OBJECTIONABLE ALIENS.

Taihape Daily Times, 21 May 1919, Page 6

OBJECTIONABLE ALIENS.

SOLDIERS RESIST INVASION.

<■ l WHITE CANADA” DEMANDED

VANCOUVER, April 15

An extraordinary, crisis lias arisen in Canada, whereby all the Dominion has been stirred to the depths on the thorny problem of the alien and his domicile in Canada.

Once more Winnipeg has been the

storm centre of the agitation to have no truck with undesirable immigrants to the British Empire domains. It was that a large number of the big manitonly a few weeks ago that the Winnipeg returned soldiers were in the limelight in the nation-wide agitation to oust the Hun holding lucrative positions in the country with manifold industrial organisations in Canada. Now that a Iragc number of the big manufacturing firms of Canada have dismissed the alien employees, and.have replaced the Hun by the engagement of worthy Canadian ox-soldiers, the subject of the foreign resident had almost simmered down to vanishing point, •when the serenity of the situation was suddenly erupted by an invasion threatened (from [the 1 American side of the international border. From South Dakota and neighbouring American States, where Canadian agencies have been busy lately infusing interest into parties likely to become successful Canadian farmers, religions sects, who objected on conscientious grounds from serving in the American Army in France, seized the opportunity to endeavour to cross into Canada and transport all their belongings thither in order to found community settlements. These anti-mili-tary settlers stated unspokenly that they would under no consideration give their consent to participate in any wars should the country of their adoption become involved in any such conflict. As soon as the Canadian veterans heard of this special claim from immunity, they instantly made representations to the Canadian Government, in Ottawa from Winnipeg, where 8,000 veterans expressed their desire to arm “to the, teeth” and journey to the international border to forcibly resist the threatened invasion of the Dominion by these largo parties of conscientious objectors to full Canadian citizenship.

Eight hundred business men of Win -, rdpeg set the ball rolling by holding a secret meeting, and after a two-

hour session of a most uproarious char, actor, sent a vigorous telegram to Ottawa, demanding that the Government pass drastic laws immediately to exclude tin sc undesirable immigrants The agitation was taken up all over Canada, and the soldiers’ organisations offered their unwavering support to refuse to allow Canada to become the asylum, of shirking settlers. The

'Canadian Clubs, tbo Groat War Veterans and the Army and Navy veterans, associations throughout Canada combined to keep Canada free of further aliens and the demand was for a “White Canada.”

The radical action of these three bodies' was the direct climax to the meeting of business men of V innipeg. and the Government’s assurance was invoked to positively protect the country from the invasion of such sects as the Mennonitcs and the Hut terites. It was the last-mentioned

that were at this time seeking to enter Canada in Targe numbers from the United States, where they had gained much unenviable notoriety by their anti-war activities.

The Government expressed anxiety to bar out these people, but as they Avert* American citizens the situation was difficult unless the whole western

border was closed to the entrance of

immigration of prosperous formers of Americans. As there had been a large the best class recently, the Government

immigration of prosperous formers of avas not now prepared to take such a step of exclusion. What was done

Avas to cancel the order granting immunity to Huttelites fiom milita. . service which Had been extended undci an order passed by the Eauriei Government in 1899. All boundary

inspectors and American agencies were immediately notified of this change, am’ neither members of this sect nor Mennonitcs can any longer claim military exemption as conscientious objectors. .