Evening star., 1935-04-07
U. S..Canadian Peaceful OuarreIs
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

With half the chancelleries Of
Europe expectant of warlike out
breaks because of nationalistic rival
ries. the example set by the United
States and Canada in maintaining
actual peace in spite of a century and
more of quarreling Is regarded as an
example to the world. With 5000
miles OF unfortified border and with
many of the elements Of potential con-
flict present, nevertheless, Americans
and Canadians have managed, save
once, to keep the peace. The result
has been q steadily dwindling I'M
pulse to war.
There are many similarities between
the United States and Canada and
Alsace- Lorraine. The territory has
been shifted from one sovereignty to
another, the people speak largely the
same language, there are connections
of blood on both sides OF the border
and trade rivalries are ever present
One branch Of family sides with one
sovereignty: another member Of the
same family takes the other side
There is. save for the Great Lakes. no
natural barrier. Yet no Notifications
have been piled along the border and
save for the War Of 1912, no blood
has been shed.
Under the auspices of the Julius
Beer Foundation and Columbia Uni
versity, the Columbia University
Press has just brought out a study
knvy Tonn naf 1Ipdor tho fit1a nf
Canada, An American Nation" a
study which increases amazement
that peaceful relations could have SUBJ
sisted so long in the face Of inter-
mittent actual friction and constant
potential friction.
The difficulties between the United
States and Canada may be said
paradoxically, to have started with
the conclusion Of the first treaty Of
amity, commerce and navigation ir
1894. This Is known as the Jay
Treaty, after John Jay, who was the
negotiator for the United States. HI
| declared its purpose to be the eStab-
lishment of good neighborly relation:
and this incensed many Americans
who. fresh from their Revolutionary
struggles, felt Canadians, still Loyal
TO the crown, still 10 be enemies
They called Jay pro-British. This was
especially so in view OF the fact that
some IS. 1000 so-called Tories. mostly
from New York, elected to remove to
Canada rather than remain under
what was called unbridled democracy
They wanted their democracy brid!ed
Touchy About Annexation.
That business still was ranking
when the War OF 1912 came along
Americans are taught that this war
was provoked By British interference
with American shipping, the impress
ment of seamen and West Indian
depredations. To Canadians that
cause was secondary and trivial. They
looked upon the War Of 1872 a. an
American attempt at the conquest OF
Canada.
Andrew Jackson. the leading mill
tary hero Of that struggle, had
written: How pleasing the prospect
that would open up to the young VOL
unteer while performing military
promenade into q distant country!
and the general went on to remark
that, as a result of this promenade,
the republican standard would be set
on the Heights of Abraham. Such
statements. together with the fact
that, in the elections Of 1910, full two
years before the war. something of an
issue had been made of an invasion
Of Canada, confirmed the Canadians
in their belief that the Americans were
their worst enemies.
The War Of 1912 was bitter. 1t is
frequently forgotten that the Capitol
and White House at Washington were
burned in British raid Of no military
significance. but merely as a reprisal
against a raid by Americans upon a
Canadian town where non-com-
batants had been slain. The treaty
of Client, signed in 1915, ended hos