NO EMPIRE FLEET

Southland Times, Issue 18965, 13 June 1923, Page 14

NO EMPIRE FLEET

CANADA MAY DECLINE TO JOIN. "ENGLISH SCAREMONGERS.’’ LONDON, May 28. “ If scaremongers get control of English opinion and develop the idea that wars are an inevitable necessity, there may be a parting of the ways for Canada,” says Professor W. P. McC. Kennedy, of Toronto University, an authority on constitutional law. In an article in the Contemporary Review, he adds: “Canada sent her best on a mission of world redemption, and if the world does not accept the glad tidings, Canada may run out of missionaries.” Mr Bruce, says the professor, has hinted at the need of an Empire defence scheme. The opinion exists in Australia that Japan, while reducing her capital ships, as the result of the Washington Conference, is employing the money thus saved in building a strong fleet of sea-going submarines and battle-cruisers. Mr Bruce, therefore, will speak at the Imperial Conference explicitly with the view that any proposal for a cooperative plan he might make would carry a strong body of Australian public opinion. “Canada, under present conditions, must be exceedingly careful. She is protected by the Monroe Doctrine, and moreover by the good sense of the United States. Canada constitutes a kind of mutual guarantee against aggression. “Australia is geographically isolated, and her fears are natural. When Australia raises the subject at the Imperial Conference, the British and Canadian delegates should both make it clear that the United States will not tolerate Japanese advances in the Pacific.” The writer is confident that no Canadian Government will be able to pledge Canada to any military or naval organisation common to the Empire. “Canadians think in terms of peace, and it will be surprising if Canada favours any new suggestions for a common defence policy. The English Press must avoid thinking in terms of possible wars. The Empire must rally round the idea of the League of Nations. “Naval and military experts are dangerous folk.” A leading Canadian in London said that this article reflected three-quarters of Canadian public opinion. The present Liberal Government, it is raid, is carrying on the traditional Liberal policy on the subject of an Imperial Navy. The French-Canadians, numbering 2,250,000, while supporting the British emphatically oppose Imperial defence commitments. Hundreds of thousands of European immigrants, many of whom had been taught in early life to regard Britain as a foe, are antagonistic to an Empire defence scheme, and the Americans, who flock to the prairie provinces in large numbers, are imbued with the opinion that Canada should not accept Imperial responsibilities. They would sooner see Canada become part of Ihe United States. The supporters of th- policy of Imperial iem are restricted to the descendants of the old British stock, which has chiefly settled in the eastern provinces, to British immigrants and to British Columbians, numbering altogether two millions, as compare<l with their six million opponents. Mr Murray, former Premier of Nova Scotia, said that to the best of his belief Professor Kennedy accurately reflected the Canadian view, adding that the fact might be unfortunate, but it was, nevertheless, true.