The Washington times., 1917-04-21
CANADA LIKEWISE.
HAS HER SLACKERS
Finds Difficulty In Raising
5o,ooo Men for Home
Guard.

TORONTO, April 21.-Canadian COM
scriptions are deeply disappointed at
the governments new plan for rails
ing armed forces. They had hoped for
some application of the militia act
calling to the colors at least the first
Of the three classes into which the
manhood OF the country is divided,
and an announcement that drafts In
force would continue to be sent over
seas as long as the war lasts, be II
five months or five years.
What the government announces
r. far from that As far as overseas
forces are concerned, the new plan
apparently Il based on the belief that
Canada's task IL about finished. II
the war goes on for q year or so,
Canada will become an onlooker. She
will get out the game and crawl
into the bleaehers. At present there
are $4,000 overseas troops In Canada
almost ready for the front. The new
plan proposes to release these for
service In Europe by raising $4,000
volunteer troops for home service
only. After that, good-nighti II II
true the government expresses hope
number will eventually find their way
doubtful contingency.
Say Country is Swept Clean.
In fact, most militia officers, who
are practically all conscriptionists,
are dubious about their ability to
raise the $1,000 new troops. even for
home defense alone. They say that
the country has been swept clean OF
all men who will get into uniform
without compulsion; that II any Ca
madam wanted to Join the army he
would. 60 into the overseas forces
where glory and honor are to be
won, and that II q man now Joins the
home guard 1t would be q confess
sion on his part that he should have
Joined the overseas battalion
It IL rumored that the military au-
thorities actually hope to see the scheme
fall through. because then. they think.
the Government would be forced to IN
woke compulsion.
Success In raising the 5000 home
guards viii depend largely on how the
scheme is presented to the country. II
to belong to the home guard Il repre-
sented as something discrediatble. Of
course the scheme will fail II It Is
made an honorable call 1t should sue
ceed. The men are in the country. 1t
IL estimated that in agriculture and IN
dustry the able-bodied men still engaged
number at least $4,000 Most OF these
are at essential work. but It Is reason
able to assume that at least one man In
sixteen of them could be spared. or
could be replaced by women. and that
would raise the 5000 required
No doubt the thing that has kept
q man honestly desirous OF serving
his country from enlisting Is not that
he has been afraid of getting killed,
but the fact that he had dependents
whom he had not the heart to torture
with the hazards of war, and whom
he could not conscientiously expose
to the probability OF being left to the
mercies of q pension pittance for the
rest OF their days. To such a man
the home guard offers an opportunity
to serve his country. There are thou
sands OF such men. They will grasp
the opportunity II It Is properly pre-
sented to them.
Quebec Now Has Chance.
Then there Is Quebec. The attitude
of the Quebec objectors to service
overseas has been that they were pre-
pared to do anything required for the
defense of Canadian Canada They
now have their opportunity. But
again much depends on how that op-
portunity Is presented. Strangely
enough, only 1000 troops for the home
guard are sought for the home guard
from Quebec, whereas on a population
basis 1t should furnish almost twice
that number. AS very few Quebeckers
have gone overseas the province
ought to furnish rich ground for the
home guard.
Meanwhile, In apprehension OF the
future, public meetings. form of
agitation In which the French Cana
dians delight-are being held through
out the province, at which orators
vocifeFously protest and vast audi