AUSTRALIA'S EFFORT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 76, 22 December 1917, Page 7

AUSTRALIA'S EFFORT

Sir,—l notice with surpriso that in your leader of Wednesday morning, it is asserted, with regard 10 the duties of the colonies in the war, that "Canada. had done considerably hotter than Australia," especially mien the foreign and disloyal sections were not counted. 1 think, sir, that -that is a very unfair statement, because, while not considering the disloyal Canadians, the disloyal Australians are considered. If the numbers from Canada are to bo attributed to the loyal sections only, why should not Australia's total be attributed to the loyal sections only of Australia? The French-Canadians are born in Canada, their parents were born in Canada, and tlioy have as much at stake as British Canadians. Moreover, they aro asked to defend not only their own country, but the country of their origin—France. Thero is less excuse for them than there is for \tho large body of Germans in Australia. Now, sir, to be fair, taking loyal and disloyal sections of both countries, and compai'iitu'on the population basis, we find that Canada, as stated in your leader, has sent oversea to date 380,000 from its population of 8,075,000. According to the last report of Senator Pearce, Australia lias dispatched 320,000 from its population of 4,930,000. Therefore, taking Canada's population as the basis, Australia lias sent 524,000. while Canada has sent only 380,000. Moreover, Canada's total includes some 7000 Americans. Another point which should not bo lost sight of is that Australia is keeping on active service an efficient navy of about 20 vessels all told, and in addition, has just established a minesweeping squadron. Cauada, as yet, maintains no such navy. It was this small fleet that enabled part of New Guinqa and Samoa to bp added to the liotii Australia and Canada are well represented in the I' lying Corps (R.K.C.), but in addition t.u tins, an Australian Hying corps has been established! and is doing good work in France. Even now a shipbuilding schcinb is in progress, railway lines have itieen sent home to England, and at thu beginning of the war the arms of tiio Australian and New Zealand troops came from the "small arms" factorr of the Commonwealth. Under the voluntary system of supplying troops, Australia has done considerably better even than New Zealand, and money ilias never been wanting. It is quite unfair to say that Canada has done considerably better than Australia; in fact, it may well be said, after the war, even if the anti-conscription-ists trituniph, that the greatest help cmne from Australia, in spite of strikes, "go-slow, 1 ' Sinn Fein, and open disloyalty we hear of lately. Australia can wash her dirty linen in public without, blushing. If yoti can spare a li':tle space in your columns in order to dispel some of the prevailing false ideas, you will - JACTS , December '20.