The New York herald., 1922-02-19

him in the United States. an embargo
against his cattle in Great Britain,
have tested the staying power of the
strongest among them. The weakest
have already broken. am told.
Canada, about the size of the United
States. has q population of 1000. 900.
an increase OF 100000. Yet 1t could
absorb 20.000.000 Of new settlers with
in the next year or two and not notice
them with any sense of overcrowding.
Looking out over these prairies, wait
ing for manhood and womanhood, with
infinite capacity for the absorption of
life, think back to England with its
million and half unemployed and to
the United States with It's teeming
cities and to Central Europe and Rus
sia with so many millions of underfed
folk.
This great world of Canada would
find room for vast numbers Of fell
lows who cannot find good job or
enough food for their womenfolk. But
one glance at this white landscape in
winter time tells me that Canada is
not country for city bred folk, for
the weakling in soul or body. One
winter in one of those lonely snow
bound homesteads would kill off the
unfit, drive mad his sensitive, crowd
accustomed mind. Only good stock of
the old pioneer kind. used to the land,
hard and patient. and brave. could
survive in this Canadian west.
Land Of Hard Struggle.
After the war. when great numbers
of returned soldiers were tired of
lounging about the cities and found
their pockets empty, the Government
established a settlement scheme which
has now stood its test. AS far as l
can find out it has been success in
the case Of men who have grit and
endurance, in spite Of bad luck with
weather-and in some cases bad land
which did not give them a decent
chance. 1t has failed in every case
where the returned soldier was not
accustomed to the harsh life OF the soil
or to the rigor Of the Canadian cli-
mate. One CT the leaders of Canadian
life in Winnipeg said that it was no
use pretending that Canadian win
ter is not severe and long. I'VE had
far better face the fact and make the
best of it. Let us capitalize our cli-
mate and make winters more endur-
able by sports and games"
That idea of capitalizing the climate
was the motive behind the great Win
ter Carnival at Winnipeg, which was
in full swing the night arrived. and
certainly the procession Of the queen
of beauty, with her immense train OF
torch bearers and battalions of Cana
dian boys and girls in the fancy dress
of redskins and trappers. with snow
shoes and skis, was proof to all the
crowd that ice and snow need not
lower the temperature of mirth and
jollity. Hour after hour through the
streets of Winnipeg, all brilliantly lit,
as though all the stars had been
brought down from the sky and fes-
tooned between the houses, the process
sion wound its way, and laughter and
song rang out through the frosty air.
But what Is possible In Winnipeg Is
not possible in the little lonely places
of the great prairies where Canadian
families, utterly isolated, hug close to
the log fire and wait now for the first
warm breath of coming spring which
will release them from their white
bondage. They have their compensa-
tions, If they are not fretful for the
nervous pleasures of the towns. If
there is love in the house and food
enough and fuel for the fire and the
hardihood of youth. In such life
there is peace of soul not found in the
brick streets of modern cities. Out OF
such life comes the greatness Of a
nation and it's best wealth.
Hurt by Ferdney Tariff.
The promise of Canada is immeas-
ureable. unless the cities with their
lure destroy its chances. That Canada
will be one of the greatest nations on
earth seems certain If humanity has
not lost it's pioneering spirit. At the
moment the Canadian people are suf-
fering from deep depression due partly
to the general stagnation of world
trade and partly, perhaps. to avoid
able political and economic mistakes.