Native Son

Alone among the major dominions of the British Empire, Canada has never had one of her own citizens as sovereign representative of the Crown; since confederation in 1867, the post of Governor General has been held by 17 successive British peers. Many older Canadians felt that this was as it should be, that the exercise of the King's constitutional functions by a distinguished Briton was a strong link in the Empire.

But along with Canada's developing national consciousness, the feeling grew that sooner or later, precedent would have to be broken. Last week it was. On Ottawa's recommendation, an announcement from Buckingham Palace designated Toronto-born Vincent Massey, 64, scholar and diplomat, as Canada's next Governor General,

Massey, who succeeds Field Marshal Alexander (see FOREIGN NEWS), is clearly as suitable for the job as any British peer. Educated at the University of Toronto (of which he later became chancellor) and Oxford, he has had a notable career as educator, became the first Canadian Minister to the U.S. (1927-30), and served as High Commissioner to Great Britain (1935-46).

His most recent public service was as chairman of the Royal Commission which last year gave Canada a master plan for cultural development (TIME, June 18). "We are the more Canadian for being British," Massey once wrote. At times, his icy dignity and faultless manners have amazed even the English. Lord Cranborne, now the Marquess of Salisbury and Winston Churchill's Lord Privy Seal, once observed "Fine chap, Vincent, but he does make one feel a bit of a savage." Massey unbends rarely, although close friends who have seen him at charades rate him a better natural actor than his younger brother Raymond, long a U.S. stage and screen star (and now a U.S. citizen).

Some Canadian Tories were disturbed by the appointment, but most agreed with a cabinet minister who said: "It will make clear to the whole world, and especially to Americans, that Canada actually rules itself."

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