DEFEAT CERTAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 127, 29 May 1913, Page 5

DEFEAT CERTAIN.

CANADIAN NAVY BILL- ' SENATE WIIX REJECT IT. COUNTRY NOT CONSULTED. OTTAWA, May 28. The Senate has definitiely decided to amend tbe Canadian Naval Bill (providing for the gift of throe battleships to the Imperial Government) despite the Government's contention that the Senate is unable to ame.nd a money bill. Senator George William Roes moved as an amendment that the bill be not passed until it had been submitted to the country's decision. The defeat of the measure is now regarded as certain. Unwillingness to send good Canadian money, ships, or jncn to help Great Britain is felt and openly avowed by some of our northern neighbours (says an American paper). These objectors ijo beyond the group represented hv Mr. Knimerson. who mcTely resented Briti.sh naval dictation as to tbe method of Canada 'a contribution. Their method is perfectly simple: they would give noth- . ing at all. They are "largely massed in Quebec, -with a considerable addition in parts of Western Canada." says a native Canadian, now a member of the British Parliament in the ' Contemporary Review." "They ridicu/e the idea of Canada being in danger from invasion. and they object absolutely to becoming involvrd in any European conflict whatsoever." Old World quarrels do not concern them; their interests are in the New. In fact, tney suspect that the ; English ruling rta-SNcs are mcrelv using \ the Canadians as pa"nns, without caring < a button for their reaJ interests, and in i cat-" of war would keep Canada's naval force in English waters and let C'nnada i shift for herself. < This is the old C-.inadinn view, and it is a minority vipw. hut it exist-. It is < expressed pretty strongly in a letter to | the. London "Daily I hronicle" froic one wbo merely signs himself "A Cana- < dian Nationalist."' Great Britain has not i done anything to develop or help Can- i ada. he says. i»u why should Canada be called upon to help or add to the n.iva! strength of the mother country? -The people who have developed Canada have been the Canadians themselves.' . The Canadians, as he sees it. liars undergone CaandJans. as he sees it. have undergone ness into a cultivated land, and he believes that this agitation in favour of help to F.ngrand originates in Londtin, or is cooked up by an Imperialistic clique in Toronto. The general run of young men in Canadian universities are not devoted, at any cost, to the interests of the Motherland, he avers; they are Canadians first and last. Tie" declares it absurd that 3 poor country like Canada should be called upon to help a rich country like England. As he puts it: — "The resources of Panada are trifling as compared with the rcsourV , of fireat Britain. It seems absurd that a country which is borrowing money to snch a large extent as Canada is doing should be called upon to contribute t<l the defence of Great Britain, which ha« not only got loans all over the world, but is n lending nation to a greater extent than any nation in history, and one which reinvests its interest every year. "While the imperialist agitation ha* been carried on for a good time, nothing has resulted from it except shouting, n.Dtil the naval proposal of Mr. Borden. TVwe who have taken no part heretofore are now going to be stirred to action. There are many who feel that if tbe British connection means that we are going to be. dragooned, and thai influences are going to lie brought to bear upon us ns they have heen during the past- few years, and Canada diverted from its natural and proper course, then they would prefer an independent Canada." 1 should no*, be at all surprised if the present movement for the navy were to result in n very ra.pid growth of feeling in favour of Canadian independence. "The proper policy for the Canadians to take in regard -to naval defence w to defend their own ports and to relieve Great Britain from all expense (if, i" fact, she is at any expense now) regarding our defence. Then, if it were thought necessary. some isma.ll ships could be built and a Jinvy thus started. The amount that would have to be expended would He ■small. Tn fact, there seems no reason why Canada, just now. should have a navy. or. at any rate, any more of a navy, than a very small one."