The Lone Prairee
SIR,—Perhaps Mr. David Mitchell (who writes in your issue of June 5th) would be willing to listen to a few words from a Canadian university student who has remained at home.
I submit that the Spectator is correct in claiming that it is not committed by Mr. Henn's expressions of his own opinions, and that in view of this the magazine is to be thanked for continuing to publish these entertaining and intelligent articles. Though 1 shall perhaps be accused of being a " colonial " for saying so, it is extremely gratifying to see such essays appearing in the British Press. if these essays happen to follow a humorous pattern, we ourselves surely stand in the poorer light when we label them " iniquitous."
Mr. Mitchell asks whether the Spectator feels it has contributed materially to the improvement of relations between Canada and the United Kingdom by the publication of Mr. Henn's article. I suggest that, regardless of what the Spectator " feels" it has done, it has, in fact, contributed to the improvement of relations between our two nations and I hope it will continue to do so, though I doubt very much that Britain rates as low over here as he seems to think.
And while he admits, with admirable western modesty, that he is " robust," he deceives himself seriously (as do many of his country- men) when he claims for Canadians the position of " the logical arbiters in any future dispute between Britain and the United States." Long before the Province of Saskatchewan was ever dreamed of, Britain and the United States were settling disputes without the benefit of Canadian arbitration. Any future disagreements could be settled just as successfully if Canada ceased to exist tomorrow.—Yours faithfully, J. D. M. BRIERLEY. 22 Thornhill Avenue, Westmount, Quebec.
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