The Dominion SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1917. CANADIAN PROBLEMS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 10, 6 October 1917, Page 6

The Dominion SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1917. CANADIAN PROBLEMS

Sir Wilfrid Laurier is a- statesman of distinguished reputation, but his action in resigning the leadership of the Canadian Liberal Party promises to relievo in some degree a state of critical tension which has arisen in the political life of than Dominion. Controversy, over tho Military Service '. . measure •which substitutes- compulsory enlist-, ■ment for voluntary recruiting—has sharply intensified. the racial cleavage which' exists in Canada, and there is still a danger that the results may be serious. Precisely to what extent Sir Wilfrid Laurier's resignation of the Liberal leadership will affect tho position will not appear until it is. known whether'he intends to abandon' any active part in-politics or is bent upon consolidating French-Canadian opposition to compulsory military service. His resignation clears the air in the sense that it removes an obstacle to the political co-operation of the Conservatives, now in office under Sik Robert Borden, and the considerable section of the Literal Party which supports . conscription. _ But the population .of Canada is divided over this issue on racial .and not on political- party' lines; and even if the way has been cleared for the formation of a Conservative-Liberal coalition—as the reported inclusion of a Liberal Minister in tho Cabinet suggests—the Government .is. still confronted by a very serious problem. Although it was made quite dear when- Sui Robert Borden returned from' the Imperial War Conference that conscription was win only method by which Canada could maintain and 'support her divisions at the front, the French-Canadians have from the outset been irreconcilable in their opposition. _ It is only too plain that this section of the population must be regarded as having no warm . feeling either tor France or for Great Britain. An element of religious discord has al?o appeared which tends to aggravate tlw situation. According to availAle "reports,' the attitude of the Catholic hierarchy of Quebec was not clearly defined in the early .staecs of the controversy -over- the Military 'Service Act. But in: an interview nublishcd in his own -official organ Cardinal Begin. . Archbishop of • Quebec, denounced .the conscription •law as "a-menace which causes the Canadian clergy the worst possibo apprehensions." He "bserved. amongst other things, that the "evil" might he mitigated if the exemption boards were composed entirclv of "Catholics, enlightened and good-willed," and further: •I like to-believe . . . that no oiuMvill;<iaro on a- matter so important and- dPlicntp, hurt The ppnHments of the whale L.iitholic population of the Domini/in, .iml•nnpnitlontly eo»v on this side of the Atlimfit U>e-KPCfI- of ll>e-fatal religions <li«-1 conis tilt lmvc ..livukrt Ihe OM.'Wori.l. Whether or not the French-Canad-ians lay and clerical, intend to persist to 'tho end in their, opposition to a. measure obviously demanded in the interests of the effective prosecution of the war,' the emergency has had -marked effects in consolidating other sections of the population and in assuring the Government powerful support in carrying on a strong war policy.-' Development, on tnese lines was" in visible nrogress when ,thc Military Service Bill was before Parliament in July, though complications then existed which seem to have been in part cleared away. Hie Kill passed its third reading in f.hn Dominion House of-Commons by 102 ■votes to <U, a majority of 53. Twe.ntvtwo'Liberals voted m favour of the measure, and only four Lnghslisneaking members west of Quebec Province opposed the third reading. The debate, as well as tho voting, afforded clear evidence of tho split in the Liberal Tarty,. which Vine-' 'now culminated in tne resignation of. Sin Wilfrid Ker- . While .Sir Wilfrid reiterated-his conviction that .ccmse'riptiori ■ -would-force a- clcnyagc "upon the 'coiintry which -woukl • V>p. alnißEt nnhcalable, &>tm of his lea?l-

ing followers maintained that the Bill was absolutely necessarv, and at the same time advocated tTic formation p.f a National Government. While the Government thus prevailed triumphantly on the main issue, its position was made 'difficult hy a demand for a general ' election, which was supported by sonic of the Liberals who also supported tho Military Service Act. It is particularly from this point of view that late developments are interesting. In tho ord'inary way the term of the Canadian Parliament would have expired towards the end of last, year, but , it : was extended for twelve months under a compromise reached by the political parties. Sir Robert Burden's policy was to further extend the life of Parliament and form a Coalition Cabinet. In bringing down a motion to ex--tend the life of Parliament for another year, he stated, however, that unless it could be carried by a unanimous or practically unanimous vote he would not press it upon the House. In the- event the resolution was passed by a majority of only twenty votes. This was regarded as making a general election inevitable, but it ha-s since been intimated that the election will probably bo :delayed until March next year, and that the Military Service Act will meantime, be enforced. If a general election is inevitable, it is no doubt much better that it should be held with the new law in working operation. The only regrettable feature of late developments is that' they' possibly tend' to consolidate the French-Ca-nadians and other "foreign elements" in Canada into an irreconcilable jrroup. On tho other hand ifc is evident that Conservatives and Liberals representing a big majority of the population of Canada are in a fair way to reach a firm working agreement to unitedly support a strong war policy. The essential consideration which brought them together, much as they are opposed on ordinary political grounds, was that if Bib Wilfrid Lauiuek was successful at a general election, tho controlling elements behind him would not allow him to prosecute the war. It is not, of course, suggested that ho would not have ainied at doing so. His resignation of the Liberal leadership probably means at least, if it means nothing more, that he recognises that he is faced by an irresistible political combination which will undoubtedly, bo supported by the mass of the Canadian population and is assured of a mandate should an appeal to the country become necessary. Whether the action of the veteran Liberal leader will modify the bitter antinational spirit of his French-Ca-nadian supporters remains to be seen.