Rive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Walter Alexander Riddell amp oldid 1157353236, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
