Evening star., 1947-06-11
Text of Truman Address


Il Text of rum
OTTAWA, June u.-President
Truman's address to the Cana
dian Parliament today tollo,Ds:
Mr.. Prime Minister, honorable
members of the Senate, and mem
bers of the House of Commons Of
Canada:
This is my first visit to Canada as
President of the United States, and
I am happy that it affords me the
opportunity to address this meeting
or the members of both houses Of
the Canadian Parliament. Here is
body which exemplifies the self
government and freedom of the ma
tions of the great British common
wealth. The history of the COM
monwealth proves that it is possible
for many nations to work and live
in harmony for the common good.
I wish to acknowledge the many
courtesies extended to me on this
visit by the governor general, Wis
count Alexander, who paid me the
honor of a visit in Washington a.
few months ago. His career as a
soldier and as statesman eminently
qualities him to follow his nlustrious
predecessors.
Praises Mackenzie King.
For the courtesy of appearing be-,
fore you, as for other courtesies, I
am sure I am largely indebted to my
good friend, Prime Minister Mac
kenzie King. I have come to value
and cherish his friendship and
craftsmanship. AS our two nations
have worked together in solving the
difficult problems of the postwar
period, I have developed greater and
greater respect for his wisdom.
Americans who come to know
Canada informally, such as our
tourists, as well as those whose ap-
proach is more academic, learn that
Canada is a broad land-broad in
mind and in spirit as well as in
physical expanse. They find that
the composition of your population
and the evolution of your political
institutions hold4a lesson for the
other nations of the earth. Canada
has achieved INTERNAL unity. and
material strength, and has grown
in stature in the world community,
by solving problems that might
have hopelessly divided and weak
ened less gifted people.
Canada's eminent position today
is tribute to the patience, toler-
ance, and strength Of character OF
her people, of both French and
British strains. For Canada Is en-
riched by the heritage of France
as well as Of Britain, and Quebec
has impaired the vitality and spirit
OF France itself to Canada. Can
ada's notable achievement Of ma
tional unity and progress through
accommodation, moderation, and
forbearance can be studied with
profit by her sister nations. a
U. s. Relations Cited.
Much the same qualities have
been employed, with like success,
in your relations with the United
States. Perhaps I should say your
foreign relations with the United
States" But the word foreign"
seems strangely out of place. Can
ada and the United States have
reached the point where we no
longer think of each other as "for-
eign" countries. We think of each
other as friends, as peaceful and CO.
operative neighbors on spacious
and fruitful continent.
We must go back a long way.
nearly century and a half, to find
a time when we were not on good
terms. In the War OF 1912 there
was fighting across our frontier.
But permanent good came Of that
brief campaign. It shocked Ca
'nadians and Americans into a real
ization that continued antagonism
would be costly and perilous. The
first result of that realization was
the Rush-Bagot agreement IN 1917,
which embodied a spirit and an at
titude that have permeated our re-
lations to this day. This agree
ment originally was intended to
limit and to regulate the naval
vessels of both countries on the
Great Lakes. 1t has become one
of the worlds most effective dis
armament agreements and is the
basis for our much-hailed unfortl-
fed frontier. i
I speak OF that period of history
to make the point that the friend
ship that has characterized Cana
dian-American relations for many
years did not develop spontaneously.
The example of accord provided by
our two countries did not come
about merely through the happy
circumstance of geography. 1t is
compounded of one part proximity
and nine parts good will and COM
mon sense.
All Problems Settled.
We have had number of prob
lens, but they have all been settled
by adjustment, by compromise, and
by negotiations inspired by spirit
of mutual respect and desire for
Justice on both soides. This is the
peaceful way, the sensible way, and
the fair way to settle problems,
whether between two nations that
are close neighbors or among many
nations widely separated.
This way Is open to all. We IN
Canada and the United States are
justifiably proud Of our joint rec
ord. but we claim no monopoly on