Evening star., 1940-08-25

for this purpose and the Selective Service
Act, which may be passed by Congress
within the next few weeks, will increase
United States forces. We are running
against time. The men who will be
drafted into the Army are Eot prepared
for action and the 100000 men We can
muster at the present time may not be
sufficient to do two jobs; defend the ter
ritory of the United States, If necessary,
and intervene to counter the moves OF
the fifth columnists In South America.
War Preparations Slow.
There is only one other nation on this
continent which can be considered mil
itary power-Canada. Her recruiting
and war preparedness have been slow.
despite the fact that the Dominion has
been at war for almost year. All In all,
there are now five Canadian divisions
fully prepared; two are doing service in
England The other three are in Canada
undergoing strict wartime training and
in all probability will not be sent over
seas. They are not needed.
Canadian aviation Is satisfactory;
while 1t still lacks war materiel, the
pilots are being trained rapidly in what
ever planes the Canadians have at their
disposal The munitions and plane fac
tories are working overtime and their
output will soon be gratifying. With
the help of the United States, all these
preparations can be increased. Canada
is in state of war, and emergency regu-
lations regarding labor and military
service are now in effect.
If and when the totalitarian intrigues
make themselves sufficiently felt to JUS
tify American intervention, the Cana
dians as partners in the defense of this
hemisphere, can be of effective as
sistance. The $4,000 men they have
available at present, together with the
pilots they can place at our disposal,
would fill many gap in the defense Of
this country. Canada can complete the
national defense of this hemisphere bet
ter than any combination of most of
those nations which signed the Havana
pact.
Canada's Attitude Favorable.
According to all reports, the people
of Canada who have at times-since
the defeat of the Allied forces in Flan-
ders-shown a certain amount Of skepti-
cism regarding the outcome of the war
in Europe, are sold on the idea OF their
country's becoming an integral part Of
the Western Hemisphere. Their ties with
Britain have compelled them to belong
politically to Europe. Since the last war,
while their love for the mother country
has continued unabated their logical
minds have told them that they have
no more business overseas than the
United States has. Like the people of
this country, they are fully aware Of
what a an-Italian-Japanese VIC
tory may mean to them. But since the
European countries have not been able
to take care of themselves, the Cana
dians believe that it is high time that
the people of Canada took care of their
own heritage.
Whether Mother Britain on her sick
bed has made certain arrangements .or
the division of her property in case of
a fatal illness-such as leaving her
daughter, Canada, substantial portion
of her f1eet-is matter which is known
only to Mr. Roosevelt, for the time be-
ing. But ip certain well-informed quar-
ters it is believed that there is good
chance that Canada will inherit per-
ton of the fleet should the gods of war
decide against Great Britain. This. to-
gether with the forces which are being
trained for war, would be a godsend to
the United States were we to find our
selves face to face in war with the to-
talitarians. The price to be paid for
this is cheap and logical: The full in
corporation of Canada as a component
even though strongly competitive-part
of the Western Hemisphere.