New-York tribune., 1918-05-05

Till the conscription law was
passed, they had been free to pray,
to work, to come and go. They had
titled their fields and cut their
lumber undisturbed, protected from
foreign enemies and internal law
lessness. One can therefore under
stand, in part st least, why the
Westerners in the Dominion are
so bitter over what to them seems
the ingratitude, the hostility of the
Fasteners. Had they shown more
patience in the past few months
they might have been wiser. But
tact is not the most striking quality
OF the Protestant Canadians. They
have inf1amed the already none too
friendly feeling of the Quebec
Catholics by their structures on
what they, without adequate reason
have branded as cowardice.
Laurier Cooled
Heated Malcontents
The Catholic clergy might have
done much more, too, than ESQ far
as l could gather while in Canada)
they really did to allay the anger
caused by the loose taunts and
jeers of few Westerners, by the
electoral methods of the Borden
ties, against which Sir Wilfrid Lau
rier lately protested, and by the
conscription law. They have not
by actual deeds provoked ill-will.
They could not, in the teeth of the
Pope's attitude and the injunctions
of Canadian dignitaries. But they
have washed their hands of things.
The difficulties OF Sir Robert
Borden in the enforcement of con-
scription might have been doubled
but for the craftsmanship of Sir
Wilfrid Laurier. The Liberal leader
cooled the heated malcontents.
checked the activities of M. Bou-
rassa and discouraged sedition. Sir
Wilfrid was opposed to the conscrip
tion bill. But he was not opposed
to France or to Great Britain. He
is neither an Imperialist, like those
who hope for a Confederation of
Great Britain and the Dominions.
nor a Disloyalist. He stands mid
way between the extremes in local
politics, and asks no better than to
have things as they were before the
war broke out. He would have pre-
ferred referendum as a solution of
the conscription problem. Sir Rob-
ert had recourse to an election.
And here it may be not quite out
of place to say something personal
about these rival statesmen. At Ot-
tawa | met them both, and talked
with them, but l was pledged-ex-
cept as to one point-not to print
anything Sir Robert said, while Sir
Wilfrid bound me to still greater
secrecy.
Sir Wllfrid made a very deep i'm
preston on me, as, am sure, he
must on all who ever knew him. He
impressed me as great, high-mind-
ed idealist; romantic to fault, but
not visionary; a philosopher,
thinker. He seemed intellectual,
without pedantry or dogmatism,
man who could, if need were, yield
on minor points to secure the great
ones. He delights one by his digni-
fed simplicity, his gracious manner
and his winning voice. At seventy
six he is still fit and young, still
capable of political leadership.
Sir Robert is of quite another
type; more concrete in his outlook
upon life, more practical. Efficiency
is stamped all over him. He is brisk,
alert, polite and matter of fact. Phys
ically, with his somewhat stocky
build and facial suggestion of sue
cessful business man, he is the an
tithesis of his distinguished adver-
sary, whose tall and fragile frame
supports head crowned by lofty
forehead; thin, rather than scant,
white locks, and an expressive, sem
sitive face, which might seem almost