The Bismarck tribune., 1922-06-14
BREAKING DOWN THE OLD LINE

80 BREAKING DOWN THE OLD LINE
The action of the Canadian government under
Premier Mackenzie King, rejecting the United
which the St. Lawrence seaway could be construct
ID, suggests an interesting new development in
International politics. For century and a half
the international political thought Of the United
States and Canada has been divided by more or
ess direct horizontal line from the Atlantic
through the great lakes to the Pacific. Now sud-
lenly it appears about to be divided by vertical
barrier, running approximately at right angles to
he international boundary, or through the two
yreat American seaports Of New York and Mon
treal.
The possible effect upon international relations
If such change in the dividing lines of interna-
ional thought is unlimited Both Canada and the
United States will do we'll to consider it seriously
before allowing the seaway project to be shelved
through The selfish opposition Of present seaport
interests. ...
The Mackenzie King government of Canada re-
iects the seaway treaty project because of water
power and port interests centered in Montreal,
ind because it retains it's majority in parliament
>nly through the support of those interests. This
outs Eastern Canada in direct opposition to the
,est welfare of Western Canada, which is as eager
'or through water route for it's great agricul-
ural products as is the Middle West of the United
States. It makes the interests and purposes of
Western Canada and Middle Western United
States one and the same. It tends to break down
he old international boundary which has divided
he political thought of the two countries
At the same time New York opposition, for the
,ame selfish reasons, drives the Middle West to
cooperate with Western Canada in thought and
Effort for the seaway New York and Montreal
ire building a barrier against expansion and de-
yelopment of the interior of the continent. In
Canada that barrier runs approximately along
.ide water, while in the Eastern United States it
s bounded on the east by the New England states,
which favor the waterway but the zones for and
against the improvement are we'll defined in both
countries, and in each case, for and against the
Improvement, they cross the international bound
,ry and unite the residents of each zone in COM
non thought and purpose with regard to this i'm
)rovement.
It proves the economic oneness of the two coun-
ries. Just as fear of financial loss through the
competition Of potential new water power and Of
axe ports, which would take shipping away from
he present great seaport, moves financial inter-
,sts in the province of Quebec and the state Of
New York to oppose the seaway, so promise Of
financial benefit will solidify the rest of the two
countries in favor Of it. Such strong economic
influence will tend more and more to break down
,olitical differences in the regions affected.
Eventually it might mean a political upheaval.
The St. Lawrence seaway is such natural, log
cal, economic necessity that it cannot be thrust
,side by the political Vaccinations Of an elective
government It has not been killed by the Ca
1adian premier's action The new division of in
ernational thought which it induces eventually
will make that clear in both countries. We will
lave seaway.-Chicago Tribune.