Bismarck daily tribune., 1915-12-28
lowed; and | ask what stronger or
more earnest effort could Sir Edward
Grey have made for that purpose.
Recalls Treaties

lowed; and | ask what stronger or
more earnest effort could Sir Edward
Grey have made for that purpose.
Recalls Treaties.
May | recall to you the provisions
of treaty made in 1910, by which an
international joint commission was es.
tablished for the determination of all
J. disputes between Canada and the
United States in respect Of the use of
the boundary waters? The tenth arti-
Gle contemplated a reference to the
commission, by. consent of the two
nations, of any differences rising be-
tween; and it is thus of the most COM
prehesive character. The treaty is to
continue for five years from it's ,incep
ton and thereafter until either party
gives a years notice of denunciati0n.
| most sincerely trust that the spirit
which has preserved the convention
of 1914 will make permanent the
treaty of 1910. BY observation of the
proceedings of that commission and
my knowledge Of what it has accom-
plished lead me to believe that it has
been of inestimable value to the good
relations between the two countries,
and that matters which might have
occupied many months Of tedious and
unsatisfactory diplomatic correspond
ence have been dealt with promptly,
efficiently and with satisfaction to
your citizens as we'll as to our own.
The commission has undertaken and
carried on it's work in thoroughly
judicial spirit, worthy Of the high pur
poses for which it was created. It's
work has not attracted the notice or
been attended with the appreciation
which would have ensued if the same
results had been accomplished by the
usual diplomatic methods For that
reason | feel it not only privilege,
but duty to express my own belief
in the great advantage which has re-
suited therefrom to both countries.
"One who has seen the manhood of
a young nation spring to arms at the
call of duty and who has been inspir
ed by it's wonderful outburst of pat
riotism and it's spirit of self-sacrifice;
one who had had the privilege of ad-
dressing the flower of his country's
youth within sound and range of the
eneny's guns as we'll as in the hOspi-
tails and convalescent homes beyond
the seas, and has stood by the graves
of those who fell in France and in
Belgium; one who has looked forth
upon the valley of the foot of the hills
that sweep around Ypres, and has
realized that more than one hundred
thousand men had there found their
graves within twelve months-such
person must surely realize the trag-
edy of this war and the awful respon-
sibility of those who forced it upon
the world.
Were Unprepared.
"The outbreak of nostilities found
us utterly unprepared with military
forces adequate for the vast opera
tions which were Immediately found
necessary. Never perhaps, not even
in the stress which came upon this
republic more than half a century ago,
has the capacity of democracy been
so thoroughly and searchingly tested.
We were called upon to meet the as
sault of the greatest military power
ever known in the world a highly
efficient, thoroughly organized and de.
termined people, trained to arms,
magnificently equipped. provided with
every military necessity and so in
dustrially organized that the whole
force of the nation could be thrown
behind the blow which it struck.
Armies cannot be organized and
trained, nor munitions provided in
day. The task has been difficult but
the effort has been great. 1t would
not have been undertaken nor could
it be accomplished except for the
most intense conviction of a righteous
cause and the firmest determination
to make it prevail.
"Without pausing to speak of the
mighty influence which this war
must exercise upon the worlds future
may be permitted to express my
conception of what it will accomplish
for the closer unity of our empire.
Never before have the mother country
and various dominions and depend.
encies been so closely united in ideal,
inspiration and effort as in this con-
flict. In hospitals and convalescent
homes beyond the seas have many