Aug. 20.
Coming so closely after Mr, Cordell Hull's memorable speech, President Roosevelt's address on the occasion of the opening of the Thousand Islands bridge at Kingston, Ontario, is naturally causing some sensation. "In effect what he said was that the United States would not endure the subjugation and an~ nexation of Canada by any other country, and though the word "empire" was used, and is taken to, have specific reference to Japan, it is more than probable that the wider implication is the more correct. The President made reference to the almost tradi~ tionally good relations between Canada and the United States, and the absence of fortisications along their boundary, and spoke of the new bridge standing as an open door, at which there would be no challenge, no guard to ask for a countersign, and one which could be crossed merely on the words "pass friend." But there is a danger lest the rhetoric in which the President indulged is taken too literally. Perhaps the best descrip~ tion of what he means is that the United States will tolerate the intrusion of no other power on the north American continent, and that in the event of the British Empire going down in defeat, before some enemy or other, the spoils of war would not include the alienation of Canada from her place amongst the nations of the Americas, and its reduction to a possession of some foreign Power. Briefly summed up it may be taken as an extension of the Monroe doctrine, probably in 'a manner which the originator of that policy never contemplated, but, which is, nevertheless, the logical sequel to what President Monroe undoubtedly had in mind,—definite resistance to the establishment of a European Power in either of the American continents. The speech is not to be taken as being especi~ ally levelled against Japan, but rather against any nation which may have aspirations regarding possible conquests in the western hemisphere. It most certainly does not envis~ age any closer relationship with the British Empire than at present exists and may: rather be taken as an expression of the peculiar kinship which must, in the cireumstances prevail between Canada and the United States.
Until there has been much more clarifica~ tion of what the President means, there! must remain considerable doubt as to exactly all that he implies, Does his speech mean. that in the event of the British Empire being war, United States policy would contemplate assistahee to Canada in the event of its being attached by enemies (0 Great Britain? On the face of it, it does, for once an enemy of the Empire had secured a foothold in the Dominion it is difficult to see how the United States could secure withdrawal without a war of ejection. Notice which has thus been given of such a possibility may
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.