New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16

III you pass this bill you are entering
the realm Of civil war. You are deliberately
provoking the people"
All Canada realized with a shock how
deep and wide the cleavage between the
Participating and Engish-speaking ma
tionalites of the Dominion had become when
Mayor Mederic Martin of Montreal uttered
the above words in the Ottawa Parliament
with reference to the governments deter
mination to introduce CONSUMPTION. The fric-
ton between the two peoples is nothing
new: yesterday 1t was bi-lingualism in the
schools; to-day it is CONSUMPTION; the dis
pute over the last named has served to bring
an already bitter racial feeling to a head
that is all. And now Quebec's most rad
ical Nstionalists are openly and loudly clam
oring for complete secession from the rest
of the Dominion they demand autono-
nous colony, owing allegiance direct to the
British Crown, but with no political aftilia-
tions whatever with the rest Of Canada
another Newfoundland, in fact. The war,
which in so many Of its impacts on the
orld's life has "speeded up" evolution till
it has become revolution, has brought home
to Canada the fact that she has Home
Rule" problem on her hands every whit as
embarrassing and pressing as Great Britain's.
Indeed, Quebec is now to the Dominion what
Ireland is to England.
The Parallel with Ireland
In many respects remarkable parallel
exists; in each case the overtly expressed
demand for complete secession has been
precipitated by the war; in each case the
situation is complicated by religious diff
ferences in each case for reasons Of COM
mercial self-interest and strategic safety the
larger nationality has felt unable to grant
absolute autonomy; in each case politics and
a blindly partisan press have served to
embitter an already sufficiently acute prob
lem.
Quebec, admittedly far behind her fair con-
tribution to the Dominion military forces, Is
inexorably opposed to CONSUMPTION, which Is
frankly aimed at her reluctant manhood
The hottest headed French Canadian Nation
alists are urging their 'compatriots TO resist
the forced levy by armed rebellion; the
milder leaders advise q passive resistance
which, nevertheless, shall employ every
means short of actually taking weapons in
the hand.
Like an echo of the charge of Dominion
Minister of Militia Sir Edward Kemp, that
efforts to secure the cooperation of the
Catholic clergy of Montreal in recruiting
campaign had not been successful, came the
demand for political secession in the Quebec
publication ia Croix." This organ, circulat-
ing almost exclusively among the Catholic
clergy, said in June issue:
To-day they wish to impose by force =
law q. e., conscription) as unconstitutional!
as it il anti Canadian, which will send our
sons and brothers to the European butchery
like so many cattle. And no one speaks
Of breaking the odous regime which BINDS
us to the chariot wheels of the conqueror
No one suggests the breaking Of this tie
How sweet TO live In Lower
Canada separated from Upper Canada, yet
subject as at present to the British crown
The qualities of our race would then de-
velop normally in country extending from
Ottawa TO the Atlantic, administered by
French Canadian majority possessing power
TO make all our laws, to treat freely with
foreign countries, to fix our customs tariff,
to control our immigration, our navigation
and our transportation
British Bitterness
On the other hand the feeling among
Canadians of British and other descent than
French is Just as determined. give TINS
opinion as it was given to me again ana
again in my recent trip across the Dominion
"Why are we bitter against the French
Canadians? Why shouldn't we be! were
all in this thing together up against
il good and hard, and we ought all to toe the
line together; but look at the facts. Inc
French Canadians number a third of our
population, and yet out Of the 400 odd thou-
sand fighting men we've raised only about
~ .OOO-and that's giving them all the best OF
il, according to official misunderstanding
dams are with the colors Why, we've got
from, two TO three times many Americans
with our forces as we have French-Cana'
dams. You bet your life conscriptions
aimed at them We don't like 1t any
more than they do, but we'll go through
with il, since that seems the only way 70
get them out with the rest Of US"
Henri Bourassa is, perhaps, the most innu
ontial Nationalist leader in Quebec. Henri
Rourassa has an organ, "Le Devoir," in which
from time to time he informs his own race
and the rest of the Dominion at large Just
What his opinions are. And lie Devon"
said recently that while preserving sincere
affection for France, their country OF origin
French Canadians did not feel called upon
TO fight for her any more than the European
French would feel obliged to fight for them