CRITICISM IN CANADA

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27612, 19 March 1955, Page 7

CRITICISM IN CANADA

Irresponsibility Alleged (Rec. 8 p.m.) OTTAWA, March 17. Canadian Government leaders were reluctant to discuss Washington’s publication of the Yalta documenta today, but spokesmen for the two main opposition parties were critical. The subject did not come up in the Canadian House of Commons today. But outside the House Mr John Diefenbaker, a Conservative member and official foreign affairs spokesman for the Opposition, said: “It is most indefensible to make publication of these documents while one of the principal participants (Sir Winston Churchill) is still alive and while the subject matter of the conference is still unsettled.” Internationalising Hong Kong, Mr Diefenbaker paid, would be “most adverse to Commonwealth interests and would lead to the disintegration of the Commonwealth. The next step would be Gibraltar.” Senator John Haig, Conservative leader in the Upper House, asked if Hong Kong should be given back to the Chinese and then internationalised, replied: “No, no, no. Hong Kong has been maintained by the British for years, and already is run almost as an international base.” Mr Solon Low national leader of the Social Credit Party, said: “Publication of the documents confirms the fact that the Yalta agreement constituted a surrender to the Russians. They also confirm President Roosevelt’s unalterable hatred of the British Commonwealth. The Hong Kong proposal is utterly silly.” Mr M. J. Coldwell, national leader of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (Socialist) Party, said that publication of the Yalta documents was “a shocking performance.” He added: “It frightens you as to the irresponsibility of some people on the other side of the line. This is one more reason why we Canadians should be careful when we are engaged in any confidential discussions with the United States.”