The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-07-17
FRENCH CANADIANS SHARE
Their Willingness to Send Troops to
Aid Britain and France.
Cap rAlgle, P. O, July IL, 1910.

Cap a rAisle, r. @, July 10, 1916.
TO the Editor OF The New York Times:
In recent issue of your Magazine
Section there appeared long article
stating that the French Canadians had
not borne their share Of the war bur
den; that, in particular, they had not
enlisted that their clergy was against
enlistment, because of grievances in
connection with French Canadian
schools in the West; and worse still,
that these ill-feeiings were so strong
that there was danger of civil war
should they fail to obtain what they
were demanding
For many years I have been coming
for the summer 10 the Province OF Que
bee from New York / speak their Ian
guage. ! know intimately this gentle,
yirtuous people; and felt certain
that in the facts there could be no war
rant for this article.
Yesterday | went to high mass at La
Malbaie, Murray Bay) one of the
most important parishes of the prov
ince. The rector there are several
priests attached to this church, an.
nouncod that the sermon would be
preached by chaplain of an exclusive
ly French Canadian regiment, now in
training at Valcartier. near Quebec
At the close OF his sermon the chaplain
spoke few deeply affecting words.
| asking Tor the prayers OF the cougrega-
| ton in his and his soldiers behalf, and
| he invited the men 90 meet him after
services on the green outside, whore
| he would have q few words to address
| to them All the men and many wo-
men waited after church to hear him.
| In a few minutes there came toward
us 4 military figure, al in Khaki, II
| was cur missionary In an officers full
uniform. He said that he was born
In the Province: he had been for eight
years missionary priest in the West
| tan oblatc of Mary immaculato) and
he had joined the regiment because he
recognized It to be his duty to do so
as he was young physically able. and
could be spared He was aware that
some among his audience had conscier
tious scruplos, and these he proceeded
to answer About the school question
In the West he said they should bansl
all thought of the matter from theh
minds. England had always been ius
hem and certainly would continue Il
be SO in this case. They should under
stand clearly that their enemy In this
matter, was not the English. Attei
speaking with doCp emotion OF France
and ENGLAND. he concluded by stating
that military service was u school fol
patriotism, much needed discipline
temperance, and religion. His PROBES
sion did not permit him to appeal L
the young men to follow the colurs. bu
he begged them to give few minutes
attention to the words OF the Colone
of the regiment, who would now ad
dress them
Tho Colonel then introduced himsel
as native of Baic st. Paul the cento
OF the Province, aud. with a few lnspir
ing words he asked the young men L
consider whether their duty was no
ut the front. defending their mother
france. and their adopted mother
England So much for the attitude o
the energy OF Quebec.
In regard to the onlistmonts, there
are physical reasons why Quebec can
not furnish as many men as Ottawa
, Ottawa has moro men available. Tn
/ French family averages at least twic
that Of tho English. and so the marricI
! | man In Quebec. has too many deper
dent on him. The population of Gu,