Evening star., 1935-04-07

tilities, and for 120 years since peace
has reigned. But the suspicion of
America, engendered in those early
days, has never been wholly eradi-
Gated.
Down through the last century one
election after another has been won
on the American issue. All a candi-
date has to do, 1t appears, is to wave
the Canadian flag, mention American
aggression, and his day is won.
A striking example was furnished
by the Taft-Fielding Canadian reci-
procity treaty. This was beaten by
expressions Of Americans. The
Speaker Of the American House, in an
address, had declared the ratification
OF the treaty would hasten the day
when Canada would be part of the
United States; United States SEN
ator declared that annexation would
be a logical conclusion of reciprocity"
ana even the President, referring to
Canada as then part of the British
Empire, noted that reciprocity would
mean parting of the ways" These
| statements, reported in Canada.
caused such an outburst Of anti
American feeling that not only was
reciprocity rejected but the Canadian
electorate speedily retired from ONCE
the administration that had pro-
posed it.
United States Best Market.
And yet Canada is Americas best
market. To the 100000 people of
Canada the United States sells more,
even without reciprocity. than to the
40,000.000 Of Great Britain. the 65.-
100000 of Germany. the 160,000.000
of Russia or the 450,000,000 of China.
And the United States also is Can
ada's best customer.
/ Dr. o. D. Shelton. in his General
Economic History of Canada, OBJ
serves: 1T is curious to observe the
persistent belief in each OF the coun-
tries concerned (the United States
and Canada) that its case was rooted
in immutable justice, but that its ne
gotiators were as babes in the hand,
Of the willy and INSCRIPTIONS repre-
sentatives from across the border"
There have been 10 separate efforts
/ to effect a trade agreement between
/ the Unitd States and Canada, but on
each occasion, save one, the mutual
/ jealousies brought these efforts to
naught. The one agreement, the
Elgin-Marcy pact, lasted just three
/ years and then was denounced. This
/ agreement was reached only under
pressure. Those favoring it, Just be-
fore the Civil War, circulated a re-
port that, unless it were ratified. the
British colonies would come into the
Union as free states. This so alarmed
/ the South, because it would mean the
out-voting Of the slave States, that
they agreed. But the agreement
( lasted only three years.
When the act of dominion consoli-
dated the several separate Canadian
provinces into one body polite. erect
ing new nation, the House of Rep
resentatives, in 1867, formally pro-
tested, declaring this to be violation
OF the Monroe Doctrine.
The extent to which pickering and
back-biting has been going on con-
stantly is amazing. The British Mai.
/ Gen. c. w. Robinson, for example,
prepared a detailed plan for the de-
I tense OF the Canadian border. Sites
| Of Notifications were selected and
| every plan laid for border warfare,
offensive and defensive.
| Yet, while the United States, not
being a member of the League of Ma
tions, was voiceless. Canada, with a
voice, stood as advocate of North
American principles, both American
and Canadian. as against the British
Empire; and Canada protested
against renewal of the Anglo-Jap-
anese alliance because it was against
Canadian and American interests.
Mr.. Dafoe's study shows that 1t is
possible to quarrel for more than a
century and yet shed no blood. The
+ European chancelleries might take
| leaf from this book.