Evening star., 1940-10-02
By HAL O'FLAHERTY.

BY HAL OFLAHERTY.
Special Dispatch TO the Chicago Daily News
and The Star.
. OTTAWA, Ontario.-In the few
months since Hitler crushed France,
Canada has been transformed from
a nation complacently at war into a
throbblng arsenal operated by
united people.
The danger has been brought SC
thought essential to the whipping up
of public opinion have been cast
aside. The problem is one of sur
vival. and there is no need OF slo-
gans or propaganda. Quietly, moved
by the inexpressible urge of race,
these people are now offering Them
selves and theh fortunes in defense
of a way of life.
In the early months of the war
the French-speaking elements In
Quebec Province were heSitant, II
not actually hostile, toward the war
as it then stood. There had been
some infltration of Fascist Senti-
ment, and even as in the United
States there was a disinclination to
send young men to Europe. The
obliteration of France was a shock
to the French of Quebec. Their
whole spirit changed overnight, and
today they are supporting the war
effort OF Canada with far greater
good will than even during the
World War.
Signs of Sacrifice.
With virtually every sign of dis
union far in the background, Can
ada's government was able to pro-
ceed rapidly with the mobilization
of both wealth and manpower.
Where a few months ago there were
signs of apathy. there are now only
calls for greater and greater effort.
The government already is taking
49 cents out of every dollar earned
in taxes. Twenty-four cents of the
~ are devoted to the war prepara-
tions and that amount will increase
materially this year.
The multiplying signs of individ-
ual sacrifice are the indicators Of
the national will. Women are selling
their jewels and unneeded valuableS
to add substantial sums to what they
already pay in taxes. The finance
department receives masses of let
ters daily containing contributions
voluntarily offered with pleas of
even heavier taxes if they are nee
essary.
One of the most striking phases
of Canada's effort is its GIN silence.
All of the old hurrah of the last war
is gone. No startling posters point
threatening fingers at the people
urging them to do their duty. There
is little cheering, less singing and
little indeed of the loud words and
exhortations of 1914. Out of the
great hinterland, stretching into the
Arctic wastes, men have abandoned
their work and joined the new mo-
bilization. If it were manpoder
that England needed today, it would
be forthcoming in large measure
from this continent.
England Needs Specialists.
But it is not great numbers OF
men that England most needs. 1t IS
the skilled technician; the compe-
tent naval officer and able seaman,
the trained pilot and air gunner,
that will beat off the Nazis and
eventually subdue them. Therefore,
Canada is devcting most OF its
treasure and strength to the highly
technical side of modern war
From one end of the country to
the other, new flying fields have
come into being almost overnight.
Forty-eight Empire training schools
are to be operating before the snow
flies and to these areas will come
young men from all corners OF the
globe to be instructed in the art OF
air warfare Australia and New
Zealand are sending thousands.
England, reversing the process Of
the last war, soon will be sending
many of her men TO Canada for the
final stages of air training. l have
Just visited one flying field that has
been constructed largely within one
month, including the long asphalt
runways. Barracks for thousands
of recruits have sprung like mush-
rooms from what was farmland a
few weeks ago.
Under the British Commonwealth
air training plan, 80 schools al
ready are operating and there will
be 48 by the end of this year. On
September Is Canada was training
$500 airmen, 2.100 for duty as pilots,
1000 as observers and 400 as air
gunners. Over $500 were in train
ing as mechanics, service mainte-
nance men, which gives some idea
Of the enormous task undertaken by
the United States in projecting the
training of pilots, gunners and me-
chanics for $4,000 planes.
Mock Air Battle
Eventually. Canada will turn out
25,00O trained airmen per year and
will be prepared to continue that
rate of production SO long as the war
continues. 1t is one of Canada S
greatest contributions to the war,
and may play vital part in meet
ing the German threat against
England in the immediate future.
For the benefit of a large group of
American newspapermen, the Cana
dian air force staged great mock
air battle. Over the open plains OF
the great military and air school
squadron after squadron and bomb
ers and pursuit ships took off. Enc
my bombers appeared. They were
spotted by the latest type of aerial
detectors. The defense forces were
notified by radio and the fight was
on. Anti-aircraft batteries. machine
guns and light artillery all went into
action, while overhead the fighter
planes swooped in mock battle.
Demonstration Is Impressive.
1t was an impressive demonstra-
ton not only of the high morale OF
the pilots and the ground forces, but
of the rapid advances made recently
1f