The sun., 1917-07-01
SIR wiLFRiD lAURlER.
OPPOSITION LEADER or THE
DIVIDED LIBERAL PARTY.

oppression than Germany ever visited
upon the French in Alsace and Lor-
raine. But Bourassa is fond of such
comparisons. He has pronounced
British navalism to be equally vicious
and undesirable with German militar-
ism.
Except Sir Sam Hughes. however
no responsible Canadian has intimated
or privately suspected any German
influence in Quebec. The former Min
lister of Munitions, who is now Ia
Ottawa heckling Laurier and criti-
cising the Government to which he
formerly belonged with fine inn
partiality, appears to have harbored
suspicious of this kind. Others con-
slider the forces in Quebec that operate
against the allied and Canadian cause
pure gift TO the Germans. for which
their diplomatic and espionage service
can take no credit whatsoever.
Under this political and sectarian
situation there is among the French
Canadians a heritage of parochial
tradition of resentment, both against
the English conquerors of two CEN
turies ago and against the home Gov
sidered had deserted them and aban-
doned them to England. AS Sir Will
frid I,aurier pointed out in his speech
moving for the referendum of con-
scription, French Canada has no mod
ern ties OF blood with old France,
Recruiting In Quebec.
Quebec, except few isolated COM
panies, had at the beginning of the
war no militia and consequently no
militia trained officers of her own.
Her men were appealed to either by
English speaking officers or by GER
tain members OF the Borden Govern
ment, former Quebec Nationalists,
who had on Joining the Cabinet gone
over to the Conservative side. One
of these was the late T. Chase Cas-
grain, then Postmaster-Gener An
other was Pierre Edouard Blondin, the
present Secretary of State.
| Col. Blondin and Albert Sevigny. the
present Minister OF Inland Revenue,
who underwent a somewhat similar
political metamorphosis, are regarded
by the younger Nationalist hotheads
in their province as renegades. 1t is
|
week made a powerful speech in the
House against the referendum, has re
ceived a large number of anonymous
letters threatening his life because OF
his championship of conscription.
Naturally Casgrain and Blondin
were not the French speaking recruit
ers to win most favor and most en-
listments In Quebec.
In his speech for the referendum Sir
Wilfrid Laurier complained that the
| French Canadian officers, members OF
some of the aristocratic old families
whose tendency has been Tory rather
than Radical, had not been used as re-
cruiting orators, He named four OF
five of them.
Sir Sam Hughes interrupted him to
say that all these men with one ex-
ception had been tried and had failed
to rouse enthusiasm. The exception
was Capt. Talbot Papineau of the
Princess Pats, a national hero in Can
ada, one of the four officers of his
regiment to survive that frightful day
and night of the second battle OF
Ypres, after which only $50 member,
of Canada's first crack regiment an.
swered to their names when the rol
was called.
While the writer was in Ottawa A
X. MacLean, strong and able Libera
member of the House for a Halifa,
constituency, delivered n speech fol
conscription, but at the same tim,
urged that before the conscription Law
be put into effect one more effort b,
made with appeals for voluntary en-
hstment. Mr.. MacI4ean's compromis
was evidently actuated by the hope o
voIcing his win the war convictions
and at the same time keeping himsel
solid with his ingrained Liberal con
stituency. lie hinted very strongl.
that II another appeal should be mad