Evening star., 1947-06-11

GREETS PRESIDENT-Prime
nook hands with President Tru-
lere yesterday.-AP Wirephoto.
an Address |
ment to meet changing conditions.
1t was amended as recently as last
December.
Collaboration Stressed.
The last war brought our coun-
tries into even closer collaboration.
The Ogdensburg agreement of 1910
provided for the creation of the Per-
manent Joint Board on Defense. 1t
was followed by the Hyde Park
agreement of 1941, which enabled us
to coordinate our economic re-
sources with increased efficiency
Common interests. particularly after
Pearl Harbor, required the creation
of several joint agencies to CO.
ordinate our efforts in special fields
When victory ended the necessity
for these agencies, they were quietly
disbanded with a minimum dis
turbance of the national economies
of the two countries.
The Permanent Joint Board on
Defense will continue to function
wish to emphasize, in addition te
the word permanent" the othe,
two parts of the title. The board Is
joint, being composed of representa-
tives of each country. Canada. and
the United States participate on
the basis of equality, and the SOW
ereignty of each is carefully re-
spected. This was true during the
gravest days of the war and it will
continue to be true, in keeping with
the nature of all our joint under
takings.
The board was created, and will
continue to exist, for the sole pur-
pose of assuring the most effective
defense of North America. The
board, as you know, has no'executive
powers and can only make recon-
mendations for action. The record
of the board provides another ex-
ample of the truly cooperative
spirit that prevails between the two
countries.
Future Called Secure.
The spirit of common purpose and
the impressive strength which we
for action on all fronts
are the surest safeguard of CONT
mental security in the future.
The people of the United States
fully appreciate the magnificent
contribution in men and resources
that Canada made to the Allied war
effort. United States soldiers, sailors
and airmen in the heat Of battle
knew their Canadian comrades as
valiant and daring warriors We
look back with pride on our associa-
ton as stanch allies in two wars.
Today our two nations are called
upon to make great contributions to
world rehabilitation. This task re-
quires broad vision and constant
effort.
I am confident that we can over
come the difficulties involved, as we
overcame the greater difficulties OF
the war. The national genius of our
peoples finds it's most satisfying ex-
preston In the creation of new
values in peace.
The record proves that In peace
full commerce the combined efforts
Of our countries can produce out
results. Our trade. with
each other Is far greater than that
Of any other two nations on earth.
Trade Flow Cited.
Last year the flow of trade in both
directions across the border reached
the record peacetime total of two
and quarter billion dollars. We i'm
ported from Canada more than
twice the value of goods we received
from the United Kingdom, France,
China and Russia combined. United
States purchases from Canada were
about six times our purchases from
Great Britain, nearly 10 times those
from China, and II times those
from France. We sold to Canada
nearly as much as we sold to Britain
and France together.
Gratifying as the volume Of our
trade now is, it is capable OF even
further expansion to our mutual
benefit. Some Of our greatest assets
are still to be developed to the max
imum. I am thinking Of one par
ticularly that holds tremendous pos
sibilities, the magnificent st. Law
renee Great Lakes system, which we
share and which we must develop
together.
The st. Lawrence project stirs the
imagination of men long accustomed
to majestic distances and epic un-
dertakings. The proposal for taking
electric power from the river and
bringing ocean shipping 2,400 miles
inland, to tap the fertile heart OF
our continent, is economically sound
and strategically important.
Will Stimulate Economies.
When this program is carried out
the waterway that is part Of oul
boundary will more than ever unite
our two countries. It will stimulate
our economies to new growth ano
will speed the flow OF trade.
There have been times wher
shortsighted tariff policies on both
sides threatened to raise almost in
surmountable barriers. But the need
to exchange goods was so imperative
that trade f1ourished despite arti-
fetal obstacles. The reciprocal trade
agreements of 1896 and 1889 made
possible a sensible reduction of tariff
rates, and paved the way for oul
present phenomenal trade.
Something more than commercial
agreements, however, is required te
explain why Canada and the United
States exchange more than two bill
Exceptionally Fine Ohfces