LOYALTY ASPERSED

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20726, 9 February 1939, Page 10

LOYALTY ASPERSED

FRENCH-CANADIANS’ SEETH MAYOR’S SPEECH CONDEMNED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Feb. 9, 3.15 p.m.) MONTREAL, Feb. 8 French-Canada is seething with indignation over an address by the Mayor, Mr Houde, of Montreal, before the Y.M.C.A., declaring that French-Cana-dians “by blood if not by name, were Fascists and would side with Italy in the event of an Anglo-italian war.” Mr Houde declared that French-Can-adians had been traditionally under dictators from Louis XIV, and Richelieu, to Mr Laurier. He argued that the Pope was an Italian, and Quebec Catholic, hence they must aid Italy. There was an immediate wave of protest. Mr Napoleon Courlmanche, the Mayor of Quebec City, quoted the pioneer Canadian statesman Tache as saying: “The last gun fired in defence of Canada for the Empire would be .fired by a French-Cana^lian.** Mr Adrian Archand, leader of the Nationalist Socialists, repudiated the Fascist theory, and declared that Quebec was solidly behind England if attacked by Italy. Monsignor Gauthier, representing the Archbishop of Montreal, termed the statement as “too funny for comment.” Mr Thomas Vien, a member of the House of Commons, stated that FrenchCanadians. is long as Canada remains a part of the Empire would never side with an enemy of Britain,