Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-24
Draft Policy Change
May Cause Fall Of
Canadian Cabinet
Government Ends Plan
Of Sending None But
Volunteers Overseas
BY the Associated Press.

| OTTAWA, Nov. 24.-Prime Min
lister w. L. Mackenzie King strug-
gled to hold his government
together today in the most seri-
Gus cabinet crisis in 20 years,
sharpened by anti-conscription
demonstrations in the French
speaking Province of Quebec.
Disturbances reminiscent of riot
ing in the World War broke out in
Quebec last night after the King
government announced it had
adopted partial CONSUMPTION to meet
an urgent need for reinforcements
on the western front.
Youths in their late teens and
early 20s paraded by the hundreds
through the streets Of Quebec City,
shouting against CONSUMPTION,
smashing windows in the building
of the English-language Chronicle
Telegraph and storming an army
recruiting office and Liberal party
club. Police prevented entry in any
of the buildings.
oSiAouS DdHSCI DCUICu.
Brig. Edmond Blais, commanding
the Quebec military district, said to-
day that there is no danger of any
serious disorder" He termed the
demonstrators "hotheads" and de-
clared he would see that calm is
maintained in Quebec"
Demonstrating English-speakins
youths in the town OF Oakville, On
tario, locked up a group of 16 call
up troops-men drafted for home
service who had not volunteered tc
fight abroad-in a restaurant for two
hours. Military police were called
out to help local police restore Or
! der.
With emotions running high
across the country, Prime Minister
Kings Liberal party was crumblins
under the impact of the CONSUMPTION
issue Half of the 60-odd Liberal
members from Quebec we're reported
planning to withdraw support from
the government, and one cabinet
member from Quebec, English
speaking Air Minister c. G. Power
already had resigned.
Election Possible.
| Mr.. King declared last night he
would seek to avoid a general cleo
ton at this time, but it appeared
that events were moving too swiftly
for him to be able to dictate theil
course.
The governments new policy pro-
vides that 5000 men may be sent
overseas from the drafted Home De-
Tense Army, and that figure may be
changed later as needs change. The
step marked abandonment of five
years of war effort under system
of volunteer enlistment for service
abroad.
] In the House, Fordon Graydon
leader of the Progressive Conserva.
i. tives, said his party planned to in.
: troduce motion calling for new
, government led by man in favor
of sending all draftees overseas.
Bracken Called Alternative.
To Prime Minister Kings counse
that those speaking of lack Of
confidence should consider what
alternative government they woule
put in if he resigned, Progressive
Conservatives cried, John Bracken.
Mr.. Bracken is national leader Of
that party.
Gen. A. G.. L. McNaughton, De.
tense Minister, told Commons tn.
$4,000 to be taken from the $4,000.
man home defense army and sent
overseas was the number required tt
meet foreseen reinforcements fol
. overseas infantry formations.
Gen. McNaughton said that wher
he entered the cabinet early this
month he had believed the voluntary
system would bring in adequate re-
Inducements, but added that "since
then conditions have altered"