International Peace Garden; A Symbol of Challenge

              THE
INTERNATIONAL
PEACE GARDEN
una. a.
AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BY
Mr. D. G. McKENZIE
PRESIDENT
THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE GARDEN, INC.
^ ymboL ARE J^ mpottant
. . . A GABDEN beautifully painted by nature surely is
a symbol of Peace. . . . All down through the ages
symbols have contributed much to influence and
direct the course followed by peoples and nations . . .
The day and hour to make real the noble concept of
an International Peace Garden have surely come. . . .
Let each bear his full share in accepting this respons­ibility
proudly and gladly, fully aware of the timeliness
and high significance of hte contribution.
The address which follows was delivered in the presence of His
Honor the Lieutenant- Governor of Manitoba and His Honor the
Lieutenant- Governor of North Dakota and a representative group
of prominent citizens of both Manitoba and North Dakota.
o
MAY I EXPRESS our very deep pleasure and gratitude to all
present tonight for having honored our organization by your
presence at this little gathering. For almost one hundred and thirty-five
years our two countries have lived as neighbors in good- will
and friendship. The events of the last quarter century, and partic­ularly
the circumstances of the two great world wars, have brought
us into even closer and warmer relationship. Military and economic
developments seem destined to force our two countries into close
and lasting collaboration, co- operation and unity of action. Recog­nizing
this great bond of friendship and mutual interests, we have
invited you to join with us in formulating plans to memorialize these
happy relationships and to show to the world that the ways of peace
can be made lasting and effective.
THE GREATEST MESSAGE OF ALL TIME
It is now almost two thousand years since the world received the
greatest message of all time when the angelic hosts sang, " Peace on
earth, good- will toward men." But in spite of the inspiration of that
Divine message, this old world continued in its ways of destruction
and wasteful warfare. The last decade learned afresh the terrible
suffering and sacrifice of the great world war but was again inspired
to new hopefulness when we received that gladsome declaration,
" The war is over. Peace has come to the world again." That was
the joyful message that rang out to the whole world just a little over
two years ago. Still fresh in our memory is the joy, the thankfulness
and the great relief from anxiety, fear and dread with which we
received that soul stirring message. The terrible sacrifices and
suffering of the war years, while indelibly fixed in our memories,
suddenly gave place to fresh hope and confidence, strong in the
belief that a wonderful new world was on the way. We were full of
hope that the old world would find new means of settling interna­tional
disputes, and never again would resort to cruel destructive
Page 5
warfare be necessary. The principles of the Four Freedoms and the
Atlantic Charter were to govern our international relationships. The
United Nations, through its various subsidiary committees and or­ganizations,
would establish the fonnulaes and procedures necessary
to give full effect to these great principles. " The common welfare of
mankind" was to be one of its great concerns and among its tech­niques
it sought " to contribute to peace and security by promoting
collaboration among the nations through education, science and
culture."
But now, after two years of effort, our confidence is becoming
weakened and our hopes clouded. The Big Four Nations are finding
it almost impossible to agree on the terms of Peace. Our international
trade conferences are finding it equally difficult to define the condi­tions
of international trade. The old attempts at " Power Politics"
and " Blocks" are still persistent and it is now apparent the world is
still divided into hostile camps. On every side is heard the threat
of war and the fear expressed of another terrible world holocaust
more completely destructive than anything that has gone before.
Another world war, fought with atomic power and modern war
equipment, can only mean almost entire destruction of our present
civilization. A sense of uneasiness continues to grow, even in Canada,
as is evidenced in the Gallup Toll. The replies to the question, Are
you satisfied or dissatisfied with the progress made so far by the
United Nations? indicate:
1946
May
Satisfied 39%
Dissatisfied 27%
No opinion 34%
A similar survey for eight countries
1946
June Today
31% 26%
44% 38%
25% 36%
shows the following result:
Satisfied Dissatisfied Undecided
France 9% 30% 61%
Sweden 13% 21% 66%
Holland 13% 52% 35%
Denmark 16% 42% 42%
Canada 26% 38% 36%
Australia 26% 39% 35%
Norway 32% 30% 38%
United States 33% 51% 16%
? age 6
The majority of people in these countries are still in favor of the
United Nations organization but it does seem that a steadily in­creasing
number are fearing another world war, and more and more
this subject is becoming the theme of public and private discussion.
The United Nations, acutely conscious of the dangers associated
with such mental reactions, made specific plans to repel this type
of thinking and in the constitution of the United Nations' Educa­tional,
Scientific and Cultural Organization, expressed the opinion
that " since wars begin in the mind of man, it is in the minds of men
that the defence of peace must be constructed."
A NOBLE CONCEPT— NOBLY CONCEIVED
This is the concept that prompted the late Dr. Henry J. Moore
of Islington, Ontario, to propose at a meeting in Toronto in 1929 of
the Gardeners' Association of North America, that an International
Peace Garden should be established on the boundary between
Canada and the United States; a beautiful garden to symbolize the
bond of friendliness and good- will that has motivated the actions
of these two great nations for more than one hundred and thirty
years, and as a token of mutual determination to co- operate in every
way to the achieving of lasting world peace.
SYMBOLS ARE IMPORTANT
Symbols are important. A garden beautifully painted by nature is
surely a symbol of peace. All down through the ages symbols have
contributed much to influence and direct the course followed by
peoples and nations. The cross of our Lord has always, to millions
of people, symbolized purity, liberty, justice, brotherly love, and
the life eternal. The swastika has also influenced the action of mil­lions
of men, only it has stood for cruelty, suffering, starvation, and
the complete loss of all that is dear in life.
T H E INTERNATIONAL P E A C E GARDEN
The International Peace Garden is to be made to symbolize the
determination of all our people to dedicate their lives and energies
to the preservation of peace. A committee, made up of Dr. H. J.
Moore of Toronto, Joseph Dunlop of South Euclid, Ohio, and Robert
P. Brydon of Cleveland, Ohio, was appointed to select a suitable
site. Many possible locations were inspected along the Boundary.
Page 7
Eventually one was unanimously chosen in the Turtle Mountains,
a range of hills situated astride the Boundary between Manitoba and
North Dakota, and almost at the exact geographical centre of the
North American continent. At a later meeting of all those interested,
held at Ashbury Park, New Jersey, on September 17th, 1931, the
Turtle Mountain site received unanimous endorsation.
Government support was immediately forthcoming. The Manitoba
Government transferred over 1,200 acres of land to the International
Peace Garden, Incorporated, and the State of North Dakota and
Washington presented an area of 888 acres, making a total site avail­able
of over 2,200 acres of land.
Development through the depression years was of necessity slow
but on the American side a beautiful lodge was built and roadways
laid out. On the Canadian side a large dam and an artificial lake
were constructed, gravel roads were laid out, and some landscaping
was done. In addition, a Customs and Immigration Office was built
on the Canadian side of the Border. During the war years all the
energies of both countries were united in a common war effort and
obviously little or nothing could be done to develop the site.
Notwithstanding the difficulties encountered in the vears since the
Garden was first incorporated, sufficient has been achieved to amply
demonstrate that the site can indeed be made a Garden beautiful
and a fitting memorial, commemorating the happy relations which
endure between the two peoples living on each side of the Boundary.
Again a world war has come to an end and the war weary world
is now yearning for Peace and longs for the adoption of a symbol
around which the forces for Peace can be mobilized and strength­ened.
It looks to this great continent of North America for leadership
and inspiration because for almost 150 years we have settled all our
international problems and disputes by collaboration and com­promise
and in so doing have demonstrated that the ways of Peace
can be, and are being, made to work. In short, our history and our
relationships constitute a living lesson of good- will and friendship
and must become the inspiration that will lead the whole world to
lasting Peace.
A CHALLENGE— AND A RESPONSIBILITY
This inspiration now becomes our great responsibility. We must
accept the challenge of the ideals so indelibly established by Dr.
Page 8
Moore and his associates, when they took the initial steps in or­ganizing
an International Peace Garden. Ours is the task of carrying
those ideals into complete fruition through the establishment of a
lasting memorial to the long standing friendship between the United
States and Canada. In this war torn world these two countries
stand out as a beacon of good- will to the whole world but this
beacon must be made to shine afresh and we are asking all here
tonight, together with the peoples of these two great nations, to
join with us in this great task of dedication, so significant at this
very tune in history. We need your help and your assistance; we
need the encouragement, the inspiration and the practical co- opera­tion
of all those great organizations here represented, and through
them, the united support of all people of good- will and courageous
vision.
The last great war demonstrated the enormous potential strength
of these two countries. We must now mobilize this " capacity to do
things" for the promotion of those ideals appropriately symbolized
in a beautiful garden, well planned, soundly financed, and made
to vividly and adequately express the cultural and spiritual ideals
and aspirations of the citizens of this Western World.
A VIGOROUS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Your Board has spent a day in formulating plans for a vigorous
program of development within the Garden, for adequate financing,
and for organizing an effective appeal for public interest and sup­port
We are budgeting for both capital needs and operating ex­penses,
estimating that we will require $ 100,000 in the next year or
$ 50,000 on each side of the Boundary. Our immediate capital needs
are for such requirements as water installation, the cost of a gar­dener's
residence, and an implement and tool building, a small trac­tor,
Ullage equipment, and garden tools, etc. Operating expenses
must include a garden superintendent's salary and that of his neces­sary
assistants, as well as all the extra expenses incidental to a project
of this kind. Playgrounds, paths and roads are being planned, and
plots are being provided for organizations desirous of developing
their own part of the Garden. Already a number of organizations,
including the Women's Institutes, the I. O. D. E., and others, have
funds in reserve for such purposes, and we hope many other or­ganizations
may be similarly interested.
Page 9
c
Plans are being made to secure the erection of an American
Customs and Immigration Office at the site of the Garden,
has already provided these facilities. We confidently expect that
during the next two years North Dakota and Manitoba will have
completed a hard surface highway on each side of the Boundary
leading to the Garden. Tourists will then be able to travel from
Mexico to the hindermost parts of Northern Manitoba on a well
built highway. Our plans also contemplate inducing the appropriate
governments on both sides of the Boundary to provide adequate and
supervised tourist accommodation for visitors to the Garden.
AN INTERNATIONAL PEACE TOWER
We would like to erect a suitable international Peace Tower
which would be a fitting memorial to the years of good- will between
our countries, and as well a suitable Memorial to the thousands of
men and women who sacrificed their lives in the last two great wars
in order that we might continue to enjoy liberty, justice, the Four
Freedoms, and all those things that make life worth while. As part
of this great memorial, we would like to erect a little Chapel where
friends and loved ones of those whose great sacrifice we com­memorate
could seek quiet comfort and spiritual consolation.
Then, too, I would like to suggest that we should in this beautiful
natural setting plan to erect a building, large enough and of suitable
design, to house an exhibit of all our birds, animals, and fish life. Let
us bring the natural life of our countries in all its beauty and charm
to this dedicated area so that nature will be given an opportunity
to join with us in creating an appreciation of all that is lovely arid
wholesome.
Ladies and gentlemen, this gives you in very brief outline somefc
ideas we have in mind for immediate attention. The possibilities of
this whole project are unlimited. The vista that opens up for a
really worth while effort is such as to challenge the imagination of
all of us. The idealism embodied in this glorious objective is such
that must challenge your interest and active support.
INTERNATIONAL PEACE HAS BEEN ATTAINED
There are those who think that World Peace is a purely visionary
ideal, something to dream about but wholly without any ," of
reality. They fail to recognize that in this great Western
International Peace has been attained and will be maintained
Page 10
reason of the determination of our people, expressed so vividly in
the tablet on the cairn now located in the International Peace
Garden. On that tablet are inscribed these words:
" To God in His Glory
We two nations dedicate this Garden
and pledge ourselves that as long as
men shall live, we will not take up
arms against one another."
Why is it possible for these two nations to so dedicate themselves?
Why is it that we in this Western World can, by peaceful negotiation
and compromise, settle our international disputes and differences that
do arise from time to time, without recourse to war? What is it that
we have that is absent in the Old World? Why is it that we can live
side by side with three thousand miles of international border that
knows no forts or guns? Perhaps it is because we have a heritage of
great treasures of mind and spirit with great traditions, ideals and
hopes, and that we have mutually dismissed from our minds all
thoughts of war.
This is a wonderfully precious thing, but more amazingly won­derful
when we realize that the pioneers from both our countries
sprang from nearly every country in the world, with a variety of
racial history, religious ideals, economic status, and social and poli­tical
philosophies that differ, but all have come here to build homes
where they can live their own lives, worship God in their own way,
give boys and girls the best intellectual and moral equipment for
life's battles, and shape a social life of friendly relationships with
their neighbors. Differing greatly in temperament and racial char­acteristics,
they had these things in common, a real desire for peace
and good- will, a passion for liberty, a willingness to give and take
with their neighbors, and a determination that they would settle
their differences equitably.
T H E WESTERN WORLD MUST L E AD
What a contrast with the conditions that prevail in Europe today
where people live in an atmosphere of hate, suspicion, fear, and
distrust! Is it not possible that the time has now come that this
Western World must give that lead to the Old World that alone
can bring it out to a lasting Peace based on good- will and mutual
trust? Surely we owe it to the world to give effective expression
through some practical manifestation of those great ideals that have
Page 11
•
contributed to this lasting Peace between our two countries! What
finer symbol of such an intention could be conceived than that of an
International Peace Garden?
I would like to quote here from an article in the Christian Science
Monitor called the " Hymn to Joy." " Among the quiet New England
hills the other night, under the lonely reaches of the stars, the Ninth
Symphony of Beethoven loosed its splendor on the air.
" People far from the scene of the Berkshire Music Festival— in
city rooms, on suburban porches— heard over their radios the Boston
Symphony Orchestra bringing mighty symphony to its triumphant
last movement, where the chorus joins the instruments in proclaim­ing
through Schiller's ' Hymn to Joy' the blessedness and universal
brotherhood of man.
" During the last war a young anti- Nazi German girl wrote a letter
to American friends which was smuggled out of Germany. In it she
told of listening over her radio to the Vienna Philharmonic playing
the Beethoven Ninth. When the chorus joined in the Schiller hymn,
she wrote, they seemed to ' sing from the bottom of their hearts, as
though they were expressing the deepest longings of all the people
of the earth for peace.'
" That was in the midst of total war. The other night it was in the
midst of uneasy atomic peace. The same stars looked down— the
stars that spoke to Schiller of a loving Father's reign.
" The young anti- Nazi wrote that she wept as she listened, yet felt
in her heart the joy of knowing that the law of brotherhood could
not be forever hidden by the anarchy of war. Did any troubled heart
the other night reach out through the botched, unhappy peace of
today to the exultant joy that created the Ninth Symphony and that
ordered the sliining architecture of the stars?
" In spite of the stupid slumbers and nightmares of men, reality
breaks through to listening hearts."
MAKE THIS PEACE GARDEN A REALITY
And so, the beautiful in nature speaks to men. Let us seek to give
reality to this Peace Garden as its beauty grows more beautiful, year
by year, because of our effort and expenditure. Let us, as we see
this ambitious dream of a few men gradually being realized, appre-
Page 12
date the Garden, not so much for what it is at the present, but for
the vista which it opens to us of a future where nations will be at
peace and the world free from the carnage of war. The consumma­tion
of these ideals may take years or even centuries but with God's
help, with faith, perseverance and courage, it will, it must, ultimately
come about. To what greater task and ideal could we apply ourselves?
In closing, to all here assembled I would address a personal
message in these words of Henry Drummond: " You will find, as you
look back upon your life, that the moments that stand out— the
moments when you have really lived— are the moments when you
have done things in a spirit of love. As memory scans the past, above
and beyond all the transitory pleasures of life, there leap forward
those supreme hours when you have been able to do unnoticed kind­nesses
to those about you, things too trifling to speak about, but
which you feel have entered into your eternal life."
And so the challenge for support and interest in this great task
to which we now devote ourselves comes to you and to all of us.
Faith in ideals is a great thing but faith without works is dead. We
must now by our works give reality to our faith and make sure that
our works will be of such a nature as to promote peace and good­will
between the peoples of our two countries, and by precept and
example demonstrate to the whole world that good- will among
nations can be permanently established. With this ideal in our
minds, and with determination in our hearts, we can look forward
to the creating of an International Peace Garden of such beauty and
significance as to fill us all with a sense of satisfaction that we were
given an opportunity of making even a small contribution to its
promotion and development.
Winnipeg, Manitoba,
October 27, 1947.
Page 13
• Q A/ obU d? oncejat... AJ& Uy ( 2& nceived(.
That an International Peace Garden should be established on the
boundary between Canada and the United States— a beautiful garden
to symbolize the bond of friendliness and good- will that has motiv­ated
the actions of these two great nations— such was the noble con­cept
nobly conceived by Dr. Henry J. Moore, of Islington, Ontario, in
1929. . . . Today, amid the present turmoil of conflicting thoughts
inimical to peace, is surely the time in which to give leadership for
Peace by bringing to fruition this noble symbol between two great
nations as an example to the whole world that unity is possible.
o
Further Information can he secured
from
LlEUT.- COL. H. J. ROBBINS
Treasurer, International Peace Garden, Incorporated
496 Ash Street, Winnipeg
or
JOHN A. STORMON
Chairman of Board of Directors,
International Peace Garden, Incorporated
Rolla, North Dakota.
• •
contributed to this lasting Peace between our two countries! What
finer symbol of such an intention could be conceived than that of an
International Peace Garden?
I would like to quote here from an article in the Christian Science
Monitor called the " Hymn to Joy." " Among the quiet New England
hills the other night, under the lonely reaches of the stars, the Ninth
Symphony of Beethoven loosed its splendor on the air.
" People far from the scene of the Berkshire Music Festival— in
city rooms, on suburban porches— heard over their radios the Boston
Symphony Orchestra bringing mighty symphony to its triumphant
last movement, where the chorus joins the instruments in proclaim­ing
through Schiller's ' Hymn to Joy' the blessedness and universal
brotherhood of man.
" During the last war a young anti- Nazi German girl wrote a letter
to American friends which was smuggled out of Germany. In it she
told of listening over her radio to the Vienna Philharmonic playing
the Beethoven Ninth. When the chorus joined in the Schiller hymn,
she wrote, they seemed to ' sing from the bottom of their hearts, as
though they were expressing the deepest longings of all the people
of the earth for peace.'
" That was in the midst of total war. The other night it was in the
midst of uneasy atomic peace. The same stars looked down— the
stars that spoke to Schiller of a loving Father's reign.
" The young anti- Nazi wrote that she wept as she listened, yet felt
in her heart the joy of knowing that the law of brotherhood could
not be forever hidden by the anarchy of war. Did any troubled heart
the other night reach out through the botched, unhappy peace of
today to the exultant joy that created the Ninth Symphony and that
ordered the sfnning architecture of the stars?
" In spite of the stupid slumbers and nightmares of men, reality
breaks through to listening hearts."
MAKE THIS PEACE GARDEN A REALITY
And so, the beautiful in nature speaks to men. Let us seek to give
reality to this Peace Garden as its beauty grows more beautiful, year
by year, because of our effort and expenditure. Let us, as we see
this ambitious dream of a few men gradually being realized, appre-
Page 12
date the Garden, not so much for what it is at the present, but for
the vista which it opens to us of a future where nations will be at
peace and the world free from the carnage of war. The consumma­tion
of these ideals may take years or even centuries but with God's
help, with faith, perseverance and courage, it will, it must, ultimately
come about. To what greater task and ideal could we apply ourselves?
In closing, to all here assembled I would address a personal
message in these words of Henry Drumrnond: " You will find, as you
look back upon your life, that the moments that stand out— the
moments when you have really lived— are the moments when you
have done things in a spirit of love. As memory scans the past, above
and beyond all the transitory pleasures of life, there leap forward
those supreme hours when you have been able to do unnoticed kind­nesses
to those about you, things too trifling to speak about, but
which you feel have entered into your eternal life."
And so the challenge for support and interest in this great task
to which we now devote ourselves comes to you and to all of us.
Faith in ideals is a great thing but faith without works is dead. We
must now by our works give reality to our faith and make sure that
our works will be of such a nature as to promote peace and good­will
between the peoples of our two countries, and by precept and
example demonstrate to the whole world that good- will among
nations can be permanently established. With this ideal in our
minds, and with determination in our hearts, we can look forward
to the creating of an International Peace Garden of such beauty and
significance as to fill us all with a sense of satisfaction that we were
given an opportunity of making even a small contribution to its
promotion and development.
Winnipeg, Manitoba,
October 27, 1947.
Page 13
• Q A/ obU d? oncejat... AJ& Uy ( 2& nceived(.
That an International Peace Garden should be established on the
boundary between Canada and the United States— a beautiful garden
to symbolize the bond of friendliness and good- will that has motiv­ated
the actions of these two great nations— such was the noble con­cept
nobly conceived by Dr. Henry J. Moore, of Islington, Ontario, in
1929. . . . Today, amid the present turmoil of conflicting thoughts
inimical to peace, is surely the time in which to give leadership for
Peace by bringing to fruition this noble symbol between two great
nations as an example to the whole world that unity is possible.
o
Further Information can he secured
from
LtEUT.- COL. H. J. ROBBINS
Treasurer, International Peace Garden, Incorporated
496 Ash Street, Winnipeg
or
JOHN A. STORMON
Chairman of Board of Directors,
International Peace Garden, Incorporated
Rolla, North Dakota.
• Q A/ obU d? oncejat... AJ& Uy ( Conceived
That an International Peace Garden should be established on the
boundary between Canada and the United States— a beautiful garden
to symbolize the bond of friendliness and good- will that has motiv­ated
the actions of these two great nations— such was the noble con­cept
nobly conceived by Dr. Henry J. Moore, of Islington, Ontario, in
1929. . . . Today, amid the present turmoil of conflicting thoughts
inimical to peace, is surely the time in which to give leadership for
Peace by bringing to fruition this noble symbol between two great
nations as an example to the whole world that unity is possible.
o
Further Information can he secured
from
LlEUT.- COL. H. J. ROBBINS
Treasurer, International Peace Garden, Incorporated
496 Ash Street, Winnipeg
or
JOHN A. STOBMON
Chairman of Board of Directors,
International Peace Garden, Incorporated
Rolla, North Dakota.