Britain Goes Over the Top

MR. JOYCE: It is a very great pleasure to have as our speaker today one of our own Members, a Past President of The Empire Club of Canada, and a distinguished and public spirited citizen of our great country--The Honourable George A. Drew, P.C., Q.C., M.P., LL.D.

The Honourable Mr. Drew has been active in public life for over 32 years, having been elected an Alderman of his home town of Guelph, Ontario, in 1922, while still in his twenties. Since that time he has served his fellow citizens almost continuously in one capacity or another. He was Premier of the Province of Ontario from 1943 to 1948 and since then has been the national Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.

The Honourable George Drew is so well known from one end of this country to the other that it would be presumptuous on my part to occupy any more time in formally introducing him to his fellow members. I will assure him, however, of our keen anticipation and interest in his subject, "Britain Goes Over The Top".

MR. DREW: I need hardly tell you that there is a very particular pleasure in coming back here to The Empire Club, of which I have been an active member for so many years. There may be changing sentiments in regard to the use of names but on one thing I know we can all agree, whether we use the word "Empire", whether we use the word "Commonwealth", or whatever the word may be, there is not one of us here who does not welcome the fact that this particular organization exists for the particular purpose of keeping alive to our members, and to others, the immense and abiding value of this fellowship under one Crown. (Applause.)

Before I proceed to discuss the subject that I wish to place before you today, I think it would be only fitting as one who has lived here so long, and as one who has had some association with the activities of Toronto and of the Province, that I should mention something that is very much in the hearts and minds of every one of us. This morning I went through the devastated area where so much tragedy came so unexpectedly at the end of last week. It is truly remarkable the way that everyone is joining hands to help in any way they can to alleviate the suffering of those people who bore the full brunt of the forces of Nature in this wholly unexpected way. I think every one of us welcomes the fact that organizations have been brought into existence which provide a practical opportunity to help in some way those who have lost so much. Nothing will ease the tragedy of those who have lost their dearly beloved members of their own family, but to those who live and have 'seen their life savings disappear in this way, I feel sure that the Hurricane Relief Fund presents a wonderful opportunity under excellent leadership to give assistance to those who need it so greatly. Certainly a visit to that area impresses anyone who sees it with the urgent need of every assistance that can be given. I feel sure that in this case the response of people of the whole of Canada . . . yes, even beyond Canada . . . will indicate the extent to which all of us realize that this is a common problem in which each one of us will have some privilege to share.

Now, today I have chosen a title which was prompted by some of the things which have happened within recent weeks, and even within recent days. The meeting now taking place in Paris offers a greater hope of the fulfilment of our dreams of peace and security than anything that has happened since the end of this last World War. The high honour yesterday conferred on Sir Anthony Eden ... and I know that here within the ranks of the members of this Club there will be warm welcome of this announcement . . . does serve to emphasize something of what has been achieved during these past two months. Out of the discouragement which followed the repudiation of the European Defence Community plan has emerged the bright prospect of a European partnership which may well change the whole course of history. Unintentionally, and certainly contrary to their expectations and desires, the men in the Kremlin may have produced a result of immense and lasting benefit to all mankind. The threat of Communist aggression has demonstrated as nothing else could have done, the need of unity in a way that reason alone could never have done. The dark threat to their survival has brought ancient enemies together in the common cause of peace.

Certainly throughout France and throughout the rest of Europe there is plenty of reason to be worried about a rearmed Germany. From southern Britain to the northern boundaries and across the whole frontier along the ancient battle lines of the First World War are cemeteries which remind the people of France and remind us of the price that has been paid to stem German aggression on earlier occasions. Yet, with all that tragedy still so fresh in our memories, it is gratifying to see the evidence that can so easily be found of a belief in the necessity of joining hands throughout the whole of Western Europe to preserve that area in which rests the title deeds of our civilization.

One of the things which emphasizes to me the change that has come about within these past few years was when I watched on television in a small French town the final game in Berne, in Switzerland, of the football championship which was being played between the teams of Germany and Hungary. Certainly it was no reflection on the people of Hungary when the French people watching that in the same room I was in cheered as though this were their own team when the German team won that game against the team from Communist Hungary. It seemed to me in that very simple incident was an expression of the belief that a retention of ancient hatreds may be too great a price to pay for the uncertainty that would exist unless the nations of Western Europe stand together at this time.

Now, these nations seem to be closer together than in a very long period. I like to think back to what happened after the Napoleonic Wars. We are inclined to forget sometimes that those who have been joined in winning the victory at the end of those wars a hundred and forty years ago were confronted with something of the same problem which confronts us today. I am often interested to find how few people, looking at Arc de Triomphe in Paris, certainly one of the central features of the Paris scene, look at the names on the top of the Arc, on the medallions which surmount it. There you will see names from Portugal to Russia. You will see the names of the cities from the whole of Europe and from Africa as well, occupied by the armies of France at that time, under Napoleon. And it might be well to remember that the people of those countries didn't welcome Napoleon's aggression at that time with any noticeable degree of pleasure. In fact, Thomas Jefferson, who was also the first to impress upon his own people their debt to Lafeyette and the Frenchmen who had assisted them, never referred to Napoleon except as "that monster, Napoleon".

I mention this simply to recall that at the end of the Napoleonic Wars, which terminated long years of aggressions, there were those who said that France must not again be permitted to rearm, that France must not again have full sovereignty, and in that way threaten the security and peace of Europe. Many of you will recall that at the time Wellington, who headed the Alliance then represented in Paris, made a very simple statement to his own Government, which had a profound effect. He said, "If we are prepared to move from France then this argument might have some sense, but if France is to be populated by Frenchmen, then surely our purpose must be to gain the friendship of these people and to bring them along the same path as we wish to follow." The Government, not only of Britain but of the Allies, then followed that advice and as a result of that course the greatest historic friendship between France and Britain was established which has been sealed in terms of blood throughout the years that have remained.

Surely in that factor lies some suggestion and some hope of what may occur if the same course is followed in the months and years ahead. Now, it would be very unwise to assume that every hurdle will be cleared at the first drop, but we certainly have great reason to hope that they will be cleared. Who would have thought only two months ago that the Premier of France and the Chancellor of Germany would be meeting yesterday for a friendly discussion of their mutual problems, as they did in Paris. Much remains to be done before any European alliance can in fact take form, but that one incident shows how far we have moved within these past few weeks. If that dream of European unity comes true, and surely we have new reason for confidence that it will, then I think that all of us should remember that it was the leadership of Britain which gave form and substance to that dream. (Applause.) The tireless efforts of Sir Anthony Eden to bring a new spirit of understanding by his visits to the capitals of Europe after the failure of the Brussels Conference in July, deserve the acclaim of free men and women everywhere.

But we would be misinterpreting history, we would be misinterpreting vitally important history, if we failed to recognize that behind the moves which brought the hope of order out of apparent chaos was the towering figure of Sir Winston Churchill. (Applause.) We can devoutly thank God today that the unparalleled wisdom and prestige of the greatest parliamentary statesman of all times was there to meet the challenging demands of this critical hour. Not even his unwavering courage and determination, however, could have created the harmony which now exists had it not been for the new spirit to be found in Britain today which has made her the natural leader of the European Alliance. For all of us who believe that the continuing strength of the Commonwealth from friendly association with the United States, offers the greatest hope of peace and international stability that is a fact of immense importance to every one of us.

The improvement in Europe generally within these past two years has been truly remarkable. The recovery of Germany has been properly described as a miracle, but as we recognize the amazing things that have been done in Germany and France and in Holland and in Belgium and in Austria and throughout the devastated areas generally, let us remember that nowhere has there been a more spectacular change than in Britain itself. If we are to assess correctly the possibilities of the future of this Commonwealth it is necessary that the full measure of Britain's rapidly increasing strength be described. To the many Canadians . . . and there were more this year than ever before . . . who have seen with their own eyes what has been taking place even within these past few weeks, this may seem unnecessary. But it is necessary because there are still very inaccurate impressions being given to our people in articles and statements appearing in responsible publications.

Now, here is one example, and simply to demonstrate to you what a lot of young Canadians, as well as older Canadians, are reading at this time, may I refer to an article which appeared in the current issue of Reader's Digest which claims the largest periodical circulation in the world. Now I mention this because the Reader's Digest has a very wide circulation in Canada and we assume that what is published is read and is intended to have its effect upon the thinking of those who read what appears in it. In an article written especially for this important publication, David Lawrence has this to say, and I quote words from that article and I would ask you to listen to them carefully: "Horror stories about the A-bomb and the H-bomb have virtually paralyzed with fear the peoples of Britain and France." Well, some of you who have been in Britain in the past few months will recall how little paralysis you saw and how little evidence of fear you saw, and I might say, without any invidious comparison that I read nowhere in the publications of Britain horror stories nearly as terrifying or, shall I add, sometimes unbalanced, as the stories I have read in publications which come to us from the United States. There is no evidence of anything of the kind. But having given that picture of paralysis from fear, and reviewing the problems that this presents to those who are seeking to build a defence against aggression, Mr. Lawrence goes on with these words: "Voices quaking with physical fear do not articulate moral law in convincing tones." Well, anyone who has been in Britain this year knows what preposterous nonsense this is. I never saw any people showing less visible signs of fear than the people of Britain do at this very hour, and whatever their difficulties may be the same is true of France. Can you at one moment imagine Churchill's voice quaking with physical fear, or that of Eden, or Butler or Alexander, or any of the other gallant gentlemen who express in understandable terms the true thought and spirit of Britain at this hour? Yet, when an article of this kind is written for the Reader's Digest by the Editor of the influential weekly, U.S. News and World Report, we cannot disregard the effect such statements can have on the thinking of our own people as well as the people of the United States and other people who read articles of this kind.

There can be no doubt that the friendly support of the United States is vitally necessary to the common efforts we are all making to preserve peace by preventing aggression. But friendship with the United States will not be firmly established by accepting without challenge dangerous nonsense of that kind, which I merely offer as an example of some of the things that are being read by the people of this country and particularly the younger generation without some of the memory of events which makes it possible for them to challenge the accuracy of what they read.

I have been going to Britain fairly regularly ... I have been fortunate in that fact . . . since I got a free trip over there nearly forty years ago, and I can say, without any reservation, and I do so with deep earnestness, that never in all those years have I seen the spirit of the people of Britain better than it is at this very hour. (Applause.) After fifteen years of austerity, food rationing ended this year with truly remarkable results. You might perhaps almost think I was guided in my choice of examples by my own interest in food, but after all it is not only an army that moves on its stomach. As we have been told in the past, the way people eat, the evidence of freedom of choice and selection has a good deal to do with the spirit of any people.

Driving through the country a few weeks ago I saw displays of all kinds of foods shown as well as they would be shown anywhere. I was in the lovely southern counties of England and in the shops in the villages and towns I saw displays which would compare favourably with any we would see here or in the United States or anywhere else on this very fortunate continent of ours. This has had an immense effect upon the people of Britain, but it is only the evidence of the greatly improved economy of that country. Britain has in fact gone over the top, and with whatever help they have received they have gone over the top by their own efforts.

John Bull is definitely back on his feet. Industry is humming, plants are being modernized, intensified industrial research is producing new and extremely attractive goods of all kinds and behind this is the rapidly increasing steel production which means so much in any industrial nation. Just to show what has taken place, Britain's steel production has risen from twelve million tons in 1945 to an annual rate of nearly twenty million tons this year. British aircraft are selling in competition with those from the United States, even in their own markets.

We hear so much about the stodgy Britons. Well, I was at the opening day of Farnborough just a few weeks ago and it was extraordinary how fast those stodgy people moved on that occasion. There I saw not prototypes, but types in production which demonstrate the engineering skill of the people in Britain is as great and perhaps greater than it has ever been before. Flying over that field were bombers, fighter aircraft, helicopters, great transport planes, new designs of all types which now are in production on a large scale. Just to show you the kind of thing they are doing, I saw one transport machine, the Blackport, into which a whole lorry can be driven, into which I saw driven not only a field gun with the tractor which towed it, but with the field gun on top of the tractor, and two of those went in to that transport machine.

Then again I saw the new small aircraft which conceivably may revolutionize defence ideas . . . the Midge, which can be made in about a fifth of the time of any of the larger fighters, and which is the prototype of new fighters that are going into production on a large scale.

I saw there also machines which are taking their place in the airports of the world, and particularly the Viscount which will soon be flying here in Canada; the Turbo-Jet made by Vickers, which has challenged the great producers in the United States right in their own country. You will recall that just recently very large orders have been placed in the United States for that machine. Soon they will be flying here in Canada with Trans Canada Airways.

I saw the Britannia, the larger version of the Turbo-Jet Transport passenger plane flying there, along with Comet II and Comet III and I think to all of us there must be a great measure of satisfaction that they have definitely found the weakness which caused the problem with Comet I, and that the Comets will be back in commercial service just as soon as these problems have been dealt with, as they are being dealt with, and they again will be taking their place at the forefront of modern aircraft development.

I mention this because it isn't in the carrying forward of old design of high quality that they are doing so well . . . they are breaking new ground in many fields and by that very fact are providing themselves with opportunities to create employment, economic strength and prosperity within their own country that challenges the imagination. I think there is good reason to believe that before long Britain will be meeting the immense new demands for electric power by the peaceful employment of atomic energy. They are today in the forefront of that type of development. The first electrical plant is actually now contracted for and two enormous plants are planned for completion within the next twelve to fifteen years. With all this British workmen are feeling the impact of this employment. Their pay is still below ours, but it is increasing and they are working with an enthusiasm and an efficiency which again demonstrates that they have not forgotten the craftsmanship which made British products famous throughout the world.

These remarks merely attempt to express in capsule form the great strides that have been made, and the confidence in the future which lies behind British leadership in the efforts to bring Europe together, not merely for defence but for their mutual economic advantage throughout the years ahead.

Nor would the successful outcome of these efforts diminish in any way our close association within the framework of the Commonwealth under a single Crown. On the contrary, a European Alliance, such as that now envisaged and being discussed in Paris, could provide us in Canada with immense stable markets for our products which could have a profound effect upon our economy and the rapidity of our growth. I think there is too much tendency to look upon the nations of Europe, particularly the smaller nations, as though they were weak and as though at best we are merely helping to bring them together as partners who would rely upon the great strength of this kind. They need that strength, of course they do, but the fact is that if this alliance of nations in Western Europe becomes a reality it will be the greatest economic colossus in the world today. We forget that west of the Iron Curtain there are more than three hundred million people, if you include Britain, now so actively engaged in this venture, three hundred million people with centuries of accumulated skill, with great traditions of civic responsibility, with transportation, with resources, and with the markets of the world available to them, brought together in some economic partnership. Those three hundred million people would be more powerful than Russia and all her satellites combined. That is the kind of partnership which challenges the vision and the hope of every one of us at this time. That is the kind of partnership which breaking with the traditions of centuries Britain has now joined to try to create.

You know, we seem unwilling to face the reality of this. I am reminded of a story that I heard not long ago about the difference between a psychiatric and a neurotic. In these days when so many people seem to need psychoanalysis and strange treatment of that kind, it seemed to me this story rather illustrated the point I wished to make. A specialist in this field was asked the difference between a psychiatric and a neurotic. He replied, "a psychiatric is a man who is certain that two plus two equals five and pities you because you don't know. A neurotic is a person who is sure that two plus two equals four but worries about it."

We have in front of us the simple arithmetic of this great Alliance and we seem unwilling to accept the reality of the tremendous possibilities of that association in which we ourselves can play some part by our friendly help and by our trade associations in the years ahead.

Now, to those who have absorbed any of these dismal ideas, conveyed by the articles such as I have read, I hope you will forgive me if I recall the words of a hymn we all know:

"Ye fearful saints fresh courage take, The clouds ye so much dread

Are yet big with mercy and will break With blessings on your head."

Here before us is a vision, not merely of the static peace but a vision of a great future that offers to each one of us an opportunity to give the very best we have. There again we come to the old association ... perhaps one of the things that is most encouraging about life in Britain today is the fact that tradition goes hand in hand with all the material advancement that we see. We may be inclined to forget that of all the large nations in Europe Britain is the only country where the palaces and the great public buildings that have come forward through the centuries are still a living part of the reality of government itself. These palaces are not museums of a dead past . . . they are the place where the beautiful young woman who carries the Crown as the temporal symbol of this great unity of ours lives and expresses our belief in those traditions which have come forward to us, strengthened all the time through the centuries. I am inclined to think that one of the things that has so strengthened the fortitude of the people of Britain at this time is that they see vividly before their eyes on all occasions the reality that these ancient traditions, associated with government and the life of the people, are living, vigorous things. As they see the Queen driving from Buckingham Palace with some state visitor to the Guild Hall or to the Mansion House, out of all the past comes the memory of the greatness that is interwoven in the history of the people. And those traditions are ours . . those traditions are ours, symbolized by the Queen of our own country who today carries the affection and the love of her own people as no monarch has ever done, before and, my friends, carries the admiration and respect of the whole free world at this critical time.

We have heard promise of a new Elizabethan Age. That will not come simply by the fact that a new Elizabeth has come to the throne. It will come as a reality to every one of us if the same spirit of adventure, if the same determination to build these great traditions to new strength which characterized the first Elizabethan era is evident throughout the Commonwealth in these challenging days.

It is for that reason that today I have brought before you these thoughts, that I have placed before you some of the things that are being said, and I have sought to place before you reasons why in our homes and in our schools and in our daily discussions we should place before the people of Canada, and particularly our youth, all that this great fellowship means, all that the traditions of the Crown signify in freedom and honour and decency and then, and then only, shall we see the fulfilment of the second Elizabethan age.

THANKS OF THE MEETING were expressed by Mr. John Griffin, a Past President of the Club.