Evening star., 1939-04-23
Canada Is Tie That Binds u. S.
To British Stop Hitler Drive
American Defense Pledge Protection if
She Supplies England in War

Baldwin of Britain. Definite plans
for it were advanced more than a
year ago, from London. Canadian
air corps plans now call for training
of British war pilots in Canada, and
educational" orders for British air.
planes are being filled by Canadian
plants. The supply output would
not stop with munitions in event of
war. 1t would include foodstuffs
and raw materials (for example:
Canada supplies most of the world
nickel. small but necessary in
gredient in big guns. armorplate for
ships and heavy shells).
If she adopted that role. Canada
could expect to- have Englands
enemies try to cut her off. Her
supplies might be raided on the
open sea. But virtually all her
foreign commerce is carried in for
eign bottoms. In this instance. the
ships would be of English registry
and would look for protection from
the English navy. Because this
navy is so powerful. the severance
OF supplies to be at all successful
probably would have to be at
tempted by submarine blockade of
Canadian ports or by air raids.
In the minds of Canadian Official
dom this raises the query: Would
such tactics constitute attempts to
domlnate"-the Presidents words
the Canadian dominion?
Answer Might Be YES"
Questions like that usually are
answered when the time comes and
not before then But Canadian OBJ
servers advance two reasons why
the answer might be Yes:
/. The United States cannot af-
ford to let any unfriendly power
get even a small foothold in Canada
or along its coasts. 1t would be too
convenient a place to base SUBJ
marine or air attack against the
United States. AS evidence of
United States recognition of this,
they point to camoufaged air bases
already established by the United
States Army near the Canadian
W. ~ SVSAIC IlldL tclN lIlnR.
Submarines on the eastern coast
would not afford pleasant outlook
Tor United States shipping. for much
OF 1t passes through Halifax. And
submarines on the western coast, or
planes based on small coastal
islands, could play havoc with Pa
clhc shipping and at the same time
drive a wedge between the United
States naval bases in Alaska and
those on the continent.
z. II Canada were following the
supply house role, she could not
rely on her own resources alone for
the gigantic task. She would need
additional raw materials and other
supplies. One of the greatest sources
OF such supplies lies just below the
Canadian border. in the iron, steel
motor and aircraft centers of the
United States-around the Great
Lakes. in New England, and at
Seattle. She would bring in her oil
as she does now, but in larger guam
titles, by pipe and railway from
United States wells.
War Decision Hinges on U. s.
What if Canada chose to fight
instead of to merely supply? How
would it turn the United States
then?
To begin with. some of Canada's
foremost political students doubt If
she would fight if the United States
opposed such course. Too many
embarrassing diplomatic and stra-
tegic problems might arise. They
are confident she would not fight
unless the United States knew about
it first. because the defense forces
of the two countries are in constant