Across the 3,000-mile border between the U. S. and Canada straggle countless backwoods unguarded on either side. It is perfectly legal for citizens of either country to cross the line by these obscure routes, for the border is “open” its entire length. The only restriction is that they must report their imports to customs agents or register their presence with immigration inspectors within a reasonable time at the nearest official Port of Entry. About 100 of these ports of entry dot the main international thoroughfares.
Because liquor smugglers use rural roads, make no reports, the U. S. Government last week began to dicker with the Canadian Government for a major change in this sievelike border arrangement. What the U. S. wanted was to “close” the whole border, increase the ports of entry to 600, require international wayfarers to cross the line only through such ports. Every open country road would be barricaded. The increased number of entry ports—one about every five miles—would not cause any real inconvenience to those, like farmers, whose daily affairs take them back and forth across the border.
The U. S. is ready to increase its border force under this proposal from a scant 1,000 to 10,000 men. It would likewise consolidate its four patrol forces—customs, Prohibition, coast guard, immigration—into one service to guard the border between ports of entry.
To discuss the proposed change, Canadian Minister Vincent Massey called upon Under Secretary of State Cotton and Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Lowman to hear their arguments. Only by a new international agreement, possibly a treaty, could the change be effected. Minister Massey explained to Messrs. Cotton and Lowman what appeared to be Canada’s chief objection:
To make the plan effective. Canada would also have to increase her ports of entry, opposite those of the U. S.; would be put to the expense of manning 500 new stations, all for the sake of U. S. Prohibition.
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