New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-22
Entire Militia Garrison Of
Toronto Called Out
for Test.
REPRIMAND GIVEN
OFFICER FOR PAINS
Women Take Their Knitting to
Meetings and Theatres-Talk
of General Election.
rBy telegraph to ql,s Trlbun,

attitude Of Canadian military authori-
ties is that when their country Is ut
war nothing should be taken for
granted, and during the last few days
precautions against invasion have been
perfected on an elaborate scale. For
the purpose Of testing mobilization ia
ciiities Major General Lessard early IN
the week called out the entire militla
garrison Of Toronto. At midday, with
out warming, the notice went out for
all the regiments TO report at the ar
mories. By telephone and automobile
the summonses issued, and in two and
q half hours the various regiments
were uniformed and armed ready for
service. II was a rather remarkable
performance. But for his pains Gen
eral Lessard was publicly rebuked by
General Hughes, Minister of Militia,
for fostering scare.
As fact, the mobilization gave rise
TO all sorts of foolish rumors, such as
that a pontoon bridge had been thrown
across the Niagara River and thou
sands of German reservists were
marching into Canada and another
that the waters of Lake Ontario had
been poisoned.
IL is thirty years since Canadian
l WlllllA nuNt DffH summary
That was on the occasion of the North
west rebellion. In those pre-telephone
and pre-automobie days buglers ira
versed the streets on horseback.
In connection with the test mobiliza-
tion it is understood that arrangements
have been made with the railways to
transport troops to meet any emer-
gency. The nature of these arrange
ments are not known, but doubtless
trains are being held in readiness TO
convey troops to any point they might
be needed.
SO much for precautions against in
vasion in force. Similar precautions
are being elaborated against possible
outrage by individuals with criminal
intent. Here are few examples:
Six hundred men are patrollng the
Welland Canal, and similar patrols are
on duty at the 500 and ST. Lawrence
canals.
Practically every railway bridge in
the country is under guard.
Public buildings in all the large
cities are under guard, light and day.
The public is not allowed TO approach
wireless plants, all of which have now
been taken over by the government, If
not dismantled.
important UuDllE hOIhNf SUN a.
waterworks. are under guard at all
strategic points. Where reservoirs are
situated in public parks, the parks
have been closed.
Many of these precautions have been
in effect for weeks, but recently the
guards have been increased in num-
Der and the system made much more
complete and strict.
New Yorker Gives Opinion.
'T feel as though | was in the war
zone" said New York visitor this
week. "On the first streetcar | took |
found half a dozen soldiers in uniform
/ When | had gone a couple OF blocks
we ran into a procession. There must
| have been 1900 or 1000 in line. The
| odd thing to me was that you people
seemed TO take it as matter or course.
/ No one was paying much attention to
| them. And | see soldiers everywhere.
/ The conversation | overhear Is about
/ getting away to the front with the
next contingent, or about friends VINO
/ have gone to the front, or about
militia contracts. It is war, war, war.
/ Nv day in Toronto has brought the
war home a good deal closer TO me-
With women knitting continues TO be
. the all dDNOiDlnE ONNAlHNtN's -''''NN
upon miles of garments have been com
pleted and sent to the front, and the
| Industry still grows 1t is quite the
proper thing at all women's meetings
/ for each person present to have her
knitting along, busily plying the
/ needles all the time, unless she gets
I'D 10 speak II is not uncommon 70
see a group on streetcar knitting
away. and on a few occasions indus
/ trious and patriotic souls have been
seen at the theatre similarly occupied.
! Schoolgirls are encouraged to keep at
/ it even during lessons, and in one way
or another the whole feminine pOpula-
ton has shouldered the job of supply
/ ing warm woollens for the boys at the
I front
Political wiseacres now insist that in
spite Of the party truce there IS TO be
a general election in February. The
Premier, Sir Robert Borden, whose
| health has again been giving him some
/ anxiety, has returned from an extend
ed holiday at Hot Springs, Va, and
/ Major General Sam Hughes, Minister
of Militia, is home from his visit to
the Canadian expeditionary force in
! England. But it is not on the activi-
/ ties of ministers that the predictions
/ of an early election are based, but
/ rather on the activities and spirit of
! the government newspapers.
Among section of the Conservative
party there undoubtedly exists a vague
| uncrvstallized conviction that in some
way or other the present cataclysn
ought to be OF service in wiping their
opponents forever off the map. II Is
in something of this spirit that weighiy
l.. .s.aatul artfplau IN 81 q
all of the government papers are rak-
ing over the old embers of the navy
controversies of the last eight or nine
years TO prove the delinquencies Of Sir
Wilfrid Laurier and his followers, and
/ how they alone are responsible for the
unpreparedness of Canada for war, and
how they thwarted the legitimate
wishes of mother England as she gath
cred her resources for the coming
storm.
These articles are at this time alto
gether pointless unless they fore
shadow an early appeal 10 the country.
The opposition papers on their part
are not maintaining All entirely mol
fensive attitude. Every exploit of a
cruiser such as Australians Sydney -
by them extolled as a glorified argu-
ment in favor of the Laurier navel
policy of local feet units.
Patriots Are Grieved.
The partisanship, not unmixed with
bitterness, at present appearing in
many Canadian papers cannot but
grieve patriots who desire complete
unity and harmony during these trou-
! bled days If an election results they
will be still further grieved, for under
the circumstances the campaign will
likely be one of unusual bitterness and
rancor