September 20, 1938
Right Honourable W.L.Mackenzie,
Prime Minister of Canada,
Ottawa, Ontario.
Dear Mr. King:-
Permit me to assure you that, so far as I have been able to discover, the GLOBE AND MAIL does not represent the sentiment of this community when it speaks of the "deplorable part played by our own Government during the height of the crisis." It is difficult to understand how the Government could be expected to pledge the support of Canada to an enterprise in advance of knowing the details of that enterprise. It would have been a "real tragedy" if Canada had pledged support to the "Knuckling down like this to a dictator who uses the tactics of a Hitler." (Globe & Mail Editorial Sept. 20)
The GLOBE AND MAIL has been unfair in its published interviews regarding the Government's attitude in the present international crisis. Interviews were obtained in this city and not published because they gave support to the Government rather than to the GLOBE AND MAIL. A statement obtained from Mayor Gordon was not published, and the reason for the suppression must have been that it did not suit the ignoble purpose of that paper. If the paper suppressed one statement it no doubt suppressed many others in order to present to its readers a majority against the Government
While the writer is opposed to granting any territorial concessions to Germany with all that is involved in the way of possible persecution of the minority in such territories, especially of those opposed to Hitler, he believes that something should be done; because back of all the trouble lies economic unrest. Before we can reasonably hope to have peace among nations we must have economic appeasement. Military conflicts are preceded by economic conflicts. Fights for higher tariffs are but "struggles between justice and injustice, between righteousness and unrighteousness."
I am very sorry to learn that you have been afflicted with a painful illness. Please accept this as an expression of my sympathy and very best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery.
Your sincere friend,
