FOREIGN POLICY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 110, 12 May 1939, Page 10

FOREIGN POLICY

WHERE CANADA STANDS

AT ONE WITH CHAMBERLAIN

PRIME MINISTER'S \ STATEMENT

(From "The Post's" Representative.)

VANCOUVER, April 12

The long-awaited statement on foreign policy was made by the Prime Minister, Mr. Mackenzie King, in the House of Commons at Ottawa on '.he day before Mr." Chamberlain made his historic pronouncement in the House of Commons at Westminster, that "his Majesty's Government would give Poland all the support in their power, in the event of any action which clearly threatened Polish independence and which the Polish Government accordingly considered it vital to resist with their national forces."

The composition of the House had undergone a change recently. The Prime Minister still has the support of 60 French Canadian members, but the Leader of the Conservative Opposition, Dr. Manion, is also a French Canadian. In place of the fiery eloquence of Mr. Bennett, whose services have been lost to Canada since before the September crisis, we have the placid pronouncement of his successor, which is almost identical with that of the Prime Minister.

A preliminary statement of a brief nature had been made by Mr. Mackenzie King, in the House, ten days earlier. Quebec thought it went too far, and a number of French Canadian organisations telegraphed to him, demanding that he make no commitment that would endanger their interpretation of Canadian national unity. As was to be expected, the Prime Minister's expanded statement, which occupied two hours of speech, was cautious to a degree, and obviously designed with the intention not to provoke, by the least unnecessary word, anything that might affect this national unity. THREE LINES OF POLICY. Three lines of policy were laid down by the Prime Minister: Canada is to be considered at war when Great Britain and the Empire are at war; Parliament will be summoned if war comes; and the Government will come to Parliament with a decision and a 1 policy,, on its own responsibility. But he stated what was essential to the definition of his support of Great Britain and the British Government. The background of his utterance was his steady conviction that Mr. Chamberlain had behaved admirably throughout a prolonged crisis.

Mr. Mackenzie King had been twitted frequently by his critics on lagging behind other Dominions in giving Mr. Chamberlain an assurance that he had the support of the people overseas, as well as in the Motherland. Much of his address was devoted to this criticism. He denied that there had been any lagging; in fact, he said, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa had offered no more than Canada had done. "I cannot accept the view which is being urged in some quarters today," he said, "that, regardless of what Government or party may be in office, regardless of what its policy may be, regardless of what the issue itself may come to be, this country should say, here and now,' that Canada is prepared to support whatever may be proposed by the Government at Westminster."

The promise made by President Roosevelt that the United States would defend Canada against attack was recalled by Mr. Mackenzie King. Quoting the words of the President's pronouncement, which was made in August last, he said:—"August, 1938, is as important in North American annals as September was in the annals of Europe. We, too, have our obligations as a good, friendly neighbour, and one of them is to see that, at our own instance, our country is made as immune from attack or possible invasion as we can reasonably be expected to make it, and that, should the occasion ever arise, enemy forces should not be able to pursue their way, either by land, sea, or air, to the United States, across Canadian territory."