Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1922-06-16

Military Department and Place II
Under Control Of Minister Of MI
> litia and Oefense-Duties of Force
Increased SINCE Amaisamation With
Dominion Police. .
1t was with feeling Of shock that
most Canadians read recently Of q
government proposal for further in
reference with the mounted police
force. which Is still gratefully remem-
beTed as the Northwest Mounted al
though since its Jurisdiction was ex-
tehoeu all over Canada 1t IS now
known as the Royal Canadian Mount
ed Police. writes the Montreal CORE
spondent Of the New York Herald.
The force has always been a civilian
one and the governments proposal to
include 1t in reorganization Of the
military department and TO place II
under the control OF the minister of
militia and defense met with whole
hearted and almost universal opposi-
ton and condemnation.
Criticism came from sources an
wide apart as the leader Of the oppo-
sltion and OF the late government,
Hon. Arthur MeIghen: Hon. Mr..
Crerar. leader of the ProgressIyes
and the Rev. ]. s. Wordsworth. a Ia
Dor member from Winnipeg. who. as
one Of the leaders Of the Winnipeg
Soviet few years ago. complained
or having been personally Swallowed
by the force, which, he said, was doing
secret service work, and wanted its
activities curtailed. Several Quebec
members also were Of opinion that the
work of the force should be limited
to the undeveloped and unorganized
territories Of the far north. where its
most noteworthy services have been
rendered in recent years, and where
its name Is symbolical with justice.
Protest Military Control.
Qualification Is widespread that the
government has yielded to the over
whelming protests and has decided to
omit the famous force from the opera
tions Of the new act which is to CO.
ordinate the militia and naval and air
services under one head and thus do
away with many highly paid heads of
departments and effect considerable
economy.
In the discussion which took place
IN the house of commons relative to
the future Of the Royal Mounted Po-
lice there appeared to be two consld-
erations, each of some Importance.
The first of these had to do with the
functions of the force, and the de-
STABILITY Of maintaining the service
unimpaired, while the second turned
upon the propriety Of Including the
mounted police as one 81 q group of
services in new department Of ma
tional defense.
No very convincing case was made
out either for the curtailment of the
strength and activities Of the force or
for Its transfer to a department of
what are essentially military services.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Po-
Wee Is an amalgamation Of the Do
minion Police with the Justly famed
"Mounted," which has been for fifty
years the means Of preserving the
peace and indicating the law through
out the Canadian Northwest. The du-
ties now being performed by the force
include all those formerly discharged
by the two constituent bodies and
cover wider and in some respects a
different field from that formerly COW
cred by the Northwest Mounted Police
alone.
Criticism was leyeled at the force In
the course Of the debate on the score
or Its alleged conversion into q secret
service and upon the ground, as stated
by some members, that 1t has been
employed to spy upon labor activities
and has intensified Industrial discOrd.
The need for what may be called q
secret service cannot be measured by
what Is known by the public as to the
nature and extent Of the work done;
such service to be at all effective must
be secret. If the mounted police have
been employed in checking I'D the ac-
tivities of any class, Industrial or
otherwise, it is reasonable to assume
that such action was called for in the
public interest.
Down "Red" Outbreak.
1t Is well known and has been rec
ognized throughout the existence Of
the force that no organization, group
or class In Canada, II its aims and &C.
tivlties are legitimate, has anything
to fear from the mounted police or
any other body engaged in the preser-
Walton of law and order.
The service rendered by the
Mounted in connection with the
red" outbreak In Winnipeg, when
virtual Soviet was set up, was evil
dence of the usefulness Of the force
In this regard, and when J. S. Wood
ward, one OF the Soviet leaders, com.
planned of being sha dOMed by mount