drunken sailors sat tipsily, eating chop
suey. Goldsmiths were plying their fine craftsmanship. Presses were
turning out dailies with the news of the Chinese revolution. Grocery
stores, theaters, markets, all were open; for Chinatown never sleeps.

CHAPTER X

WHAT PANAMA MEANS

I

It now becomes apparent why British Columbia was described as the
province where East meets West and works out Destiny.

On the other side of the Pacific lies Japan come to the manhood of
nationality, demanding recognition as the equal of the white race and
room to expand. Behind Japan lies China, an awakened giant, potent for
good or ill, of half a billion people, whose commerce under a few years
of modern science and mechanics is bound to equal the commerce of half
Europe. It may in a decade bring to the ports that have hitherto been
the back doors of America an aggregate yearly traffic exceeding the
four billion dollars' worth that yearly leave Atlantic ports for
Europe. Canada is now the shortest route to "Cathay"; the railroads
across Canada offer shorter route from China to Europe than Suez or
Horn, by from two to ten thousand miles. Then there is India, another
awakened giant, potent for good or ill, of three hundred million
people--two hundred to the square mile--clamoring for recognition as
British subjects, clamoring for room to expand.

The question is sometimes asked by Americans: Why does Canada concern
herself about foreign problems and dangers? Why does she not rest
secure under the aegis of the Monroe Doctrine, which forever forfends
foreign conquest of America by an alien power? And Canada
answers--because the Monroe Doctrine is not worth the ink in which it
was penned without the bayonet to enforce the pen. Belgium's
neutrality did not protect her. The peace that is not a victory is
only an armed truce--a let-live by some other nation's permission.
Without power to enforce the Monroe Doctrine, that doctrine is to
Canada but a tissue-paper rampart.

To add to the complication involving British Columbia comes the opening
of Panama, turning the Pacific Ocean into a parade ground for the
world's fleets both merchantmen and war. Commercially Panama simply
turns British Columbia into a front door, instead of a back door. What
does this mean?

The Atlantic has hitherto been the Dominion's front door, and the
Canadian section of the Atlantic has four harbors of first rank with an
aggregate population of