The Wingham Advance, 1917-12-06, Page 10PAI
WHO STABBING CANADA'S SOLDIERS IN THE BACK*
DISLOYAL LEADERS IN
QUEBEC.
The Old Dream of French IndependeAgain
nce .
Anti-British Agitators Waiting for Solid
Quebec With Aim of Dominating
Canadian Affairs
What has happened te,t4 Ftcch-Canadians?
It was the proud boasteot one of their. leaders in times gone by—was it
not Sir George Etienne Cartier who said et?—thet: "The last gun in do.
fence of British connection wotild be fired by a French-Canadian."
Some of them under the brave De Salaberry did good work in the war
of 1812 at Chateauguay, when by a clever ruse the invaders were made to
believe that a heavy force was facing them, and scampered back home by
the Lake Champlain route.'
La Croix (The Grose) a FrerLoh-Canadian paper, gives hospitality en
its columna to the following: '
"Go dderoititeltie'thieseceseion:ef Canada. in it lies the talvationeof
.our rage and tee realiesition. of themagnificent dream of Champlain. The
time has come to work towards a new political constitution. The Province
of Quebeo and the Maritime Provinces autonomous is what we should have
had for fifty yearWe wottld' then have kept our population, we would
.haveemaneged a clean immigration, and 'we -would have exploited our
naturae resources to the profit of our kin. Today we would be numerous
' bad *trona. But it is not too late. What we • have to do first is to separate
fret» Confetieration. This obtained, the organization of our new Dominion
eveintle beeisaity." .ee. a •
eitrieie that WititiereeireiSneh-Canadian would
fire a gun Wileferiee edfe leietlith connection?
One-half of the French-Canadian nationality has emigrated to the
• UnitedStates, where. neither French language, religion or law has official
r'ecognition, ea in Canada. And we are told by 11. S. recruiting officers the equal use of the French language in
that of this million aid at half of people the proportion offering for the meat of French civil law:
Why are French street orators today under the inspiration of Henri
war Is greater than that eVen of the native 'United States citizens! ,
What has happened to out' French-Capa,dians? The Premier of Que-
Bourassa, and his .friends, permitted to claim thee "Our language, our
,'
beg is with them, he says, in opposing the Military Service act. So are religion, our law,"were granted us by "solemn,. treaties"?
• How is it that notaeIngle voice is releedesentimeethete Nationalists
most of theft political leaedetteetilateee-lefusing to support our troopsefrope •
,ieree beetear as British subjecte ie•oattsing thought -
the ranks :*cifeetieireeeeplite emekteing the war in which their' fellow to show that refusal to
rul men to enquire: "Where did French Canada acquire its special priv-
• citizens are defending Canadian nationality, the existence of Fmnce, and
liege of language, religion, and le*? If by tteaty, they must remain;
the very life of our Empire, against the most powerful enemy time has
ever brought to oppose civilization and national rightst and we have to make the best of it. If by act of Parliament only, what
S
A few days ago Bernier, a mob agitator, said in Montreal that he one law enacts, nother can disallow."
This principle has been laid down recently .by street orators itt our
would not retract a' single Word' he had said 'against conscription or the
Province with regard to the Conscription Bill. "What the present Perna -
British' royal family. It was a farce for England to claim thatit waa
ment decrees!, the next may disallow."
' a War .for eivilization and democracy as long as there was a king at the
head of tiffaietteefeliete WirAider Oneeetatintre ae man should be veining' to •TERMS
OF CONFEDERATION.
Me for, tierieletiel eteLeselifieterg,gr,731,17 aeon -Tee! !ctet In approaching the Threes,' "witliert, -requestefeeethe Centederatiou of
Ferdinan'cl Villeneuve; iiilother agitator at the same meeting, thought Canada, the representatives of the Canadian people laid down their
all should be revolutionaries to see that Canadian interests were looked desire in the following terms:
after. We should say: "To hell with winning the war until we have saved "The executive authority or government shall be vested, in the Soy-
' our country." ereign ,of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and be ad -
The French-Canadian Mayor of Montreal Is trying to Whip his are. ministered according to the well -understood principles of the British
. religionists into fury by claiming most- absurdly that he sees the hand of constitution, by a Sovereign personally, or by the representative of the
the Orangemen and Free Masons of Ontario in the Military Serviee BIM Sovereign duly authorized."
after the war the -United See:tete Woulderwant. some recompense fore gent Accordingly the 13ritish North America l3i11 of March, 27, 1867, was
to war, and this, according to his ridiculous argument, would be ea...introduced into the ,Britigh Perliammete and, 31ely • passeetee its. preamble
Province of Quebec, if net the whole of Canada. "Perhaps this will mean eeedng: •
that we will not be able to speak our language in Parliament; but we "Whereas the Provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia, and NeW Brunswick
are insulted. now by 'these. Immigrants ;that we broufehreeovertiom have expressed their desire • to be feclerally united into one Dominion,
the other side, and if we are annexed eve will have the ebeleseteapeeereeeeYtteder the Crown of lee ,United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
,our religion. We are being insulted by these bandits and hypocrites." with a constitution similar .111principle to that of the United Kingdom;
Sixty-five French-Canadian votes would be very useful to an aspirant . "And whereas sucha union would conduce to the welfare of the
for party leadership! provinces and • promote the interests of the 'British Empire," etc. etc.
They might indeed evringePtlietaentarY decisions. But probably tea e Great French-Canadian leaders, Cartier, Techa Chapels ,and Lange -
end desir4 *ould beetTittiradT tit planed in the saddle at Ottawa Sir ;in, were in azreerneee with ,the framing of theieloyareleclarations.
Wilfrid Lentier's successor 1 the,leaderehip of the French-speaking mem- Time had brought home to them. the need of the'great British Em-
bers of Parliament pire . and given them an anxiety to promote its interests.
THE MAN ON HORSEBACK. What has- brought about a change in the feelings of French Canada,
so .that it leaders today did not start such a recruiting campaign for
Who in such a case would be "The Man on Horseback?*
the war to .which Canada and the Empire were perforce committed, as.
Henri Bourassa? Bourassa, who stands for the separation of Canada
would have filled the ranks of our atmies long ago with volunteers?
from the British Empire, and from all British infittence?.
,
la it not at least, tames-eel:tie that Bourassa has at this juncture pub -
FOR INDEPENDENCE OF CANADA.
liely announced the etiersiaeriesee_oe„ele eetationalism with Sir Wilfrid's •e .A. new ambition .has taken hold of French-Canadians.
party? An article in Le 'Devote (The Duty), Henri .Beueaseate organ, the other
It has already come to pima When it is openly recognized that although day, defiatnly asserted "that Bourassa, like Laurier formerly, has simply
he Is too valuable to his party to drop him now, Sir Wilfrid is to yield declared that the independence of Canada, and not of the single province
of Quebec, seemed to him the natural. end of ourr national evolution!
.
Ms leadership to another at soon as his eleetion• usefulneas has gone.
Is It because a mote vigorous policy le to be inaugurated: by the "It assuredly does not suit those who would give as the,firet object of
"only real Canadians" under Bourassa's management, as soon as the the aspirations and sacrifices of Canada the interest of 'England or of
oppottuntty 'offer? Is the present agitation exeited by the feeling that anotheacountry; but it depends no more on them than 'On ustomake the
Sir 'Wilfrid Laurier's leadership has brought French-Canadians into too unity of a people in one country other than that of Mal patriotism. Neither
Intimate a connection with the British "imraigrants we brought over does it suit those who would make of this country a one -language country,
from the other ends"? :lance we are not obliged to kill ourselves in ordeate please them."
.Xa not the whole thing pelitical, merely aiming. at sending a "solid ' How would one account for such an utterance' as tlie, following, flare -
French -Canadian" delegation to rule the nett Parliament? begly displayed in Le Journal de Waterloo?
The man who heasile the party professing such tenets, Henri Bourassa, "Si Pon combat l'autre Cote pour la liberte des petits
has now openly aoknowledged that he Is at one with Sir Wilfrid Laurier, peuples, •la premiere ligne de' tranchee pour les Canadiens-
thet they together head not two "operate bodies, but one united party. francais n'est pas dans les Flandees mais sur la frontiere de
• None were more loyal to tho cause Of United Canada 1111'a constituent l'Ontario."
part of the great etritiah Empire than were French-Canadians mice upon In English this runs:
attnee. "If we must fight on the other side for the liberty of small
And novia teem the. Wily Bourassa dares to come out to gain the ap- nations, the firet line of trenches for the French-Canadiaris is
PlauseeEighties of a French Republic, on the banks of the St. Lawrence, of his compatriots by declatring that not Meroler's well known dream not in Flanders but on.the frontier of Ontario." scheme calls for direct bribery of
le the '
L'Action Francaise recently had an article by Abbe Lionel Groulx the corrtnitibleeeilid teliat part is
boldly the feeling of some of his compatriots towards devoted' to ' ingenious backing of
but an Indepen'dent Republic, fathered; of eouree• by FrenchtCanadians of which expresses convenient political enteepriZes in -
British and other immigratits.
the whole of Canada, la his aiml nocehtly conceived and carried on
Has the mamas of Frenoe-Cansullanism in politica, school and re- "Instead of bringing together the oldest inhabitants of our land," he by political leaders of apparent in -
complains, "our political leaders have thought better to allow our country
to be invaded by hordes ftorn abroad, preference being given to Americans
and English from the British Isles. The first change the country, with-
out changing their allegiance and become most active in American pene-
tration, while the second, hypnotized by the Mother Country, cannot but
Jeopardize the progress of our autoeomy. . .
"Today, while we celebrate the fiftieth atineversary of Confederation,
hypocritical allusion is Made to peace and unity, yet every French minority
id on the defensive and has to fight not only for its right, but for the
supreme right of existence. Ho* then is it possible to love one's country
and not be Peened and indignant before all the stupidities of these small
politicians, who have ruined our hopes? Obliged to defend our, positions
against a People with Protestant morals, one might as Well say German
morals; we have passed out time playing with big words devoid of .gener-
osity and British fair play, and today the evil is profound and incurable,
and the situation appears to be without issue."
Everyone !Mows how seriously the Preneh-Catiadirms take their poli-
tics atel how easily they are led, but how came it about that such hatred
of the British people and Empire has be0n engendered in thoIi' hearth/
Under their knightly leader, Sit Wilfrid Laurier, they have become
tncire united under one political banter than was formerly the case. But
why so anti-British as soon as trouble broke out for Great Britain?
Wile taught that to these usually placid, and always docile, people?
Today the aspirant to leadership ii Quebec Province is Henri Beurassa.
Like Mercier a French orator, adroit, agile in argument, an object of
Worship almost to the netionallethe lereech-Canadirm, a determined oppo-
nent of British Imperialism a pacifist, in Opposition to any Cariadian par- 4
be the list- to
Canada, nor about the estetblish.
The German
World Intrigue
The accomplishments • of Ger-
man agents in the domestic poli-
tics of Russia and Italy of late
have called attention rather drama-
tically to one of Germany's favorite
methods of gaining her ends.
Proof now exists connecting the
German Government.Of conspiracies
designed to Influence political con.
duct in five
Italy, Greece, France and the
United States, and no one pretends
that the whole truth is known.
In Great Britain, German inter-
ference may be traced to ante-
belluin days, when, for ' example,
Mr. I. T. T. Lincoln, who tried to
inform Germany of the location of
the British fleet just after war be-
gan, was an uncompromising paci-
fist membeesecif eeeerlianimeteeenthu-
slastic for any reform that meant
the weakening of the nation.
The story of German intrigue in
American politics is not yet fully
told; but docementary evidence is in
existence to prove that von Bern-
storff expended mbney by the thou-
sands for, the direct purpose of in-
fluencing the United States. Con-
gress.
It is not to bete:tissue-el before an
unpreaidica attilleimbethel the Gov-
ernment which had -Machinery in
existence when war began to attempt
the corruption of political life in
many different nations, far and
wide, as a part of its war policy,
came into possession of this potent
force for the furtherance of its
military aims by accident. On the
other hand, the evidence is conclus-
ive, that Germany, before the war,
had In readiness. far instant ,opera.
tion,.a huge, Woild.wide Machine,
designed for the sole putpose of
weakening the opposition to the
German march to world power.
This being so, it is patent that
the democratic nations are greatly
handicapped in their struggle with
European autocracy, so far Be' poli-
tical instrumentalities axe. concern-
ed. At the moment, Russia nat-
urally furnishes the "awful ex-
ample," haying peen from one ex-
treme to the other; but ;Ili every
Allied nation. it' is.pOssiblei • today
for the German Govermnent to
throw its influence Insidiously in
favor of whatever action snits its
purpose. We have ne evidetica that
the world-wide machinery of cor-
ruptioft and intrigue has broken
down, and Much convincing testi-
mony that'it is today well-oiled and
just as efficient as ever.
As to what part of the German
Items Matters gone to the heads of these gentlemen?
Englieh-speaking Canada has never had any but kindly thought
and consideration for the French-speaking parts. Sir Wilfrid Leerier and
Sle George Etienne Cartier, two of their great tribunes, ever found generous
support frotet their English friende.
ee •
WHAT LED mim '
What quest haft set Prenith-Canada off into the sorry wildernesti of
hatred of Britain, opposition to all things Englieb, and a desire to push
on the solely French feature of Mir nationality?
When Vaudreuil surrendered Canada to General Amherst on Sep-
tember 8, 1760, he asked that the Articles of Capitulation should state
end "The French-Canadians, and Acadians of what state and condition
tweeter, 'who shafl remain ib the ColOny, obeli not be forced to tatke arms
against bis Most Christian Majesty, or his Althea' directly or 'indirectly,
on any occasion, whatatoeverl ethe British. Governraettt shall only require
of thane tseaa teutmeity,"
Amherst replied in his :soldierly, atraight-fervrarce 'way: "They be-
come Subjects of the Ithig" (of England) and so the Articles of Capi-
tulation were made to read. (Article XIL)
In a fernier Attiele (ILICKVI) it had been agreed that any who
Wished to do so might leave Canada for France, and *Would be granted
trateeportatime bet the British. Naturally thole 'Who desired to remain
were held te have Signified theft intention Of relinquishing Free& elle
aseetning British Oftlzenship.
TREATY OF PARIS.
SUbseeltientlY In February 1768, the Treaty of Paris, Under Which
Canada was forMally ceded to Britain stipulated (Article 1V) "Hie
Britannia Majesty, on hie side, agrees to grant the liberty of the Catholic
religiOn to the itihabitente of Wilda; he will in consequence give the
most pretests and effective ordeals, that his teete Roman Catholle, sUbjeete
May profess the worship Of their religion secording to the rite* of the
Retesish Church, eiv far as the la** of Great Britain peoeue"
the *14* atipula,tion, *RS made in the atetzta Treety wito
**yard to the Spanish Possessions ceded fit. the Sante time tO lieede Britain
These limit oat * vratd, the Oepitulatiotte or is the Treatg about
tegrity, there is no definite Inform-
ation available. But it is not the
German habit to spend money where
none Is needed to accomplish Prus-
sian ends. Rather is it the practice
to accept without thanks such aid
as comes unsolicited and to devote
the funds releasedby unpaid service
to more embarrassing and } difficult
projects. • It follows that those who
do enemy service innocently do
greater harm than those who work
for pay, apart teem their leek of
guilt.
The people of no Allied country
at war With Gerrattne can afford to
overleOlt the significance of trainer -
one exposures which have proved
the existence of a'Geritian world de-
velopment in the Allied •natiohs.
Ever present in the thought of
those who contemplate the pOlitie-
al situation IP any Allied country, ,
Should be a clear understanding of
the dangers raised by enemy inter-
ference, which lurks on every Mao
In one farm or enother,
"What would the Saber doP Is a
ready test to be applied to political
deelsiona, and, in view of the amaz-
lee extent ed ttneeternutte eenspieacy,
forma at diagufs6 and its '
teethe& 01 operation, a necessary
BOURASSIAND WHAT
RE WANTS
Anti-British Agitator Joins Hands.
With Laurier
Hatred for Britain and Desire for Sepa.
ration is the Key -note of, His
Nationalist Policy
Henry Bourassa is the recognized leader of the Freueh Na-
tionalist party in Quebec.
• He has recently. declared himself and his party in, support of
Sir Wilfrid Laurier and his supporters in this election, ,
This means, of course, that he finds the aims and pdlicieS if
Sir Wilfrid Laurier in this election to be in accord with his"'oirp.
What are the aims and ideals of. Henri Bourassa? , •
Read the following extracts from his writings and speetlie's:
Speaking at meeting 10,000 French Canadians at Monument Naelbeiel,
Montreal, on October 20, 1910, Mr. Bourassa said: • •
"I continue to believe that Canada owes nothing to England., that Can-
ada has paid all her debts to England; that if Canada was separated er
Great Britain tomorrow the British taxpayers cbuld not cut, down a' far
ing of their • tatrese could not dispense with one of their warship's end
could not retrench in their expenditures for defence, for, if thee: neatneklu
their army and ip not for elle 'security of Cenada thatetteeY
do so, it is for 4; eatiete! ef thee day beeped; for•their country cannot
produce wheat enough to nourish inhabitants 'for three months; for they
could not keep in their seorehouse. sufficient wheat to keep tbe English
people alive for elk months and consequently Begland, were she separated
from Canada tomorrow, would need all her warships in order toelteep open
the seas over which she receives her daily bread and the. raw material
her industries."
• • 1, •
In interview given in Boston, eaneeey el; 1S13, Bourassa said: zee
• ' •
"We would neizeh'.ee,theeeeenibegariateral •development of Inderientrence
under, the Nationalist iciest than to have constant friction, .disagreement,
and distrusts under imperialism. Independence is the moral outcome of
any colony."
• a • *
Speaking at annual dinner of MeMaeter University Literate?. Soddy,
roronto on. Feb. 27, 1.914,' Mr. Bourassa said: ,
"It is a delusion to think that • Englishmen consider us a sovereign
nation. ' In the English eteiriet ;Whatever tiereeeCmay say about' the English
tongue, we are steraeeeuitri. ornieeet;teciegeeteigland, Englishmen rat-tab:it
yet ready to admit that Canadiaes are their 'equals. 'Yee Ca,nadee we
exercise potentially a nation's rights.' The time must come when vee will
demand recognition of our lawful position amongst the nations of tlo
world."
•
On October 19, 1915 Le Devoe. published article by Mr. Bourassa in
part as follows: •
"Of all the stuDiditiesawalchehevi,iieerrifett,earp.. during: .the,leeeeea.r.lieree
has been more complete there that welch .et-erktes the urepreearedneeW of
the English army to the love of pace and the horror of ceeetereitae-Th
truth is that England for a century has made or provoked more wars, con-
quered more territories, pillaged more people than any othee pewee in the
world. But all these wars, save the Crimea where she assured herself of
the help of France she has undertaken people who are uncapable e1 fight-
ing against her. All these conquests have been made in view of investment
of capital, of the feeding of her itteustries, of the enlargementof her meet -
time commerce IcivATrVeltadeliref,"ieietielle"oertitletile, with the great powers,
she bas directed all her military effort upon the fleet ane in preparedness
for naval war." • .
Speaking against participation in the war at meeting in Monument
National, Montreal, Dec. 16, 1916,, Bourassa said:
"French civilization does not need England to save -it, England whose
armies ,devastated France time after time, and who carried moreruin and
destroyed, more teteselas than the: Germans could do in ten years.,They
talk of little countries, the rights of Aire :06untries. Think of Russiaerand
Britain who have seized everything, despoiled everything."
• • •
Before Union St. Joseph de Saint Heart in St. Henri College Hall, Monte
real, May 30, 1916.
"Why should we aid France? When they cannot help us here? Sup-
pose a civil war should break out, which, please God, cannot happen, and
people of Quebec stood bayonet in hand against the people of pntario,
could France declare,evae on England and come over and render epees -
stance M our figbalog Nationality?" ' eee
* * :
49
At Monument National, Montreal, Jan. 14, 1015, Mr. Bourassa said:
"Let England look after herself, as ,she is capable to. We in Canada
are in the position of negro slaves in Virginia, who, at least, were well fed
by their masters."
"No nation has the right to hold' the dominion over the whole world,
England any more than Germa,ny, There has been a great deal of pro-
test over Germany's treatment of Belgium, What abet:it the treatment
that the Boers in South Africa, received from England? What of Eng-
land'e treatment Of'llatidrialists of Ireland end of the Frerich Calitideakliv
race? Every small 'tuition has a right to live and it must not bo pree6deti.
that the German yokels heavier than the English."
«
• ,
, -
Speaking Monument National, Montreal, June 7, 1917, he said:
"We will have to have courage to face demagogic paesiot. Neither
Parliament nor the Government has the right to impose conscription, be-
catise Parliament is dying and the Government already is in testate of
putrefaction. We will fight this Iniquitous law brought en by a demented
brain. •,
"In your tame, he the name of. your sons, we will rise and we wiliarheke
it wel, understood that there is an eid, there is a limit to our enduinuce,
and that wo will resist to the last by all legitimate arid fair means' this
compulsory military service.
* •
In Le Devoir June 1, 1017, he wrote:
"Canada," he says, "has furnished all the man power she can /or this
War without gravo danger to her ONVI). eeistence and that of the allies."
Th article *kitten for New Yore: Evening Post and published Sula 7,
1917,,,choebs8teartieptn
le sure to bring orious troubles in the labor 'efreles.
indiscriminate chlietinent hasalready disorganized labor conditions,. night-
ly or wrongly, labor leaders teppreheed that conscription is sought for not
so much for Military pterposee with the object of controlling wages and
work, The enforcement of conscription will certainly be resisted by tiro
organized labor of Canada.
• •
/erten Le Deyoir of recent dates, are the following:
"As far se things military are Cilriterned, the time for tonsoriptibrY is
over. What is nieiPerteot Is net to teed seldiers but te seed rai 'erkwei,
The
ticipatton in the war, Bourassa will be the natural heir to Sir Wilfrid etceie h. it'd hit ti li
spectacle of patriotic
against eriliatthent? That Is right, All Canadians wto wieli to fight Cott
At Lachine the other day a speaker remarked. If you are logical ytni are
Laurier, ea he marches to Ottawa the possessor oe from sixty to eighty tleteleltil:tiMon18 Which CieOTePlisCilratilleterthi;
ebeeey, is not pieaSant to me- ecription must have courage to say that. We actually have four Immiteed
teitielete, yet this has been Wit- acid twenty 'aflame,' men in Europe aiul in training bere. M proportion
nessed time and Reedit 10 Several that would mean that France should have an army of two million Ione
Allied e,ountries. Surely the tittle hundred thousand and the ITtiltee Kingdom te700.000. In epite of this cal.
has come to speak out against a cule,tiott on paper, England hap not yet sent over that. uunthee,
hideous and elzor-Drotent menace to "One Will admit, 1 Isteeptete, that Englarel ham no less interest let kee,p.
our Institutions whieli gime the wet' • . - .... that ...
the aermatut from uaia.isi caneda, he. And Imre is anotherses-
began has Weighed in the halence I"
directly Ilit favor of the brutal to. tie% How many aitediere Would Franee er.Ettgland have, to Mid tieedettestre
aellante of cirilitatieti. tioa 11 Canada was attacked- by the 'United States?".
safe French seate in the Holise of Comitionel
Is this what the Quebec Province agitators are lookieg forward to?
Are they preparing their usually docile French-speaking fellOweeltizens
for what will follow the next eleetient7
And is the dream of 8. new independent all-Prench Canada being dis-
played as a Mere Will 0' the wisp to lead on to a liolid lerreach vote to gain
a political party trietory, and than to be dropped as 8. bit of baggage re -
attired no longert