CANADIAN FORCES

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 November 1944, Page 5

CANADIAN FORCES

OVERSEA SERVICE DISPUTE

DEFENCE MINISTER RESIGNS OTTAWA, November 2. The Canadian Press learns reliably that the Minister of Defence, Mr Ralston, has resigned over the question of Canadian reinforcements for overseas service. Political observers expect that there will be far-reach-ing repercussions of the resignation. It is pointed out that the Canadian Minister for the Navy, Mr MacDonald, is strong for a stand that the men called up for compulsory service should be liable for service overseas, whereas the present regulations permit only the enlistment of volunteers for overseas service. MORE RESIGNATIONS (Rec. 10.35 a.m.) OTTAWA, Nov. 2. General McNaughton, former Commander of the Canadian Army, was sworn in, to-day, as Defence Minister, succeeding Mr Ralston. Toronto newspapers say the Navy Minister (Mr MacDonald), the Finance Minister (Mr Ilsley), and the State Secretary (Mr MacLarty) are also resigning, when the Seventh Victory Loan campaign has concluded. The Associated Press correspondent at Ottawa says Mr Ralston’s resignation is expected to hasten the date of the general, election. He demanded that Canadian conscripts be used as reinforcements in Europe after visiting the European battlefields. The “New York Times’s” Ottawa correspondent says' that while the success of the Canadian fighting men has brought pride and satisfaction it has evoked a new outburst of bitterness both here and among the soldiers at the front because of the comparative ease of home defence units, at tb.e time when the war is entering what Mr Churchill has described as a dour, hard phase. Ai; three separate Cabinet meetings, last week, this intricate question was debated without result, or at least without the policy being changed. There are 70,000 conscript home defence soldiers, compared with 660,000 volunteers. 1 ‘ LATER.

;vir Mackenzie King formally announced Mr Ralston’s resignation and the appointment of General McNaughton as his successor. He said he had no statement to make on the reasons of Mr Ralston’s resignation and added everything speaks for itself. . , , Mr JCing also disclaimed knowledge of any other resignations pending. He said he saw no reason for calling Parliament before the scheduled date, January 31. COMPULSION OPPOSED (Rec. 1.30 p.m.) OTTAWA, Nov. 2. The Canadian Press learns that call-ups for compulsory service are lagging behind the quota of 5000 monthly, set by the Defence Department last February. Some relief was provided by the Canadian Air Force releasing 4200 men, most of whom are going into the Army. Even so, the totals are still below Mr Ralston s tcir°ets. The plebiscite in 1942 released the Government from commitments against using conscripts for overseas. Mr Mackenzie King, however, announced the Government would not use authority without Parliament’s consent. The Canadian Press points out that General McNaughton recently publicly expressed the view that compulsion should hold no place in the Canadian policy. He is of the opinion that national unity, which is largely threatened, should not be sacrificed Cor Ihe sake of 70,000 draftees.

SPANISH DISUNITY

REPUBLICAN CLAIMS

NEW YORK, Nov. 1.

“Spanish Republicans on the French border say that they still hold two towns in the Aran Valley (on the south side of the central Pyrenees). They claim to have killed between 4000 and 5000 of General Franco’s troops at Veila, the chief town in the Aran Valley,” says Alexander Uhl, Paris correspondent of the New York newspaper “P.M.” who has just completed a tour of the French-Spanish border where the Aran Valley leads into France. Spain will not be liberated from the French side of the Pyrenees mountains unless the Spanish Republican guerrillas receive Allied help. So far there is no indication that the guerrillas will receive any Allied help. Snow will prevent any infiltration across the border, except by a few hardy groups.” The Madrid radio on Monday announced that the Republican bridgehead in the Aran Valley had been cleaned out, but Uhl says that he found no confirmation of this claim in French military quarters. He adds: “The Republicans have not the arms and equipment to hold fixed posts. What is important is that' the needs of a real movement against General Franco have been planted in Spanish soil in one of the most inaccessible parts of Spain.” Uhl says that General de Gaulle sent a representative to Geneva to find out the status of Spanish refugees in France, and how far they could legally carry out propaganda against General Franco. “This was not a particularly bold policy,” he comments, “but in face of the British and American policy towards General Franco it is as far as France can go at the moment.”