HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1917-12-6, Page 9PRE;SIDEN r
WILSON ON COMPULSORY SERVICE
ii ' Borden's Appeal for the
Canadian 'Electors
al the ;War, .i to Strengthen .and Purify.
iaia a Internally, to T the Well:to-do
Tad Lessen the Burdens of the 'Poor
',Elie policies of the Xlei.'� ''Union Government, as laid do4Vn in
t'lip•sta.tements'to the. Canadian people issued by Sir, Robert Bor
den,. place the Union Administration in the front fine of political
progress. They are: '
The vigorous prosecution of the war by the imnecliate,"re-
info"rcement of the` Military Service "Act. ' , '
Adequate taxation of war profits . and increased taxation of
incomes. „:,,, u,.
•
Effective arran ements' for demobiliz do care and"g a �,
voca-
tional: training of returned soldiers.
Effective ect ve measures tore
p vent
excessive profits, to prohibit
roliibit
hoarding and combinations;„for the' increase. of prices arid acid thus to.
reduceb the cost of living. P,
Encouragement of
to-operation
`co-o eration:among
st farmers to lower cost
of production and marketing in'the 'interests;
of both producer and`
consumer.
Civil Service reform for .the purpose of abolishing patronage
and filling places on single standard of merit.
ExterisiQn of franchise, to .women With suitable revisions for
Improving woman's status under'the'law.
Strong and progressive policy of iirimigration and coloniza-
Development of transportation facilities, with co=operative
management of the various railway, systems, to make the best
use of available equipment:
Co-operation with thep rovincial Governments for 'the im-
provement of highways:
Reduction
ti ofpublic expenditure, -avoidance ofwaste and en-•
couragernent of thrift.
Development of all'the resources of Canada wi h o -
P t c operation,
and assistance of the statewhere' practicable the best advan
tage of the people.
Maintenance ofgood relations g od re ations between ;employers and em-
ployed, ployed, care' for industrial population right to' suitable
standards of living. •
Development of a national spirit in Canada by consistent work
for a sympathetic understanding between the various communities..
Creation of a new portfolio, Immigration, and: Colonization;
also, a permanent cabinet committee to overseeprosecution ofthe
war and asecond committee for carrying out other lines of policy:
•
UNCON•.,FOR:+MIW:CARY .SE.RVICE;
With ;regard to the Military "Service Act, Sir 'Robert Borden'a'state
men# says: .. .:
tvh.en it became apparent that the voluntary system.was not,provfding
adequate reinforcements for the army, . •it. became :necessary: to consider
the proy1sions of the Military Service Act.empowering'.the Government,.to
enforce compulsory military service upon ail'male' citizens of.Canada be-
tween the ages of eighteen'; and sixty' inclusive. The selection under that
law Is to be made by ballot,' that is; by chance. Under present conditions
the public interest cannot be served by a chance selection, but it 'demands
Instead. an intelligent selection; ;based. upon a :-vise- and -careful considera-
tion of ..the country's needs, both in the fi' htin line -and at home.' Accord-
ingly, a new measure' t8 'autho%iae a' seleot'tve drat :of '' persons between the'
ages of twenty.and `forty-five was prepared” and submitted' to ;Parliament.
Much care was taken to =ensure • that the measure would not be unfair or
unjust in its provisions;'that there would be no prejudicial interference
with agriculture or industry, that there would'. be no :preferences for"groups;
classes, sections or interests. The Military, Service:'Act" is a democratic
measure, calling the rich as' well as` the poor—indeed, bearing more heav-
ily, upon the rich in that it is more difficult for a young Man of means to
claim exemption on the ground that his labor'is needed' at home for the
supports' of his relatives. „It is . eminently ,'fair- as between.the provinces
and• as between: those portions . of our people who are of different _ racial
,origins, because it pays no attention •whatsoever'"to provincial boundaries
or'; racial' groups; but calls up all' young Canadians' of the same circum-
stances wherever they, play live: ' There was no thought of compulsion until
compulsion became imperative •.There„was no hesitation to'seekcauthority
for ,enrolment by selection When t'ho' necessity., for• greater reinforcements `
'etre Indubitably established, it Wait'the enemy—not the Government-=
which,..issued the calm to arms" and compelled- a mobilization' of all the re-
sources of the Empire. The Government appeals to the people with con-
fidence that the vigorous prosecution of the war is their immediate and
supreme concern, and': that the Military, Service Act which authorized the
selective, draft is but a reflection of the temper and will of the” nation, ,
-THE UNION .CONSTITUTION:
As to 'the constitution of the new Union Government, the Borden mani-
festo reads:
The administration in whose name :this appeal is made Is not the agent
or organ of any group, section„or,'„party . There are those among its mem- -
'hers who roust assume'responsibility'for the conduct of the war thus 'far;
andsuch 'members do riot seek, to, evade that responsibility. There are
those also among its members 'wile have : no''such responsibility. For "the
Military' Service Act all assume the fullest responsibility, as do all for the
;.future conduct of the warand for future measures' of policy and acts' of
adminfstratton. It is not suggested. that 'the Government, which'held of -
fide for six years is immune from criticism because. a Union Government
has been ` organized, but` only that the war' is the first consideration and
that to Its energetic and successful•, prosecution' union among the people is
asnecessary as the coalition of political leaders.
IzOGRESSiVE 'peiLlQIE.8.,
. SIR ROBERT BORDEN.
PR EESlDB NT W 1;i -SON,
When the. United States went into this, war ,its: first act was to establish the Selective Draft
for Military Service.
This was not done because it was necessary to get recruits. With its hundred million
o ulation America could have raised an army"of ten millions bythe. voluntary. system, on• Can-
ada's proportion of enlistment. But President Wilson insisted on the Compulsory Service plan
because it is the only fair and; logical and demo cratic as well as the plan efficient for a
nation at war. Here is his masterly justification for : it, in his official proclamation issued May
8th'last;ordering the Selective Draft into force:—
„EACH MUST, DO HIS PART.; ,
The Power against which we are arrayed has sought to impose its will upon the world byforce.
g p P
To this end it has increased armament until it has changed the face of war. In the sense in
Which we have been `wont to think of armies,: there °are no 'armiesin this struggle there are entire
nations armed. Thus, the men who remain to tillthe soil and plan the factories are no less a
part of the army that' is France than the men : beneath the battle flas. It must be so with us.
g
It is not an arm that we roust shape and train f,or war, it is a nation.
To this end our,people must draw close in one compact front against a common foe. 'But
this cannot be if each man pursues a private purpose. All must pursue one purpose. The na-
tion needs all men; butit each man, not in the -field that will most pleasure him, but in the
endeavor that will best serve the common: good. 'Thus, though a sharp -shooter pleases to operate
a trip-hammer for the forging of great guns and an expert machinist desires to march with, the
flag, the nation is being served only when the sharp -shooter marches and the machinist remains
at his levers.
. The:'whole+nation must be a team, in which% each man shall play p lay' the art'for which he is' best
fitted, To this end, Congress has provided that the 'nation shall be'organized for war by selec-
tion; that each man shall be classified for service in the place to which it shall best serve the
general good to call him.
The significance of this: cannot be overstated. ':': It is a new' thin in our history and a land-
mark
mark in” our progress. It is a new manner of accepting and vitalizing our duty -to give ourselves
with thoughtful devotion to the common purpose of, us all.. It is in, no sense a conscription of
the 'Unwilling; it is, rather,
selection froma nationtc,vhicr• h :,.has volun e.-ered' in mass. It n
o
more a choosing of those who shall march with the colors than it is a selection of those who
shall serve an equally necessary and de -voted purpose in the industries that, lie behind the battle
line.
„A CONSPICUOUS MOMENT:``
The day here named is the 'time upon which, all shall present themselves for assignment
to
their tasks. It is for that reason destined to be -remembered dile of the most conspicuous mo-
.
me t5 in pur history. It is nothing less than the clay upon. which !the manhood of the counts,
shall stepforward'in one solid -rank` in defence ofthe ideals to which this nation is consecrated.
It is important to those ideals no less than to the pride of thisgeneration in manifesting its de-
votion
g
votion to them, that'there be no gaps in the ranks:
After explaining t1ie., need for., on .in time' of war, 'the mag lfe
proceeds;:'.
]hut there are other rcesons..why-. the. U'nio'n Government, should be
entrusted with power. It .has pledged itself .totlie extirpation of old :abuses
andto'a wise`and boid'policy of constructive reform. The system'of ,pat-
ronage in the distribution of contracts and offices'whi'ch has-Tirevatied in
Canada:for generations Lias been the' root of many political evils. It: has
fostered' local' and' 'sectional interests; 9n"cornpatible with th'e national. wel.
..faro a.nci'lnjurious to theleff.Iciency•of the national'services. "It b'as.troubled
.representatives ofthe p.ebple,; permitted i the ascendency, of •organized . shin-.
,
'critics in the constitue'n'cies`" And .affected the izidepondence, of ',parliament
itself.. 'rt' -nay be that';these :evils should• have been =overcome long.;; ago
.Censure may lib upon suceesstve,Governments which...have tolerated' the
system. Taut inveterate 'cl1sea.9es 'succumb .„only to heroic-treatment—and
Heroism itas not, distingulshed'Canadian iparties In •dealtngo with patronage.
C>enera.11y^; Governments. have livedlong in, Canada and when, for: many;
yoarS distrihtiition'of patronage' has been.conftned ,to`,'the party in`.power
,there' ]a n. natural disposition to adjrist;the balance when"at'length the
.oti er party zuceeeds to office.'- Onee coniznitted to ..the. syetein, influences
'are recognized and interests created„ that -are not easily resisted or dis=
lodged. l:t is believed; that a ':Government, dertvettfrom. both pbiitt'cat,
•., nn i strengthened by oriental , repre, entation :Of+agriculture and' or-
r- rrized labor, con•a,cr. with ".greater, freedom :and; independence, than, a Gov-•
eminent which held office tinder the.old. cirrditions hence the resolution
ao'
abolish,' trading in patronage,„,to f111 pubh> .officeswby-merit:and not b.'
Mfr vo:itism, and.to estabiishfihoncet•and open cornpetitionain awarding: con-
'`1 :cts ,and buying supplies.`
li•tiE RAl1=WAY PROBLEM,
On �
the railway problem , the union%policy' is outlined. as follows:
For many years in Canada railway \poli'cy wan determined 'not so much
by the needs of transportation.as.by the derririnds of rival' groups, of i'a.il-
5vay builders, AS a result we have great `railway, nileage, constructed
at heavy, cost, with long stretches of pariliel.1inee '.where- a single system
a o er ch r
li ,rafflc'and at 1 c a e on .
rice da,lt et ';r, u a.s r
is l.. 1 S n I "•
0
uld
laa,vo 1 g p a loT. in-`
fig elle ed 'however tli�.t (�a,nada i :
vestment of capital It b v , . , w ll yet develop
traetie Sn (C3:ces' of Ttr~eser'zt ran ..f eilities, and`1ii thts;rsieantirie the Gov-
ernmeti1 Will endeavor, -to co-ordinate existing' pert/�icis, and iriipioVe aucl
"noted the national rail 'a:ys n itbo'itj to ivati ^ to private compantoo.
n � '
TF`ly 9VA"INALMBCir� i
LAURIER ANO T
isopposed conscription,
Sir Wilfrid Lauriersa s that,though he tohe
y
s im voluntary recruiting., a
would � if elected,endeavour, to t Mate vo�h t
,:y.
has he ever done to stimulate •voluntar recruiting? Look at ` this 1
y
Last February a' letter was sent to him ” by -the recruiting committee
of the Canadian Club of Hamilton, asking him to give a written endorse-'
ment' of , their -effort to arouse new interest and activity in recruiting.
A. similar appeal was made -to .Sir Robert Borden and Mr. Rowell,
both of whom gave authoritative. encouragement to the.idea: Here is
Wilfrid Laurier s answ er:—
Sa. w
"OTTAWA, Ont,, Feb. 26, 1917.
4 -`.Dear
"I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your favor' of
: o t ,
the 20th inst. I germ sorry that I. cannot send � once an affirm-
ative,you answer. I will look into the matter, but will keep it .ander advise-
ent,;
"Believe meYours sincerely,
"WILFRID LAURIER.”
iunder advisement. This took place in the third year
The matter is still
of' the greatest war that humanity has'ever experienced, da war which ch ln-
vclves thefuture of civilization andhuman liberty. Theurgent need for
reinforcements at the front was known to all Canada. I -Ie declined on
occasion to sayone word': which would aid the national urs ose or
thatpurpose
givesupport men who: are holding_Canada s battle line. He had
su yy ort to the
Yt
itever since.
been looking: rite eve e
to look into.the mutter, and.he hasb
L
(Comtinu,e,d tfroni nage two.).
MAJOR -GENERAL L. Jin LIFSLTT..
d
t'1,121-Par-Ls
o;
' a
1
r hall i
r n the ell n s wh ch bon' r
s,tered ram ai is of � es ® de
t. l i r
h 1 >L SC tj, led iI r
tele �(�ilnlx�e on the llisto,..�c bairt.,(,_le�d of a e � €, hu � ids of
7
e
woode.,a. c i oases � hicb n�a ,l the rebtin ,places of, Cana d� y 'vho Lax ly i,,l
�t ,. rf y�,_ r , e
Id x s lien r as f.o�. c( d u u; ,1::, men
earsagow
;am,e-.,:t w aw d ' or the e t t1 et , t afthmd ` dein a n.� ed l t a a 'd t 'that', tea ey
lust Fight and "Vote to IV`
and Smash Forever the' russi
far Menace
There hay, been no 'better statement of the Allied
this great war than President '\%Wilson's' noble, r:r fly t-'
overtures made last 'August by the Pope
To deal with .such a power as, the present ruler t
upon Pope Benedict's plan, declared the`Presidrent, wok,
a recuperation of thestrength and renew al of the wo
tion of that power; now ,balked, but not -defeated, afte�
a: continent' with the blood; of innocent' Women and ci;.
the helpless poor as well .as of soldiers.
Permanent peace must be ,based, he declares, upo;t
'of all the peoples and upon justice and fairness aid
rights of mankind.
This is the cause which the electors of Canada ul�
back with their ballots in the coining erections.
The text of` the . note follows
"To His Holiness,:Benedictus XV., Pope:
"In acknowledgment of thecommunications of
`less to 'the belligerent peoples, dated August -;i;`
dent of the United States requests me to transmit t t
reply:
-"Every heart that has not been blinded and;
this 'terrible war must be touched by this_ moving; a
Holiness,, the Pope must feel the dignity and' force of
and generous motives' which prompted it, anal, ,a,
wish that we right take -the path of peace he so
points out. But it would be folly to take it if it does
lead to the goal he proposes.. Our response ``lust be:
the stern facts and upon nothing else. It is lot' a
tion of arms he desires; it is a stable and enduring :.
agony must not be gone ,through with again and. 14
matter, of very sober judgr'nent'what Will' ensure .is,.a
"His Holiness in substance proposes thatti e` r f,.
status quo ante-bellum and that then there be a gest
ation, disarmament and a concert of nations, :base*`1`
ceptance of the principle of arbitration; that by a sill
freedom of the seas be established; and that the territc s-ia.
of France and Italy, the perplexing problems of the --Hail ,rr
and the restitution of Poland be left to :such conciliatotc
rnents as may be.possible in the new temper. of .stir ' a,
,regard being paid to the. aspirations. of. the eoples,w O.,,:
;fortunes and affiliations willbe involved. ;,
OBJECT OF WAR DEFINED.
"It is manifest that no part of this program- can',
fully carried .out unless the restitution of the status.
furnishes a firm and satisfactory basis for it. The obje
war is to deliver the free peoples of the world froii'. tl
and the actual power of, a vast military` establish-riczt'h
by an irresponsible government which, having..secrei-
to dominate the World, p'i`oceeded to carry the sd<in.:;
regard either to the sacred obligations of; treaty. o
tablished practices and 1c fig cherished principles o
action and honor; which chose its own tirne for the
its blow fiercely and suddenly: stopped atno; baa
law or mercy; swept a_whole continent with the tic
p
not the blood of soldiers only,, but the blood -of innocz
and children also and of the helpless poor;'and now'X z.
but not defeated, the enemy of four-fifths of'thevor>c7.
"This power is not •the 'German people'.,-
master
eople.. master of the German people. • It is no -business. o, .e
great people came under, its control or submitted bvif .
zest to the domination of its purpose; but it is our b;`.
to it that the history of the rest of the world is no,,
its handling.
"To deal with such a Power by way of peace
proposed by His Holiness the `Pope would, so far
involve a recuperation of its strength and a renewal
would make it necessary to creat'e':a perrnaa7erie ho
tion of nations against the Gerinan people, who a'
merits; and would result in the "net, abandoning-
,, .. boi�at':
the intrigue, the manifold subtle: interference* ands
counter-revolution which would be atteniptee1 ,by
influences to which the German Government has of Ia'.
toured the world.
ATO SECURE. PEACE BASIS.
"Can peace be`based upon a restitution of its von;
any word of honor it could pledge in a treaty of sett .,
accommodation? Responsible `statesmen' must
see, if they never saw before," that no peace '.caro rest
upon political or economic restrictions' meant to benefit,
nations and cripple or embarrass :others, upon: Vii elicti.ei.
of any sort, or any kind of revenge or deliberate i ,tort/,;
"The American people have <;suffered intolerabla:'
the hands -of the Imperial German Government, 'but ,t
no reprisal upon the Gerinan people, who have than`'
fered all:things in this war, which they did, not choose„,
They believe that peace,, should rest `upon' the rig,
.".Si'
ernmeits, the rights of.peoples gm
reat or sall, ,vea
—their equal right to'freedom and' security and se
and to a:participation' on fair terms in the econonli.eCi: 1p'
of the world --the German people, of course, included
ff accept equality and not seek domination. rr
The test, therefore,. of -every plan of pe n,
based upon the faith of all the peoples in�,olvec,,
the
. ri . {,Y: ,.. ".
�1ie word of an ambitious and riltri�-uin, .goverixi�
grid of a grou 7 of free`- ics � hother? -'
Band, �, 1 �eop es on the .. ,
: which 'goes to the root of the matter; and'.it .' is
joust be applied.
xl
SEEKK NO MATERIAL,
AlERAL,
GAIN
"The purposes 'Of the 'United
;States in this' wa:
to thewhole world -to every people to whom ,the
'-
ermitted to come. :The is to not jeer t , t
permitted Y need 1 ..n L,� ;,t�f,
seek no materiel advantage of any kind.' We Uel';.
tolerable ' r5 done in this' war by rue.
' Imperial power of the Ijnl et � German Government mr„:.
but not at the expense of tie sovereignty of
a vindication of the sovereignty, bath of'i:hose
those that arc strong. Punitive :damages, `t
.of ei't;pires, the establishment of selfish ;i-irli
leag.zies,' we deem, inexpedient and i'ri the e
no`prc,per•.basis for a peace of .arty, kind;
; eace, :That i'ttt:t be based 11 ,
during }p l�on
the common i'iiiltts of rtiariltitid. '.`
"\ ' t. cannot talcs the word 'b,”"``'
r
tl
�i` '. of.rji l ri hat.
jai,. ice anything 9
"�.. z tl<,
~�r as
(�e
5
tett by such oris. rS"
German
;�otjltl bo:,
si'
,retie
'will
�� friert