Evening star., 1941-04-27
Balkan Defeats Magnify Need
For Closer L. S.>Canada Ties
Germany's Consolidation in Europe Declared to
Call for Mergers Elsewhere in Interest
of Mutual SelfProtection
By Felix Morley.

ancestry are added to the French stock
the total is slightly larger than in the
case of those who trace back to Scotland
and Ireland as well as England.
And the French-Canadian element, far
from being gradually submerged, is
steadily gaining ground, both in per-
centage OF population and in its eco
nomic and political importance. In his
authoritative book on Canada Today"
Prof. F. R. Scott of McGill University
states that "a progressive extension of
the French influence in Canada is to
be expected"
AS Prof. Scott further notes: Religion
eXerts a very large influence upon Can
ada's domestic and external affairs, par
ticularly in these days when the conflict
of ideologies' brings every one face-to-
face in politics with fundamental moral
and ethical alternatives" Nearly half
the population belongs to the Roman
Catholic Church and this very large
minority is generally much more united
in political outlook than are the vari-
Gus Protestant sects.
This factor is cited In explaining
Canadas reluctance to support the
League of Nations in opposing the Ital-
ian invasion of Ethiopia and also in
accounting for the strong Canadian
sympathy shown for Gen. Frances cause
in the Spanish civil war.
Politically Immature Nation.
AS nation Canada is not merely rela-
lively undeveloped from the economic
viewpoint. 1t is also politically imma-
ture.
The Constitution of the Dominion is
the British North America Act, which
became operative on July l, 1867, within
the memory of some Canadians still liv.
ing 1t is this organic law which defines
the powers of the central and local Ca
madam governments as they operate to-
day.
In theory the Canadian system Of
federalism is lust the opposite of our
own. Under our Constitution specific
powers were given to the central gov
eminent and all other governmental au-
thority was supposed to remain with the
separate States. In Canada specific
powers were given to the provinces and
authority not so allocated was supposed
to vest in the Dominion government.
In practice, curiously enough, the
trend in both cases has been opposed to
theory. We all know our Federal Gov
ernment has been increasingly extend
ing its authority over the States. 1t is
less we'll known that in Canada the
provinces have steadily enlarged their
powers at the expense of the Dominion
In part this is due to the character of
court decisions and in part to the In
ability of Canadians to amend their own
constitution, which is an act Of the
British Parliament making no provision
for change except by the British Parlia-
ment.
Greater Capitalization Urged.
To find fundamental 3ution for the
serious political difficulties which have
been steadily accumulating in Canada,
a Royal Commission on Dominion
Provincial Relations was appointed in
1887. Its report was submitted last May,
and it is generally known as the Rowell-
1 DIIOIS IcpOIl dlGeI lIl6 IldIIl6S OI lJS IWO
distinguished chairmen
Every one who has any interest in
Canada will want to study at least the
summary of that important document
as recently published by the Toronto
headquarters of the Canadian Institute
of International Affairs. For the Row
ell-Sirois report proposes changes Of
great moment, not only for Canada but
also indirectly for Canadian American
relations
The recommendations of the Rowell-
Sirois report are all in the direction of
giving greater authority to the Dominion
government at Ottawa. In strictly local
matters provincial autonomy would be
preserved. but in the sphere of national
interests both the scope and the strength
of the federal power would be greatly
enlarged.
Such Capitalization, obviously, Is a
desirable preliminary if there is to be
any form of permanent political asso-
citation between Canada and the United
States, whether this be limited to those
two countries or undertaken as a part
of some larger Anglo-American fedora
ton, as envisaged in Clarence Streit's
proposal of Union Now"