Greymouth Evening Star. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1944. CANADIAN CRISIS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 November 1944, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1944. CANADIAN CRISIS.

yiiE regret expressed by Canadian soldiers training in Britain in the earlier years of the war, that they were not employed on active service, may be recalled by some of them, to-day, when they are undergoing severe ordeals in Holland, partly through water —water everywhere. This hard fighting in the Netherlands follows similar struggles in France and Belgium since D Day, and the Canadian casualties have been heavy. Home folk in Canada must be torn between pride in their men’s heroic achievements and sorrow at the tragic price being paid, and it is understandable why friction has arisen over the fact that men are conscripted for home defence, but only volunteers are sent Overseas. There is a somewhat similar system in Australia. In both lands, there is no lack of such volunteers, but, naturally, there is some feeling against those who seek the line of least resistance, and choose to stay at home, where the enemy is unlikely to be encountered, and where hardships do not have to be endured. The fact that Mr. Ralston, Minister of Defence, has thought the situation was unpardonable is demonstrated by his resignation, and he is to be copied, it is reported, by other leading Ministers. The Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King) has appointed a non-politician, General McNaughton, ex-commander of the Canadian forces abroad, as the new Minister of Defence, and has announced there will be no early general election. Events may prove too strong for Mr. King, and he may have to appeal to the country. Happenings at the recent Canadian provincial elections have mostly gone against the Liberals, and this may have made Mr. King dubious about the Dominion Liberals’ chance of success at the next Federal pollings. He will play for time, hoping the national indignation will dissolve before the elections are held. Canada’s war effort has been magnificent, and the King Cabinet is entitled to much of the credit deserved. The present trouble is not due to war-weari-ness, but. on the contrary, to the desire to make all share as equally as possible; the dangers and sacrifices. New Zealand and Australia avoid some of Canada’s troubles by their people being practically all of British descent. Canada fills her wide open spaces with all kinds of nationalities, and, through this, loses as well as gains. To maintain Canadian unity is difficult owing to the country’s inhabitants being so mixed in race, language, customs, standards and ideals. Tn time, most of the immigrants become good Canadians, but this takes a generation or two. Canadians of French descent offer a special problem, as the French held Eastern Canada before the British did, and a large area to : day, is still peopled by those French in language, outlook and sympathies. Conscription has always been opposed by them, and there are religious and other differences .Now that France has been liberated, there may be less desire in the East to serve Overseas, and this will influence the attitude of the “foreign-born” residents of. Central Canada. A Federal Government m Canada has a more difficult task than a similar Ministry in New Zealand or Australia, and criticism should be cautious unless all the facts are known. No land has a brighter post-war future than has Canada, and no part of the Overseas Empire will be more dominant m future world-councils. It is a great pity that - eu Zealand and Canada hear so little of each other’s progress. The appointment o a Minister at Ottawa does not seem to have lessened this regrettable ignorance. ,