"NO LEANING TO AMERICA"

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22112, 7 June 1937, Page 10

"NO LEANING TO AMERICA"

CANADA'S LOYALTY TO BRITAIN CHRISTCHURCH RESIDENT'S IMPRESSIONS "Before I arrived in Canada I had imagined that for all practical purposes that this big Dominion was more or less a part of the .United States of America. Knowing that the commercial interests of the two countries were so closely intermingled, I was prepared to find a big leaning towards America in sentiment, institutions, and national policy. To the credit of the Canadians, I now find that I held erroneous views," said Mr A. E. Mercer, who recently returned to Christchurch after a business visit to North America, in an interview with a representative of "The Press." Mr Mercer said that although the peoples of the two countries had much in common and were most amicable in their relations, Canada was still essentially British and had all the concomitants of a loyal and integral part of the Empire. Canada clearly had no intention of becoming a vassal state of the great republic which lay across her borders. It had struck Mr Mercer as very significant that although many millions of American capital were invested in Canadian industries, all the businesses in the big Canadian industrial centres were controlled or managed by Canadians. Even where Americans had a controlling financial interest in a business located in Canada, the management was entirely carried out by Canadians. A Lesson to Europe The entire absence of fortifications, barbed-wire entanglements, or any man-made obstacles along the international boundary line which ran for thousands of miles between Canada and the United States was. said Mr Mercer, a wonderful acknowledgement of the peaceful policy pursued throughout the great American continent, and conversely an indictment of the mutual hatred and distrust which prevailed in the old world. It was wonderful the good feeling which existed between the two countries. Canadians and Americans, as the case might be, crossed and recrossed the border at any time without anv restrictions whatever, and they could even purchase in the respective countries goods up to the value of 200 dollars without having to pay duty thereon on their return home. Crossing into the United States, Mr Mercer was again very hospitably received. The impression he gained was that Great Britain's stock ranked very high at the moment. Although a very keen trade rivalry existed between England and the States, the Americans appeared to be very friendly disposed towards the T~ itish. showing a keen disposition to fraternise with British visitors. From what Mr Mercer observed, the great mass of the American people were not internationally minded. International politics did not interest them except where trade relationships became involved. He gathered that the United States was firmly and irretrievably committed to a policy of political isolation, and was content to remain a spectator of European developments. The Americans, too, seemed to be losing their thirst for globe-trotting —America, with its wide variety of scene and climate, its extraordinarily high standard of living, and its uncommonly good facilities for the social amenities, was good enough for them. Short of trade, they were not interested in other countries.