New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-05
Hands Across the Line
A Canadian Survey of the Wall
Between American and Briton

Sir: Here in the backYoods one does not
always see and read ones Tribune with th't
promptitude which should characterize the
doings of the man who is we'll abreast Of the
times, and so it happens that your issue OF
Sunday, September %, has only now come in
for that attention at the hands Of your hum
BILE subscriber that it certainly deserves. For
it contains much that Is of interest.
| fear, however, that the exigencies OF the
times, to say nothing of the high cost OF
paper and the preferences Of editors (by
nature a perverse race), will not permit my
dealing at length meantime with more than
one subject. My choice, therefore, will be
that Of the very excellent editorial in said
issue entitled Truth and American His
tory" Something is written here that should
be marked, read learned and inwardly digest
cd by every American who has the welfare
of his country closely at heart There you
will find in nutshell the reason why Ameri-
cans Clet me whisper this) are not very pop
ular abroad.
Nay, do not be vexed, my good American
patriot, you who have never been beyond the
borders of your native land. This is not
written in any spirit of malice. 1t is high
time we understood one another For II the
English-speaking races do not hold together
after the present war the outlook for hu-
mainly in general will be black, indeed. That
wall of misunderstanding that has always
reared itself between the Briton and the
American has simply got to be blown TO
atoms now or never And, my dear sir, far
from attempting to destroy it, you have been
zealously adding bricks TO it any time this
last fifty years.
Your leader deals with American antipathy
to England. There is not the slightest douet
that such thing exists, and exists to very
marked degree. Men from the Old Country
who come here to Canada land, take 1t, to
the States as WELD and find themselves for
the first time in actual work-a-day contact
with Americans are astonished to find the ex-
tent to which this feeling prevails among all
classes, from university men downward, and
to witness the personal bitterness they APP
pear to harbor. For time this is bewilder-
ing to the Briton, but the reason, If sought
for, is not hard to discover. 1t lies in Amer
lean school history. American history books
are doing a deal of harm to the reputation
Of the great Republic.
A Typical Case
What happens is this: A young American
comes up TO Canada Cor an old one, for that
matter) in search of fortune. There need be
no mlnClnR OF matters. ne COlIto " Wy "
better himself. Instead, however, of endeav
oring to adapt himself to his new environ
ment, he launches out on campaign of be-
lifting and disparagement. 1t is not so much
the ways and manners Of the natives thst
worry him (for these are modelled largely on
the American plan), but the grievous fact
that they (Cansdans) acknowledge king
and are getting along quite nicely under the
Union Jack So our ardent patriot proceeds
forthwith to attack British institutions with
might and main, and thereby does incalcula-
BILE harm to the solidarity of the English
speaking peoples generally and the reputa-
ton Of his own countrymen for good taste
particularly.
Canadians take this kind of thing very
good -naturedly. owe don't see the best Of
them I'D here" is a remark commonly heard.
And yet this does not accurately represent
the case, either, for l believe we do get of
your best. At any rate, We get many very
admirable people. But nearly all of them
have this unfortunate kink in their minds.
To acknowledge a king is to be in bondage
Of the direst description. And so the seeds
of discord and mistrust are sown. This in
large part is the work OF the American school
history.
Such a condition should be remeded with
For though you may lay hands on the COM
merce of country and peacefully pene-
trate" it (let US be quite frank here, tool to
your hearts content, if at the same time
you do not carry with you the good will and
regard Of the native inhabitants you are ac-
complishing nothing The Germans have
surely taught us this if they have taught US
anything. And aside from commerce, which is
always hard to get away from in this part Of
the world, there is ever the larger question
of the linking up of the English-speaking
races. This has got to become an accom-
plished fact. 1t is folly to delay or obstruct
it. The time for wrangling over kings and
presidents and forms and methods Of pro-
cedure land even American revolutions) has
long since passed away. Let us bind and
knit to a common end. Come with US and we
will 90 with you. G.. w. f. DANIELS.
Ottawa, Canada, Oct. 81, 1917.