The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-31
Editorial Comments
From Other Angles
CONVERSATIONS IN CANADA
IN. W Herald Tribune

Mayor LaGuardia, sitting at Ottawa as the
head of the American section OF the Joint Per
manent Defense Board, has defined its pur-
poses with his customary succinctness. The
problem is whether or not strategic points In
the Western Hemisphere shall be taken for
offensive action by a potential enemy or used
as points of defense for the Western Henri
sphere And he has flung himself into this
problem with all his customary energy, an
energy shared by his military and civilian col
leagues from both countries.
1t is the broadest kind Of problem. 1t is con-
cerned with specific bases, such as Halifax
and Though Canada is only indirectly involved
with these) Newfoundland, Bermuda, Jamaica
and Trinidad, all of them of critical import
ance to any defense system of the Americas.
But harbors and forts and airfields are only
a beginning. The whole of Canada is itself a
base, the nearest, most accessible and most
powerful base for any European attack on
the United States, just as it is the most power
full advance base which the United States
could present to Europe. And the mainten-
ance of Canada against potential attack goes
beyond leases on this or that spot. Military
collaboration, economic and financial collabo-
ration, the adjustment of production schedules
none of these is excluded, or can be if the job
is to be done properly.
The identity of interest between the two
countries is so obvious, the necessity which
would compel the United States to defend
Canada-whether there had ever been a Mon
roe Doctrine or not, whether the President
had ever made his Kingston speech in 1888 or
not-is so imperative, that isolationist sentl-
ment, which has caviled at SO many other es-
sential defense measures, has hardly criticized
the appointment of the joint board. It is true
that Canada is at war. 1t is true that these
are military conversations; and that, while
they can in no way bind either government,
they must concert plans which the pressure
of an emergency would almost certainly make
operative, since no other plans would be avail
able upon which to act. But the facts are so
plain, the necessity to have joint plans ready,
Joint bases prepared, is so urgent that few
wish to interpose any obstacle.
The very fact that Canada is a nation at
war is no argument against this action; it is
the overwhelming argument for it. This pa
per has made no secret of its belief that
American relations with the British Common
wealth is the first point for present action in
defense of the United States. Because we be-
lieve Britain to be the last bridgehead of de-
mocracy in Europe we have urged the dis
patch of the World War destroyers and the
lending of every other aid which can help to
hold it. Because Canada has become the
bridge itself over which war may reach this
continent, we have urged not simply military
conversations but a full treaty of mutual as
sistance and any other action that will holo
the bridge, and tell the world in time that the
bridge will be held. That is the work on
which the Joint Board is engaged. 1t is one
of the most important pieces of work being
done today. l