"IF WAR CAME."

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11231, 21 March 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

"IF WAR CAME."

• ♦ . , — - CANADIAN PREMIER'S SPEECH. OTTAWA, Jan. 29. Sir W. Laurier, in addressing the House of Commons to-day on the AngloJapanese Treaty, .. referred to the possibility of war. The debate arose out of Mr Borden's motion protesting against Canada entering into i a treaty with Japan which de^ prives Parliament of its control of the immigration question. The motion was defeated by a majority of fifty-five. Sir Wilfrid Laurier said the Groveinhment was aware that Japan would not agree to a clause restricting Japanese immigration into Canada in the treaty of 1b94, but Canada was in a better position without such a provision than the United States had with it, as she relied on the good faith of Japan* ! Referring to the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of alliance, the Premier said cnat if war unfortunately occurred they might see the. fleets of Japan and Great Britain united in the North 'Pacific against a common enemy. '■■ "It is possible that under the treaty we may see the fleet of Japan weighing anchor from the harbor of Vancouver for the protection of those British interests to /which we attach such vital importance. Canada would only denounce the treaty of 1894 in the last resort." Mr Foster, an Opposition .speaker, said he agreed that Japan, had acted in good faith, and he did not blame her for the influx of immigrants, but Jiothi ing had been gained by Mr Lemieux, as Japan had only renewed, her, previous assurances regarding a measure of. restriction, while the Canadian Anti-Labor Law was sufficient td protect the Dominion froni the invasion of Japanese from Hawaii. , BINDING AGREEMENT. > Mr Lemieux chai-acterised Mr Borden's amendment as a subterfuge and an insinuation of bad faith: against the Japanese Government. He- had a written assurance from .Viscount Hayashi, the Japanese Foreign Minister, that Japan would nob take advantage of; the treaty, but ' would restrict immigration and see that the desires of the Canadian Government were met. ; /Tin's undertaking was the ; more binding, because it was given with Japan's free' will. The emigration^ companies had been suppressed. • M r Lemieux denounced the publication .by the Opposition pv-ess of telegrams from Tokyo alleging that his mission had been, a failure, because he did not knock at the door of the American Ambassador in. Tokyo. He added : — "We have restored peace and harmony to British Columbia, "and succeeded in removing a vexed qtiestioii which} if discussed and disposed of in the spirit in which gentlemen opposite would deal with it, might perhaps . at no distant day bring not only Canada, but Qreat Britain .herself into international entanglements."