Evening star., 1934-03-20
Regimentation in Canada.

II imitation, as is said, is the sin
cerest form of flattery, news reaching
Washington from the far Canadian
Northwest would indicate that fresh
laurels have come to the new deal.
The vast province of British Columbia
is about to go in for a national re-
covery administration of its own. At
least Premier Duff Pattullo has asked
the Provincial Parliament to clothe
MIN with sweeping powers over in
dustry, finance, agriculture and public
works. AS his government controls
the Legislature by "a to II, the en-
actment of the program is apparently
assured 1t calls for a combination
of the functions welded in this coun-
try at the moment by N. R. A. r
F. c., P. w. A. and A. A. A, to
name only the leading members of the
alphabet family.
British Columbia is the Dominion
of CanaGas third largest province,
with a population of, roundly. 700,-
900. Vancouver is worthy rival of
Seattle and San Francisco as a Pa
cific Coast port. Despite rich natural
resources and its maritime Importance
in connection with Far Eastern trade.
British Columbia, like the rest of the
world, has been plunged into grave
economic difficulties. When the Do
minion government at Ottawa de-
clined to come to the Western prov
ince's financial aid. Premier Pattullo
decided to seek emergency power of
far-reaching character. His political
opponents accuse him Of attempting
to set up dictatorship. Others chlde
him with planning nothing more for
midable than a pint sized N. R. A."
On its face the special powers act
sought by the British Columbian pre-
mier would clothe him with immense
ly more authority than the national
industrial recovery act bestoWs upon
President Roosevelt. Mr.. Pattullo
would be empowered to meet instantly
and effectively any development aris-
ing cut of the provinces economic
and social crisis. All other statutes
would be automatically o7erridden.
The government could control, regu-
late, coordinate or prohibit business
of all sort and limit production. 1t
could borrow money "on the sole
credit of the province" and lend 1t
to industry and municipalities. 1t
could generally supervise all matters
"of a merely local or private nature"
Premier Pattullo justifles his pro-
posal on the ground of "the extraor-
binary conditions" everywhere preva-
lent in the province. He intends, he
says, to maintain the integrity OF
tAlSIlllS AloIlIQGAOiioJ W oSS SAAeAs @AN
British Columbian is allowed to suffer
for want of sustenance and to leave
no excuse for sinister influences to
SOW the seeds of discord in the minds
of our people"
The latter suggestion is hint that
Communism or some other form OF
political subversiveness is feared un-
less the government resorts to drastic
recovery measures. Some observers
think Premier Pattullo projects "dic-
tatorship" as dramatic gesture de-
signed to impress Dominion Prime
Minister Bennett with the necessity
of doing something for British Co
lumbia. Whatever the move means,
or whether it will be checked in the
Victoria Parliament before it reaches
the stage of enactment, it is a signifi-
cant indication that RECOMMENDATION"
in the United States is proving con-
tagious on this continent and that the
PlIIe EAGLE idea Is snrPadinp its wings