CANADIAN POLITICS

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1926, Page 3

CANADIAN POLITICS

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS discussed. •LOYALTY OR OTHERWISE. [“Sydney Sun” Cables.] (Received this day at 12 noon). OTTAWA, March 23. Canada’s external relations were di.--cnssed in the Canaian House of Commons when Mr AXoodswnrth (Labour Radical member for Winnipeg) moved that Canada should refuse to accept any responsibility for complications arisng from the foreign policy of the United Kingdom. He added that there was a tendency in Canada to he more Britsli than the British. He then referred to a recent speech in Hamilton by Mr Meighan when the opposition leader declared that in the event of another war, not only should Rnrlinmont be called, but the decision of Pa'iliament should he subject to a general election. I am inclined to think, said .Mr Woodsworlh. that Mr Meighon went too far. hut we are not doing so in settling the principle of my resolution. Mr Aleigben’s argument was equivalent to saying that i! Canada 1 1 ml bad its autonomy this Dominion would not have been in the war. Another member said Toronto would not have stmt fifty thousand to Franee and lie might have added, fifty thousand Canadians would not have been tilling graves in France or Belgium. Mr Woodsworth then quoted General .Macßi'ien (Chief of the Canadian stafl) as saying it was idle not to expect another war from the adjusting of Euro-

pean frontiers. Mr Woodsworlh protested against this propaganda, and against Admiral Jcllienc’s proposal that Canada .should contribute thirty million dollars to the Imperial Navy. H, 3 saw the danger of Canada being dragged into- war without saying whether or not she wished to. bo in it. We should say. our part involves a limited liability, and viiliout a decision of the Parliament and people of Canada we should not he bound bv what is decided overseas. T am not anti-British but I am ami-im-perial. I support the ideals of tho groat British Labour Party which soon again will In the Government of that country. I am against anybody's imperialism. American imperialism is more dangerous to Canada than the British typio.

Air Kennedy (Conservative member for 'Winnipeg! replying, declared Air Woodsworth did not represent the

views of any appreciable number ot Canadians. He asked, would any member add to his stature hv saying that in time of distress he would rofu.se to hob) his own mother. Tic charged Mr Woodsworth with trying lo gain kudos from a group of agitators, and with failing to rise when the National Anthen was sung. Hr Woodsworth denied this, amid a paidemonium. Ur Speaker directed Air Kennedy tint he must accept Afr Woodsworth’s denial, hut .Mr Meighan hotly told Air Speaker that the- rules could not force a member to go contrary to his own eyvsight.