page_0001

8th September, 1936

Private and confidential

The Rt. Honble W. Mackenzie King, M.P.,
The Prime Minister's Office,
Parliament Buildings,
Ottawa.

I have just got your letter of 4th September, and am
greatly distressed that I should have given you this cause for
anxiety when you have so much to think about. I thought that what
I said was incapable of miscontruction, but when I saw the extracts
in the press this morning I felt as you feel - that certain isolated
sentences might be misconstrued.

Since I was speaking to an audience of soldiers I had to
deal with defence. I began by saying that the breakdown of the
high hopes since the Langue of Nations was started, had compelled
every democracy unwillingly to give some attention to defence questions,
and that Canada could be no exception to this rule. I went
on to say that since Canada, like Britain was a martial but not a
military nation, its defence policy must be limited to what is absolutely
necessary, and not one penny spent beyond that. I concluded
by paying a very sincere tribute to the Militia, both for
its efficiency and its public spirit.

I thought that I was helping to hold up the hands of your
Government. You see how the best laid schemes of mice and men can