JOINT DEFENCE BOARD

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21197, 21 August 1940, Page 6

JOINT DEFENCE BOARD

Canada and the United States have decided to appoint a joint defence board “to begin at once studies relating to sea, land and air problems, including personnel and material.” This is a decision of first rate importance to the British Empire and the United States, brought to a practical stage at a conference between President Roosevelt and the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr Mackenzie King. The objective is a complete scheme of mutual defence should the enemies of Britain menace the security of Canada. Although the United States declares that it will not fight abroad, it has informed the world in uniquivocal terms that Canadian soil will be defended against all enemies.

The American policy may be rather selfish and perhaps shortsighted, but it is at least consistent. It amounts to a refusal to enter any entanglements abroad, but to fight immediately American interests are threatened. Canada is an American interest, for the reason that an enemy with a foothold in Canada would constitute a direct menace to the States. The position is the same in some degree with all the other republics of North and South America. It is a practical application of the Monroe Doctrine, and as far as Canada is concerned the methods to be employed if the need arises are to be evolved by the joint defence board.

Canada as a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations has, therefore, the double assurance of the backing of the United States as well as that of the Empire. In such circumstances Canada must have felt, in itself, the most secure of countries when war was declared. But when the threat came to the Empire Canada did not hesitate to show that it was amongst the most patriotic of the Dominions. From its position of security under the wing of the United States it sent forth an unmistakable answer to the challenge, and ever since then has been performing gigantic feats in arms for the defence of its Motherland. The arrangement with the United States may have no immediate direct effect upon the course of the war, and will probably never be called into action, but it is at least an assurance and a background against which Canada can carry on the fight as a loyal and sturdy member of the Empire family of nations.