2110-7-11-19

31st August, 1936

The Rt Honble W. Mackenzie King, M.P., Laurier House, Ottawa.

I have just recived your delightful letter of 24th August, for which my warmest thanks; also for your telegram of birthday greetings, to which I have already replied.

I am sending you some of the Roosevelt photographs taken at Quebec, including the symbolical one with the two flags guarding the old cannon. I thought you might like to have them.

I am now at Kamloops, having finished with Vancouver. I am much more vigorous in body, and my fits of internal discomfort are I am glad to say, becoming more and more infrequent.

The yachting trip up the coast of Vancouver was delightful, and I only wish you had been there with us. You have got a firstclass man in Eric Hamber as a Lieutenant-Governor. I think he and his wife are two of the nicest people I have ever met in my life, and he is also, I think, a wise and far-sighted man. It might be worth remembering him in the future if you wish to fill up an ambassadorial post abroad. He is really enjoying his public work and putting his whole heart into it.

We had some fairly good sport fishing on the island, and I met a ridiculous number of old friends, even in the smallest township I seemed able to find some connections with hom. I made a lot of

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little speeches on the island, including a speech to the Canadian Club at Victoria, in which I gave reminiscences of various contrasted types of great men.

Vancouver was a more strenuous tour, since I was in the hands of the redoubtable Jerry McGeer. He is a queer mixture; but he has imagination and energy. If he weren't such an exhibitionist and had a little more sense of financial responsibility he woould be a useful man. He and I got on very well together, but I need hardly tell you he had some scraps with the Admiral. We got a great reception in Vancouver, and I was especially delighted to find some old friends among the ex-service men. I addressed the Canadian Club, taking boldly for my speech the present status of the Empire. I tried to emphasise what you and I have often talked about - that any new Imperial machinery must grow, and not be constructed in a hurry, and that the idea of a self-contained Empire standing alone against the world is a foolish whimsy. At the same time, since I was speaking to people looking out on to the Pacific, I tried to emphasise the necessity of Canadians thinking out for themselves a foreign policy, since in the world of to-day no geographical position gives security. My address was very well received by the press, and I think I was dis creet. I felt that at some time or other I was bound to talk on this subject.

I am very pleased with the position of British Columbia. Hart, the Provincial Treasurer, is a first-class man, and the Provinc ial revenues are rising steadily. Between ourselves, I think the

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Premier is riding for a fall, for he seems to be alienating his colleagues and supporters.

I will try and meet Colonel Primrose when I am next in Edmonton, and let you know my opinion of him. I hope to meet Mr. Justice ice Clarke in Calgary. McNab in Saskatoon is quite a good fellow, but, as you say,, he has obvious limitaitons. I am sorry for you with all these appointments to make, for they are one of the most trying tasks for a Prime Minister. Arthur Balfour used to declare that the mere thought of them made him sick.

I shall be at Calgary in two days, and then I begin my motor car tour in the southern Prairies. I am afraid I shall find a good deal of distress, and I know I shall also find many stout hearts.

My news from Europe is the same as yours. Stella Reading came to breakfast with me yesterday and gave me a curious account of the Roosevelt household. She does not seem to think that the President's re-election in November is quite such a certainty as we had hoped. Like you and I, she believes that the key to the future is in the relations between Britain and the United States, and that Canada is the strategic point.

I am inclined to think it would be a good thing if the League of Nations did not meet in September. It is not the moment for any proper re-casting of it. I am wholly of your mind that if trouble in Europe does come to a head, if possible we must keep the British Empire out of it. The situation is wholly different from that of

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1914, and if we can achieve an honourable detachment and so restrict the area of conflict, it would be by far our best contribution to the cause of ultimate peace.

I am glad you are going to Europe, for you will bring a fresh mind to bear upon these questions, and our people at home at the moment seem all terribly jaded. But I feel very regretful that your holiday is at an end, and that you will not have the beautiful fall weather at Kingsmere.

We have been having a rather anxious time about our second boy at home, who has been in hospital with a bad affection of the throat, for which he has had to have tracheotomy. The news to-day, however, is reassuring. My wife has been rather anxious, and, as she has been doing a tremendous lot of speaking to women in Vancouver, she is feeling pretty tired. My other two boys are in excellent form and have been playing polo with the Lieutenant-Governor.

We both send you our love and good wishes for the journey. My wife will be back in Ottawa at least by September 10th, and I will be back in the early days of October.

Yours ever,

Personal.

9th July, 1936.

The Rt Honble W. Mackenzie King, M.P., Laurier House, Ottawa.

Thank you for writing me a very long and kind letter, which I shall always cherish.

I have just got back from our tour in the Saguenay. My wretched inside has been so troublesome that I am compelled to take drastic steps about it. To my great regret I have had to cancel my tour in the Maritimes, which should begin next Wednesday. I am having a thorough examination made, and hope by the time of the President's visit to be perfectly all right. I dare not take any risks, with my long tour in the West coming on in August.

I am so glad you approve generally of my suggestions for the President's visit. Redfern will go into the matter in detail with the different departments. Any Dominion Ministers who are likely to be available would be essential guests at luncheon. I think it a very good idea to take the President, during the afternoon drive, round by Spencerwood.

I do hope you will soon get rid of your arrears, and have a real rest.

Yours ever,