Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-08-22
CANADA IS FACING
FIRST real CRISIS
General Election To Be Called
In Few WeekS---VOterS
VIII Pass On Policies

Ottawa, Canada, Aug. 22.-Canada is
facing its first crisis since the opening
of the European war.
general election is to be called by
Premier Borden within the next few
weeks for early in the fail The life
o. the present conservative govern
ment expires ON October 7th. This will
be the first opportunity the people of
Canada have had to pass upon the war
policies of the Borden government
since the Dominions plunged into the
great conflict.
The government has been split wide
open on the issue of conscription, Pri-
ish Canada, generally speaking, sup
ports CONSUMPTION. French Canada is
almost solidly opposed. The bitterest
and most exciting political campaign
in Dominion history is in prospect. Up
on the result depends the continuance
in power of the present conservative
government and the enforcement of the
compulsory military service act.
Leading the liberal opposition is Sir
Wilfrid Laurier, ex-premier and the
idol of the French Canadians of the
province of Quebec. A brilliant speaker
and a mastery politician Laurier is
bending every effort to bring to his
standard all the elements in Canada
disaffected with the Borden regime.
Already however he has had to face
the refusal of twenty two non French
Canadian liberals in the house from On
tario and the western provinces to fol-
low him in his anti conscription battle.
What strength those conscriptionist
liberal party 'belters' can take with
them to the polls has become one of the
big question marks of the campaign.
In its answer may lie the final decis
ion. On the part of the conservatives
they have had to face minor but very
significant desertions from French Ca
madam conservatives.
Canada has 100000 enlisted men.
Her over seas force is made up of five
divisions. Four of these are in France
and one is held in England as re-
serve division. Since the desperate,
bloody day at Vimy ridge, heavy
drafts have been made on this reserve.
Canada must provide more men or soon
Dominion troops will be left without
reserves. This would mean the elimina-
tion of Canada as a fighting factor at
the front Canada must raise 100000
more men and do it quick.
Voluntary recruiting is thing of the
past Canada has no great wealth of
man power. Eight million people is her
top. Already the 100000 men who 50
freely gave themselves to service have
seriously tightened the labor market in
places. Farmers are in straits for help.
In many cities clerks and municipal
employees are given half holidays from
their regular employment in order that
they may go into the fields. This short
age is emphasized by the anti-cOnscrip-
tionists Conservatives declare there
are hundreds of "slackers - in the cit
les who could be spared and assert that
these are the men they want to get too
under the law.
Intricate as is this problem alone, it
is intermixed with the racial question.
an alien enemy tangle, tremendously
difficult financial situation, involving
the naturalization of 1000 miles of
railroad and millions of dollars in ad-
vanees to others, and a line of hoary
but still virulent political animosities
which stirred together offer the Ca
madam voter a political salad unlike
any thing previous in his entire polit-
ieal experience.
The next few weeks will see stir
ring times across the border