Evening star., 1946-11-03
u. S. Plans
Arctic Ring
Of Defense
Canada Finds Herself
in Belgium's Place
if War Comes
By Harry T. MONTGOMERY

By Harry T. Montgomery
OTTAWA. - Canada has emerged
from the years of preoccupation In
fighting the Second World War sud-
denly to find herself a potential Belgium
for the next one.
While she was fighting abroad,
weapons were developed which make
both her and the United States subject
to direct attack from. almost any place
in Europe. Strategically, the Domin-
ion is in military and political "hot
seat" and she isn't comfortable in it.
Canada is in frst-class political
dilemma involving her own sovereignty
her ancestral ties with Britain and her
relationship with the United States.
She doesn't know exactly what to do
aoout, it.
A schoolboy could tell by looking at
a map that the newly important Arctic
would place Canada in the position in
which Belgium found herself In the last
two wars, sitting astride the invasion
route from Germany to France.
Because of the strain in relations be-.
tween Russia and the western powers,
nobody wants to talk much about this
problem for fear of alarming, offending
or otherwise alternating our Soviet
friends.
But that doesn't mean that nothing
is being done. With some not-too-gentle
prodding from the United States, OH
cials of both countries are in almost
constant consultation on coordination
Of defense machinery. They are agreed
that there must be this coordination
but there the problem only begins.
Peacetime Preparation Needed.
Canada's conundrum is this: The
United States wants to see vast net
work of defenses in the northern RAM
parts of this hemisphere, including
huge air bases and many weather sta
tions, probably costing hundreds of
millions of dollars.
Canada cannot afford this. Although
her vast territories are larger in area
than the United States and Alaska
combined, her money must come from
q population Of only 100000.
bases? Shall Americans man them?
Shall the troops Of any foreign coun-
try, however friendly, be ensconced on
her soil? The instructive answer is no.
Canada would accept these conditions
in war-she did In the last one-but she
cannot easily bring herself to do it in
peace.
Yet, as the Americans point out, the
next war probably will be q flash" war
in its beginning, with no time for prepa-
ration after shostilities are opened.
Preparations not made in peacetime
never will be made
While the United States goes ahead
in Alaska and while discussions are
under way as to what may be done by
Americans on Canadian soil, some con-
crete steps already are being taken.
This winter at Churchill, Manitoba.
Hudson Bay port with a climate typical
OF much OF the northern wastes, the
United States Army will join the Can
adian Army in conducting what is
called cold weather testing station"
Churchill is $50 miles above Winnipeg
and about 1000 miles above Minneapolis
and lies about 900 miles below the
Arctic Circle.
Tests at 40 Below Zero.
Here between 500 and 900 troops, In
cluding between 100 and $50 of the
Army Corps OF Engineers, will hibernate
between November Is and spring, testing
all kinds of equipment in weather which
stays close to around 40 degrees below
zero.
On the practical level. perhaps the
most serious problem of q co-ordinated
United States Canadian defense is
Standardization of equipment. Shall
Canada have American-type equipment
or the traditional British? These tests
at Churchill may point to preference of
one over the other in certain pieces of
equipment, but the overall problem of
Standardization will remain.
tReports from London say Britain
has accepted the suggestion of Prime
Minister King to standardize her
equipment also with that Of the
United States, to avoid procurement =
difficulties This, with Britain lead
ing the way. presumably would re-
move the Canadian objections on this :.
score)
The facts of modern warfare have
brought this about, whether either
Canadians or Americans wanted it. The
1See ARCTIC. Page C-5)