New-York tribune., 1919-04-28
Canada's We st
To the Editor of The Tribune

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Your correspondents letter
ing union with Canada in your issue ~ =,
18th inst. is timely contribution 70
ject involving questions the puh,;a ~'
has not yet grappled with, either hs,.
in the United States.
Both countries are in the position =.
owner of property who does no. r...
part with it and yet has outstand,na - "
incurred debts which have not !, "s
increased the value of his assets. Tho o.,' M
way out Is to create by more wo,t 10y
assets equal in value to the amount ox
debts. Not until this is done can nr;oo-
come normal again Wy
Ihe most rapid recovery in histor,
that of the United States after .ho Gus
war. The reasons for it were twofo,d n,
undeveloped "West" afforded worl owl "e
chances to every restless man. Jrc;s.N
ally, its development kept busy all er;..;.
1acSorles In the East. The National B.r,'
IN each new town enabled its ctizor,
support their local projects and ~ e.
currency had to be secured by United s,..s
bonds, every dollar they issued re,ros..,,
so much of the national debt put n vos,
so to speak, to actively help 10 ext;rrn,.s
itself. e1'si
The only country ait all syailah,.
this could be repeated is tho C.uss, -
Northwest. 1t is big enough and 60"
enough to be to Canada and to the Jrrit.a
States all that the "West" was to tho r.n
Grafton that reconstructed the rrr;ta,
States after the Civil War.
Whatever the thing may be called ~
derstanding between the two countries wr...
be founded on clear and unpre;ud;o.I
vision of what can be done in the ;n,oro..-
Of both
Your correspondent wisely deprees,.
careless utterances,' but many apparently
careless, are so timed as TO suggest c.lon
lation
Many concerns in Canada arc. in far,
branches of "big business" in the ststs. Al
though they are sometimes camouAayod h.
names suggestive Of ultra British or cs,o
dian origin. They enjoy protection bicb
enough to prohibit importation and ,b,
benefit of the technical and ad,ninistrst,,o
advlce OF their real owners To the extent
OF the measure Of protection afforded. ccn.
orally 33 1-3 per cent, they are immune
from competition and can charge that mucA
more for goods sold in Canada. The Cana
dian public is restive under this as !,
means they pay dollar in Canada for
seventy-five cents worth of goods, or what
would be seventy-fve cents worth in III.
United States
Movements to revise the tariff in Canada
are apt to be followed by "march through
Canada" by Chicago editors. This, in turn.
gives a cue to the Canadian projections,
press to get out the flag and prenare 10
defend the boundary line. The whole thing
looks more like the emanations Of little
minds in control of big business than
careless utterances"
When the people of both countries are
down" on this sort of thing and make
their newspapers understand that thcy arc.
we shall be able to come TO some sane
decision as to the best way to build uo
after the war and to agree as TO what con-
cesslons, If any, are needed to enable US 10
make the new wealth TO square our war
bills.
Any kind of prejudice, national, racia
religious or social. tsat can be used TO delay
the disturbance of presently occupied
coigns OF vantage or privilege will be
stirred up. Still, this phase has to be lived
through, as there must be some disturbing
The tone Of the press meanwhile is all i'm
portant
We should even now be discussing where
and how the work is to be done that is 10
obliterate the lost values represented by
our respective war debts If we wait
strikes and unemployment may prevent the
best exercise of the judgment of the states
men of both countries.
c. S. CAMPBELL.
Montreal. P. @. Anril 20. 1919.