CANADA & LOCARNO

Hokitika Guardian, 5 June 1926, Page 4

CANADA & LOCARNO

(Mr John I!. Bone, Editor of the Toronto " Daily Star.’’ > TORONTO, March 22. The atmosphere and t e reality of deedin'k which has descended on the Canadian I’arliaincut as a result of the electoral fiasco in October is not con--11 Hi ive to consideration of Imperial topics. Nevertheless it is hoped that one day soon the parties 'will stop making grimaces al each other long enough to permit a dignified discussion on the subject of Locarno. ('ainula. like tho other Dominions, is specifically excluded Ironi tile obligations of Locarno, uubss its Guvonimonl “ signifies its acceptance thereof.” Thus is repeated the precedent first .set by the proposed Anglo-Frencli-Aniericnn Treaty in .1919 and regarded bv autonomists as a landmark in Imperial Constitutional development. under which the Dominions set ured discretionary |<owers in assuming obligations undoV British treaties v. liioh, previous t > the Great War. bad been automatically imposed and aivept-

Having been granted discretionary power, wluit use is the Canadian Gov- ( niment going to make of it in the |ireM>iit instance f Will it sign on (lie d;il n-d line:- The answer is likely to he no.

li. i"- to he noted that the discretionary power is conlerroil hy J.ocarno on the “ Government.” not " Parliament,” hut tile Canadian Afinistrv is expected to consult the House of Com--IWIIS, perhaps by a motion seeking formal approval of its negative attit tide. per Tt.ors poses mi l m fs. As the Dominions were not parties to the Conference which drew up the treaty, it is argued that they should not now he required to accept the treaty’s obligations. Not that there is any official resentment because Canada was not called to the Council table at Locarno. Officially Canada regarded J.ocrnn as a Europen .gathering called to deal with a European problem.

If the United Kingdom considered it wise to refrain from “ underwriting ” the treaties referring to boundaries in Eastern Europe, why. it is asked, should Canada, underwrite even the treaty referring to the French-Ger-man boundary? Canada, it is argued, is more remole from the Rhine than the I nited Kingdom is from the Danube. Canada’s interest in Europe, it is urged, is not so direct and acute as to induce her to sign a blank cheque to he filled in for an unlimited amount at any date in the future. She wishes, rather to keep her hands free to as-' •snme. when the need arises, obligations « . ieh will hear a relation to tbe oir- 1 cimistanr-es of Canadian and British! interests at that time. 1

Acceptance of the Locarno Treaty is interpreted as meaning that the entire resources of Canada would ho pledged to a maintenance of the treaty, ft might conceivably mean a British-Ger-man alliance of force against France and a war against the Motherland of -b per cent, of Canada’s population. !• rench-Canadi.an opinion is overwhelmingly against all possible European war entanglements, and so far. except for a brief period at the end of t. o war. no Government lias carried on without substantial support from Freneh-Canada. To-day a hostile Quo-1 bee stands between Mr Moighen. lender <‘f the Opposition, and the goal of his aspiration. SERVICE ABROAD. Hence -Mr Meighan, in an effort to ivin a single by-election in Quebec as a harbinger of soft breezes for the future, last November made his surprising announcement, pledging the Conservative Party, if in power, never to send Canadian troops abroad until ' rfrer the people Had been consulted in 1 a general election.

That speech of Air Meighen's gave widespread offence. It roused rebellious protests from some of his Conservative followers, who say that he has forfeited his right- to lead the Conservative Partv. It failed to make any impression on Quebec. Tt is criticised by 1 literals as inconsistent with Air Aleigben’s. equally famous “ Rendv, aye, | ready!” declaration during the Cliaiiak episode, and also as an_unpractical and mischief-making policy—an issue of wag, they say. must be settled by Government and Parliament.

Mr Meiglien’s new “ ballots before bullets policy ” seems to preclude him from advocating the acceptance by the Canadian Government of the Locarno Treaty, which omits any provision for the necessities of a general election in Canada.

Is Canada, then, washing her hands of Europe for evermore? By no means. ! Only here and there a voice liko that of John S. Ewart. K.C., with his “ Independence Papers,” is raised advising Canada to release herself front OldWorld obligations and affiliations, i But Canadians in the mass appreciate the ties and interests that link Canada with Europe, and Canadians in the mass alive no desire to be relieved from the implications of Sir "Wilfrid Laurier’s famous phrase, “ When Britain is at war Canada is at war.”

Before me as 1 write lies a copy of this morning’s “ Toronto Globe,” in which the leading editorial, urging Canada to support the Locarno Pact, contains this sentence:

“It is safe to say that no Canadian Government which refused to back Great Britain in any war in which she became involved could endure for a da v.”

Great Britain has had before this wars in which Canada did .not engage, but what tho “ Globe ” writer means to express is that there is in Canada an instinctive loyalty and affection for the. Motherland that will find expression wherever the occasion calls for it. regardless of the existence and nonexistence of treaties and pacts.

There are earnest nilvoc-ntes of the Locarno Treaty in Canada. They include not only orthodox Imperialists, but also autonomists, who urge that Canada as a nation must assume the obligations and responsibilities of nationhood. But how well the rase for acceptance will be presented in Pa rliaDie*nt remains to be seen.