The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1931-06-01
VETS FAIL IN PARLIMENT
Canadian House Turns Cold Shoul
der On Repeal of Good
Will" Measure

mot in ten years at least has any par<
nmentary resolution died so dismal and
friendless a death as did that today OF
Colonel Sidney Cecil Robinson oConserva-
tive, Essex West) by which the Essex
member would have had the commons de-
clare for the repeal of the law prohibiting
liquor exports to the United StatesP
Thus does E. George Smith, staff corre-
spondent of the Toronto Globe in story
carrying an Ottawa date line of May 1a
characterize the attempt made in the
Canadian house of commons to again
legalize the clearance of intoxicating liq-
uors to United States ports.
The story continues: mot a single soil
tary member outside its mover got up to
say word on behalf of the resolution:
not even its first-declared seconder Hon.
Raymond Morand, Robinson's political
neighbor from Essex East was present for
the forlorn obsequies.
with DR.. Morand absent, Colonel
Robinson, hastily and perhaps to the en-
rrassment-certainly to the surprise
of the member concerned, substituted as
Seconder the name of Hon. James D. Chap
lin conservative, Lincoln), but not even
in his unexpected acquisition of foster
fatherhood did Hon. Mr.. Chaplin venture
to say word on behalf of the Waif reso-
luton"
Colonel Robinson in his argument in
defense Of the bill charged that the United
States has not appreciated Canada's good
will gesture and that the loss of revenue
to Canada is proving detrimental to the
welfare of the country. Colonel Robinson
declared that Canada was sacrificing moro
than $29,000000 through her effort to help
her neighbor stay dry. Mr.. Smiths ac-
count of the voting in the house of conn-
mons is an amusing story
1.-THE colonel finished his argument for
the repeal of the liquor export law. He
sat down. There was an embarrassing
pause while Mr.. Speaker waited for the
next spokesman. Not one arose. Nobody
moved. Soon everybody was smiling. Pre-
mier Bennett, who, if the resolution had
been accepted seriously, might have been
expected to speak to it on behalf of the
government, guardedly kept his eyes on
his plotting pad and worked away with a
pencil Quite obviously the resolution, OF
such great international import, was not
even to be accorded the dignity of oppo-
Sition.
"When the long drawn-out silence had
made it obvious to Mr.. Speaker nobody
else wanted to speak to it, he asked for
the ayes and nays Colonel Robinsons
high-pitched aye broke over the house
like a lost voice in a great desert, and
nail second OF SO aIJeTWdrQ Two DOlIGely
spoken conservative ayes broke the COM
mons atmosphere-like feeble echoes OF
Colonel Robinson's own voice reyerberat-
ing back from the Quebec hills. Liberals
opposite were quite frank in their express
sions of amusement and laughter.
"'The nays?' queried Mr.. Speaker. And
a great chorus of liberal nays probably.
but not with certainty, reinforced by some
conservative nays greeted the speaker.
Again the liberal shout of laughter.
Colonel Robinson accepting his rout
graciously subsidized into his seat, grinned
across the floor and around him."
The resolution which was defeated in
the decisive manner described above read
as follows:
That, in the opinion of this house,
the statute entitled "An Act to Amend
the Export Act" passed during the
first session of 1890, should be re-
pealed, and, in substitution therefor,
treaty should be negotiatedSor which
Canada will get something in return
for the loss of revenue this country
is suffering in consequences of our
goodwill gesture, which apparently
the United States does not appreciate.