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2.

I am sure your trip through the Prairies has
come at an opportune time for the people of the Plains,
if not for yourself. With all their optimism and courage,
they greatly need the sympathetic and understanding word.
Nowhere is such 1ikely to be more generally appreciated.

What a problem our Provincial Governments present!
The sweep in Quebec, the mix-up in Manitoba, the confusion
in Alberta are all symptomatic of latent unrest and discontent.
Fortunately, they are trifling in comparison with the conditions
existing in Europe. I sometimes wonder whether
there will be any fall Assembly of the League of Nations.
I am beginning to feel that it might be far from unfortunate,
if for a year or more the meetings of that Institution were
wholly suspended.

As you are aware, with the exception of Euler,
all of the colleagues who were in Europe are now back.
Without exception, they speak of the tension which is everywhere
apparent. What is even more serious, they have come
back with the impression that in the minds of the people
of Europe, irrespective of country, war on an European scale
is all but inevitable. I keep wondering if some way cannot
be found whereby if Europe is determined on war, she might
not be left to herself, the British Empire standing outside
ready, at any and every moment, to do all within its power
to restrict the area of conflict and to assist in its termination.
I am sure you will agree that a war in which the
Empire became involved, would have very serious consequences
so far as the unity of this Dominion is concerned. The one
thing to strive for is a union of the English speaking
peoples to protect our peace and, as you said at Quebec,
to preserve what we can of civilization.

If you are again in Edmonton, should the chance
offer itself, I wish you would arrange to meet Colonel
Primrose and let me have our impression of him as a possible