His Excellency Harold B. Butler -8 August 5, 194      
 
                                                            
 
 
drift downstream. You say, "What bout the Atlantic Charter?" 
      Too late. And late or early, pretty unsubstantial diets for a 
                          starving man.                     
 
                                                            
 
 
Three months after war was declared, I went to England in 
      an attempt: to persuade members of the British Government of 
      the vital need for British American unity. I stressed the capacity 
      of Canada to bring about such unity. I broke my heart on the 
         rock-ribbed complacency of British officialdom.    
 
                                                            
 
 
If you desire, I shall send you copies of letters written 
      at that time as well as a year later, upon my second visit to 
      England, which re-state, in part, what on various occasions I 
                    had communicated verbally.              
 
                                                            
 
 
After my failure to arouse the British Government to an appreciation 
      of the need for British-American unity, I decided to see what 
      the Canadian Government would do about it. In the spring of 1940, 
      I wrote several letters to our Government in which I pointed 
      out the danger of American isolation, the need for British American 
        unity and how Canada could help to bring it about.  
 
                                                            
 
 
You may be interested to learn that the letters were inspired 
      by certain Americans now among your most steadfast friends. I 
      am not aware that these letters resulted in any constructive 
                 action. I shall send you copies.           
 
                                                            
 
 
I have been speaking of what might have been done to bring 
      about British American unity. Britain had a great chance. So 
      had Canada.