CANADA VOTES TODAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 136, 11 June 1945, Page 4

CANADA VOTES TODAY

MINORITY REGIME MAY COME

NEW YORK, June 10. Tomorrow the Canadian General Election will be held, says the Ottawa correspondent of the "New York Times;." The electors' choice will be between the Liberals headed by Mr. Mackenzie King, the Progressive Conservatives led by Mr. John Bracken, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation under Mr. M. J. Coldwell, the Social Credit Party led by" Mr. John Elackmore, and a number of small parties, including the Quebec Bloc Populaire, and the Labour Progressives, who are frankly Communist in their aspirations.

The Liberals claim, they are the only party capable of winning an overall majority, for neither the Conservatives nor the C.C.F. have any great support east pf the Ottawa River. The expectation of the other parties is that the Liberal majority can and will be so weakened that the Government will be unable to continue long without the support of other parties, possibly involving a new election in a year or two.

The Progressive Conservatives have derived great encouragement from the results of the Ontario election on June 4, and predict that they can repeat this success in the Federal field. They have certainly made a strong campaign. In its final phases the campaign has resolved itself into a duel between Mr. Mackenzie King and his Conser; vative rival, Mr. Bracken. Both eliminate the C.C.F. as an immediate menace. Mr. Bracken's main charge against Mr. Mackenzie King is that, by refusing to apply all-out conscription, he has created a double standard of service and thereby increased the friction between the two races.

Mr. Mackenzie King has countercharged that Mr. Bracken is the only much publicised front man for an invisible Government by special interests, and that the Conservative Party's affairs are controlled by small financial groups who are striving to gain control of the government of Canada.

The election of the Defence Minister, General McNaughton, appears .unlikely. Mr. Mackenzie King's own seat is doubtful, though his recent visit there is said to have improved his prospects greatly.