[Ads-l] bogus Churchill quote?

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> MSNBC commentator:
>
> "It kind of reminded me of that famous quote from Churchill: 'Diplomacy is
> the art of telling people to go to hell and having them ask you for
> directions.'"
>
> Not famous. Try Googling.

I suspect that the commentator was misremembering the following quip
(or the joke is a variant). Barry Popik has a 1953 citation. Here it
is in 1938. Additional research would be welcome:

[ref] 1938 January 1, Altoona Tribune, (Untitled filler item), Quote
Page 6, Column 2, Altoona, Pennsylvania. (Newspapers_com)[/ref]

[Begin excerpt]
A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a
tactful way that you'll look forward with pleasure to making the trip.
[End excerpt]

Here is a slightly different phrasing from a few months later:

[ref] 1938 May 27, The Deming Headlight, Ridin' Rudolph of the Bar
Nothin' Ranch, Daffynitions, Quote Page 2, Column 2, Deming, New
Mexico. (Newspapers_com)[/ref]

[Begin excerpt]
Diplomat: A person who can tell you to go to hell in such a tactful
way that you'll look forward to making the trip.
[End excerpt]

I researched it back in 2015, but have not posted the results yet. Now
I will give it priority. Here is Barry's webpage on the topic:

https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/a_diplomat_is_a_person_who_can_tell_you_to_go_to_hell_so_that_you_look_forw/

Garson

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