CANADIAN WAR ATTITUDE

Evening Star, Issue 23527, 16 March 1940, Page 11

CANADIAN WAR ATTITUDE

IN IT TO COMPLETE JOB MIGHBGURLY FEELING FOR U.S.A. [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, March 15. ; “As in llingland, there is little or flag-waving in Canada, but there is the same determination to do the job that has to be done, and there have been many times the volume of voluntary enlistments that can be handled,” said Mr C. F. Crandall, president of the British United Press of Montreal, who is a through passenger by the Monterey for Sydney. Several regiments had been mobilised, but were disbanded for the time being ■ because England did not need them and Canada was hard-pressed to tram troops in the winter. ■“ The vast scheme for training Empire airmen in Canada will be in full operation by the beginning of next year,” he 1 said: The construction of aerodromes, and flying fields had been pushed ahead rapidly, about 50 extra fields being involved. Canada _ was training its own men, principally ground staff and instructors. The first of the overseas trainees were expected in the summer. " The dominant factor in Canadian politics, continued Mr Crandall, was that' the Government had been called upon' to defend itself from attacks by the Conservatives, who had received some support in their criticism from members of the Liberal Party in Ontario. . In Quebec, where the population was predominantly French," people were more whole-heartedjy \ interested in this war than they were in the last, because their'liberties, both civil and religious, were threatened by Germany and Russia. The Canadians would not favour conscription., and probably it would not be introduced. In the province of Quebec and round the city ox Montreal, French enlistments in the early part of the war were nearly three times those of the English section. . Among the Americans there was what we called - a 11 tphobia of propaganda,” Mn> Crandall continued, and that was unfounded since no one : wanted them to enter this war. ft was not a man-power war;, so long as they kept their markets open and behaved as they were doing, Canada certainly, and Britain probably, would be well satisfied. On the other hand, it was incomprehensible to both that, if one should be involved in # a war that implied invasion by a foreign country, ‘the other would not come to help. , ' “ If Japan, for example, should try to effect access to the United States through Alaska,” he said, Canada s interests, as well as her sympathies, would be completely ranged alongside America, hut, by common consent, Americans and Canadians do not discuss war, topics.” The general mass of the American ■people, while sympathetic to the Allied cause and very hostile to Hitler and Stalin, were definitely determined to keep out of the war at all costs; but, if the situation should < arise that England and France were in danger., and particularly if Hitler did anything to offend the moral sense of the American .people, there was no question ot their participation.