The Washington times., 1938-08-18
Text of Presidents Speech in Canada

KINGSTON, Ontario, Aug. 1S
TN.SJ-Tert OF the PreS1-
dents address here tollotDS::
Mister Chancellor, Mister Prime
Minister, My New-found AS
Sociates of Queens UniVer-
sity:
To the pleasure of being once
more on Canadian soil where I
have passed so many Of the
happy hours of my life, there is
added today a very warm sense
of gratitude for being admitted
to the fellowship of this ancient
and famous university.
I am glad to join the brother
hood which Queens has contrib
uted and is contributing not
only to the spiritual leadership
for which the college was eStab-
lished, but also to the social and
public leadership in the civilized
life of Canada.
Free Trade of Ideas
An American President is pre-
cluded by our Constitution from
accepting any title from a
foreign prince, potentate or
power. Queens University is not
a prince or a potentate, but it is
a power. Yet I can say, without
constitutional reserve, that the
acceptance of tine title which
you confer on me today would
raise no qualms in the august
breast of our own Supreme
Court.
Civilization is not national
it is internatonal-even though
that observation-trite to most
of us, is today challenged in
some parts of the world. Ideas
are not limited by territorial
borders; they are the common
inheritance of all free people.
Thought is not anchored in
any land; and the profit Of edu.
cation rebounds to the equal
benefit of the whole world. That
is one form of free trade to
which the leaders of every op'
posing political party can sub
scribe.
Need of Understanding
In a large sense we in the
Americas stand charged today
with the maintaining of that
tradition. When. speaking re
Gently in a similar vein in the
Republic of Brazil, I included
the Dominion of Canada in the
fellowship of the Americas, our
South American neighbors gave
hearty acclaim.
We in the Americas know the
sorrow and the wreckage which
may follow if the ability of
men to understand each other
is rooted out from among the
nations.
Many of us here today know
from experience that of all the
devastationS of war none is
more tragic than the destruction
which it brings to the pro.
cesSes of mems minds. Truth is
denied because emotion pushes
it aside Forbearance is sue
ceeded by bitterness. In that
atmosphere human thought can
not advance.
AW0ke to Dangers
1t is impossible not to re
member that for years when
Canadian and Americans have
met they have lightheartedly
Saluted as North America
friends, without thought o1
dangers from overseas. Yet we
are awake to the knowledge
that the casual assumption oi
our greetings in earlier times to
day must become a matter fol
serious thought.
A few days ago a whisper
fortunately untrue, raceC
round the world that armie!
standing over against each
other in unhappy array were tt
be set in motion. In a few Short
hours the effect of that whisper
had been registered in Montrea
and New York, in Ottawa anC
in Washington, in Toronto anC
in Chicago. in Vancouver and II
San Francisco.
Your businessmen and our
felt it alike; your farmers anc
ours heard it alike; your yount
men and ours wondered what ef
feet this might have on thei
lives.
We in the Americas are nj
longer a far away continent, II
which the eddies of controversies
beyond the seas could bring NJ
| interest or no harm. Instead