CANADA AT WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 102, 2 May 1941, Page 6

CANADA AT WAR

IMPRESSIVE FIGURES

MUNITIONS AND FOODSTUFFS

MONEY AND MEN

(0.C.) VANCOUVER, March 30., The Prime Minister, Mr. Mackenzie King, in a 15-minute speech in Parliament on the 1,500,000.000----dollar Defence Bill, was obviously replying to isolationist criticism in I the United States in regard to. Canada's war effort when he left the impression that, if the volume of population were a guide to defence appropriations, the United States contribution for the current year would be 35,000,000,000 dollars and an active army of 2,250,000 men. "Today, 44 per cent, of the national income of Canada is going to direct and indirect support of the cause of the Motherland in- the war. There are 250,000 men on active service, and a reserve of 175,000 men. Sixty military camps across Canada are training men for the army alone. To build up the Dominion's war industry machine, 280,000,000 dollars of capital have been paid out. About 350,000 extra men have been placed in industry. War materials and foodstuffs, of an aggregate value of 1,500,000,000 dollars, will be sent to Great Britain within the next twelve, months." The Prime Minister, doubtless, had in mind misleading and insulting references to Canada's war effort, made by the Lindbergh-Wheeler group, who are now carrying on an active campaign in the United States, aimed at restricting American effort, when he said: "Not only are we sharing, as a full partner in the struggle, not only are we. with one important exception, bearing the whole cost of equipping, supplying, and maintaining our military, naval, and air forces at home and overseas, but we are also helping to supply to Britain equipment, munitions," and the other essentials of war. The exception is this. Canada is paying the entire cost of three air squadrons in Britain. But,' as Canada is bearing the major cost of the Empire Air Training Plan, the United Kingdom, on its part, will maintain -in, the field Canadian pilots and airmen graduated from the plan. "What I have said up to the present relates to Canada's outright national contribution as a belligerent. It is being paid for in full by the Canadian people. It is not something that has been leased to Britain, nor lent to Britain. It is Canada's direct contribution. In addition, the Dominion has undertaken, in co-operation with Britain, capital advances of 380,000,000 dollars for the equipment and expansion of Canadian industry. Canadian labour has co-operated to the fullest." The Prime Minister added that the British Government could not find all the necessary dollars with' which to pay for her enormous purchases of Canadian'products. For the coming fiscal year, Britain's deficit, in her balance of payments with Canada, is estimated at 1,200,000,000 dollars. Canada must supply Britain with Canadian dollars to meet this deficit, either by purchasing Canadian securities now held in Britain or by the accumulation of sterling balances.