The sun., 1903-06-28

Anglo-Saxon union. OF such motives
that Of self-preservation is obviously the
most controlling. 1t is true that; at present.
the American people are UNCONSCIOUS Oh
any external danger, but 1t is, as our author
; reminds us, a short sighted. and foollsh
policy to confns our diplomacy to mere
present conditions.
The Spanish war reveals what European
alliance against ,ls might mean II we were
unable. to count. upon England's aid. Are
not" asks Mr.. Dos Passos. 'our movements
as nation jealously and eagerly watched
by European Powersp While we are secure
now, Is II safe to assume that We snail
always be? England, on the other hand,
is in daily peril. She is the target for all
European combinations. Envy and hatred
pursue her hourly-very causeless envy
and hatred, as II seems to ME, or, II not
causeless. provoked only by that spirit 81
legitimate enterprise in which we again
are so much like her. To whom should she
look In moment OF real danger? In what
direction should she cast her eyes? Should
II not be upon her own family-her own
/ offspring2 Are we SO blind that we cannot
nee that the defamation or destruction OF
England's power would be blow to OUR
, selves? What position should we occupy
; with a combination Of European Powers
against us If England were their ally, or II
she acted as a neutral, or il she were power
! less to aid us?"
! What practical steps might he taken
! toward the gradual unifcation Of English
! speaking peoples? Mr. Do, Passos dis
cards as impracticable and dangerous
definite written treaty Of alliance defen-
sive and offensive. On this side of the At
-. lantic, II not also on the other. public senti-
ment is not ripe for the conclusion OF such
! treaty. Is there not. asks the author,
some middle. conservative ground between
| mere friendly understanding and Of
written alliance' He thinks that there is
one practicable method by which coopera-
tion might be assured and ultimate unitica-
| tion promoted. What he has in mind is
treaty binding upon all Englsh-speaking
peoples whereby certain rules should be
established regulating their rela, ions toward
each other, but not their relations to foreign
countries.
He suggests that such Il treaty should
embrace the fol lowing stipuations First,
| the Dominion of Canada should agree to
! divide itself into different States, geograph-
| ically arranged in proportion to population
as it's citizens should desire, with view
| to the admission Of each State into the
/ American Union, in accordance with the
| conditions OF the Constitution Of the United
States. Secondly, common citizenship
; should be established betw cen all he citizens
; OF the United States and all the English.
speaking subjects Of the British Empire we
+ say English speaking. because we do not
understand Mr.. Dos Passos to propose that
the natives of Brit ish India are cont emplated
! in this stipulation. Thirdly. that abso-
! lutte freedom Of commercial intercourse
, should be established between the countries
! embraced In the treaty, to the same extent
t that such freedom exists between the
| different States constituting the United
States Of America. Fourthly, that Great
! Britain and the United States should have
Il uniform gold, silver nickel and copper
coinage. not necessarily in the sense Of dis
! playing the same devices Or notices, but
! in the sense Of possessing the same value,
: and Of being interchangeable everywhere
: within the limits covered by the treaty.
. Filthy, that uniform standard Of
! weights and measures SHOULD be established.
: Finally that an arbitration tribunal should
! he provided for the decision OF all ques-
/ tions arising under the treaty.
! Our author proceeds to set forth in detail
, his reason for each of these proposals.
, He holds, in the first place. that. 30 long
/ al Canada remains separate nation, real
; and lasting understanding between the
! British Empire and the Unit ed States will
; be unattainable. As things arc now. the
I position Of England standing between
| Canada and the United States is not an en-
vable one. She is liable at any moment 20
be involved In a war with the last-named
Power on account of British North America,
! in which she has no great mat erial interest,
and from which the English people receive
very little appreciable benefits. As a ques-
tion OF mere selfish policy. therefore, Eng
land has much to gain by the annexation Of
Canada to the United States. and much TO
lose by continuing to be Canada's formal
sovereign and actual champion.
Any misunderstanding between Canada
and the United States which should involve
war would preclpitate England into bloody
and ruinous contest with our Republic,
though she might not have the slightest
material interest in the issue. By the
annexation Of Canada to the United States
England would be relieved of this immense
burden Of responsibility, for which she
receives no adequate quid pro quo. In our
authors opinion. it is a grave question
whether the British Government is justified
from the viewpoint of its own peoples s
interests in sustaining such burdensome
relation. HAS England" he asks, "the
right to spill the blood Of her people and
spend their money. to risk their happiness
and future welfare, for the purpose Of
maintaining purely sentimental tie with
Canada1"
Turning to the relations between Canada
and the United States that arise out of
England's position. Mr.. Dos Passos points
out that. in the event Of dispute between
the two last named countries. Canada
although she might be perfectly dsinter-
ested in the quarrel. would he liable TO be
drawn into a war because she happens to
sustain formal relation to England and
acknowledges that Power AZ sovereign.
The first shock Of a war bet ween England
and the United States would inevitably
be felt by Canada. Thus both Canada
and England are placed by their formal
relations in an unreasonable dilemma
England can be forced into a war because
Of her nominal and hollow sovereignty
over Canada, while Canada is exposed to
destruction because she officially acknowl-
edges England's sovereignty. Either