The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1918-01-05
CONSUMPTION FOR CANADA

When the conservative government decided TO accept OH
wilfrid Lauriers challenge to submit the conscriphon issue o
Tho neonIe of Canada it took into the cabinet several liberals
who had broken away from their old French-Canadian leader
because he opposed CONSUMPTION. All other public questions
were waived in spite of Lauriers attempts TO ara" d herring
across the scent, and the verdict of the polls is overwhelmlngi!
in favor of CONSUMPTION to fill the ranks of Canadas depleted
army in France. Never in parliamentary history was there a
cleaner cut issue. The chief merit of the British and Canadian
system of government is the opportunity it affords to submit
a single paramount issue to the people, as has just been done
We have avoided the mistake Canada made at the begin
ming of the war in sticking to the volunteer system in the face
of the greatest crisis in the history of the British empire or of
the world. The Canadian militia act, as amended when Laur-
Ter was premier of Canada, provided for consumption, but 1t
was not put in force when the call to arms came. Had TINS
been done at the right time the French Canadians would prob
ably not have resisted the draft. Appeals for volunteers were
not disoreetly worded, and time was given to agltators TO 10
ment opposition to the war to the province of Quebec by arous-
ing racial and religious prejudices.
Ever since France ceded her North American possessions
TO England in 1853 the British government has scrupulOusly
observed and enforced the terms of that treaty which guaran-
teed extraordinary rights and privileges for the conquered
French in Canada. The French Canadians are the most prolific
race on earth and they possess an instinct for politics, SO they
have often dominated parliament since the DOMINION OF Ganaoa
was created by imperial legislation in 1867. Their devotion to
tie language and religion of France has not caused them TO
espouse the cause of their mother country in this war, though
up to twenty years ago they showed such a preference for her
that the Canadian government granted special tarlff tavors 10
importers of French merchandise.
This GOODNESS toward France In this crltlcal perlod u e
national life puzzles most Americans, who are also unaware
that the same feeling of passive hostility is displayed by
French Canadians toward the United States. When the French
government dissolved the religious orders and took over most
of their monasteries and converts about twenty years ago a
large number of the members of these religious houses left
France. and as many Of them as could gain a welcome went
to the province of Quebec, where they found work as teachers
in religious houses and parochial schools.
Anglo-Saxon Canada stands solidly for consumption and
the French Canadians are just as strongly opposed to it, The
English-speaking majority will have to impose the selectve
draft on Quebec, which has elected 62 opponents of the union
government out of its IS members. This racial cleavage has
an ugly look, but the French-Canadians will probably make the
best of the situation. Their leaders dread the effects of per
sonal contact between young French-Canadian soldiers and sol
diers of old France in camps and on the battlefields of Europe.
Returned soldiers have often opened the eyes of their fellow
citizens. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump-Exchange.