HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1920-05-07, Page 1L 30, 1920.
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FlY-FOURTH YEAR
WHOLE NUMBER 278
SEAFOR'TI1,- FRIDAY,
MAY 7, 1920.
McLean Bros., Publishers
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f Your
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Suits $15.00, $25.00, $30.00 to $40.00
Trousers $4.00, $5.00 to - $7.00
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Boys' Suits $5.00, . $7.50 to $12.00 and $15.00
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THE CALM- AT OTTAWA
The Easter adjournment found
Parliament thoroughly under the in-
fluence of the Ottawa atmosphere.
The dignity given to the proceedings
by the new building$, further isolation
provided for the minor . statesmen by
new rules that closed 'the corridors
adjoining the chamber to press and
public,- and the joys of the: social
whirl have fully convinced the private
member of Itis individual greatness.
And gradually suggestion grew into
conviction that all was well; that the
Farmers were only a political flash
in the Pan; that the Liberal Opposi-
tion was as weak in the country as
itis in the House; and that given
reasonable time for the public mind
to return to normal there could 'be
but one result to an election ---ani
overwhelming endorsation by the
electors of the party that had won
the war and solved the problems of
reconstruction.
-
To be sure ther-e was an occasional
echo from the outside world that in-
dicatad that the name "Unionist" did
not rouse the enthusiasm it should.
For instance, Hon, Arthur Meighen
hurled himself into the Temiskaming
by-election charged to the muzzle with
praises for the great work the Gov-
ernment had done. And -even he must
have been - a hit shocked • when Pullen,
the candidate he was supposed to be
supporting, stood up and, avowing
himself a straight Conservative, shook
the weight of Unionists connection
from his political shoulders.
But littlethings like this were
simply flies on the wheel, - A great
complacency reigned over the Union
camp that nothing but an earthquake
could disturd and Sir Thomas White's
order to "carry on" was earthquake
insurance for at least another. three
years.
Also illness had again rallied to
the aid of its chosen friends. Was
not Hon, T. A. Crerar in the hospital
having a carbuncle removedhfrom the
back of his neck and -Hon. .1. A,
Calder confined to his home with an
attack of influenza? With the real
head of the Government and his most
dangerous opponent both out of the
House, what could mere members do
but throw care to the winds and sit
back and enjoy themselves?
Nor had the first five weeks of the
session provided many wrinkles for
the statesmen's brow. To be sure
there lied been an occasional ripple
on tholitical surface, but it seldom
lasted more than a day. It only
seemed to emphasize the general
calm. •
For instance Ottawa woke up with-
a start one Monday morning to find.
that the- First Sea Lord, Hon. -C. C.
Ballantyne, t
ii the
entire
hrow
e
Yn , had t
Canadian navy in the -ash barrel.
Shortly before this the Unionist
Caucus had frowned on a Ballantyne
proposal to spend $5,000,000 per an-
num on a real 'navy composed of
borrowed British warships manned by
jolly Canadian tars. The first Sea
Lord was peeved over the rebuff and
the whisper circulated that Mr. Bal-
lantyne had acted in a moment - of
pique and without consulting his
Cabinet colleagues. And that whis-
per may have contained considerable
truth. - - More than one Ministerras-
serted privately that the matter had
never been discussed . in_Coeincil.
But the expected storm never
broke. For that naval department
was not popular. There was a snob-
bery about it that was too strong
for even snob -smothered Ottawa. Mr.
Ballantyne got so many congratula-
tions that the , Government got wise,
'fessed up that it had been in on the
scrapping of the old navy from the
start and announced a naval policy
that 'is simply a modification of the
one thecoatus so emphatically h
tics
lI
turn-
ed down. And •the Unionists, unused
to congratulations of any kind from
the general public, felt the thrill of
a new statesmanship in their manly
bosoms.
The Franchise Act also troubled
the water for a day or two. When
Hon. Hugh Guthrie told of its beau-
ties in sonorous and nicely rounded
sentences, Hon. Mackenzie King stood
up in his place and almost called it
blessed. But that evening while the
Liberal leader was carefully cediting
the report of his speech, his Hansard
followers broke lose and went after
the new legislation with axes. Fred
Pardee, who has got safely back to
his old Liberal home, roared that its
anti -ashen clauses made the War Tinie
Electilons Act look mild and tame. W.
D: Eu , , of North Waterloo, follow-
ed th one of the most effective
speec es delivered in the House in
many a day. Himself of German par-
entage, he pointed out that not only
would the mothers of boys who died
at the front be disfranchised, but that
his own mother, who had been a good
Canadian for sixty years, would be
deprived of the ballot.
Now when this Franchise had come
up -in Unionist caucus the old Tory
element had raised their voices and
howled that the anti -alien clauses
were too mild. They had refused to
be comforted even by the promise
that a further disfranchising act
might . follow. They were quieted
with an assuranee that another caucus
would be held before the disputed
clauses were finally passed in com-
mittee.
And in the face of all this there
were conditions cropping up that made,
ameliorating amendments, absolutely
necessary. For no Government would
care to have it go out to the country
that it had disfranchised the near
relatives of soldiers who died for
their country.
It was a time for explanation and
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eaforth, Ont.,
Meighen was selected to do - the ex-
plaining. He did it, did it in a way
that forever dimmed the star of Hon.
Charles Doherty as the champion ex-
plainer of the House. • Before he was.
half way through - the Press Gallery
was reaching for supports and gasp-
ing for breath. When his last tangl-
ed sentence had been inscribed on
Hansard some wise people figured out
that the clause would b. amended.
Anyway that took - the Franchise
Act out - of the active 1'Pork of the
House for a time. For ht here it
was discovered that Hon. James Cal-
his needed a trip south for health.
Hon. James took the trip. Also it
is surmised he took that troublesome
clause of the Franchise Act. Some-
where in the South the alien clause,
Sir Robert Borden and Hon. James
Calder would meet. Ther James
would solve the problem, Sir Robert
would O. K. it, and later Unionists
and Opposition alike would swallow
it, no matter what kind of faces they
might make in the swallowing.
But these were practically the only
little snarls which the Union family
had to disentangle. Otherwise the
session had been so - peaceful that
most of the members had trouble
keeping awake. There were days too
when the adjournment came before
the six o'clock whistle blew. Neither
Government nor private members ap-
peared to be taking interest enough
to keep things running. Hon. Mac-
kenzie King, looking as pleased and
self-satisfied as a member of the
Cabinet, was not disposed to make
trouble. In fact an opponent sized up
his work for the first five weeks of
the session i
this
wise:e: "King m
mov-
ed
an amendment to the address he
didn't want carried and raised a point
of order on the appropriation for ship-
building he didn't want sustained. On
every other question he said, `Hear,
hear.' And yet they call him the
`fighting leader.' " This criticism may
be a bit tcro harsh. _ But one of Mr.
King's leading supporters, - when
brought face to face with it, could
only counter with the rather e neg-
ative
e • g-
ative tribute: "Well he knows enough
to keep his mouth shut and that is
more than D. D. McKenzie could
do."
So on the whole it will be conceded
that the boy leader can hardly be
called aggressive.
Speaking of speeches naturally
brings us back to our old friend and
uplifter, Hon. Wesley Rowell. He's
the busy bee of the Unionist. hive. In
the early days of the session when
work was short, interest lagged and
the house promised to peter out be-
fore its appointed time, they just
turned on Hon. Wesley's oratory tap
and another good day's .work was
checked off. At that time he was us-
ing his undoubted industry and energy
to make Canada a nation. It was a
cold day when he didn't weave one
of the ties that binds a nation, even
if he had to pluck a handful of
feathers from the Eagle's tail to help
out the weaving. The • ratiflcat`fon of
the Bulgarian treaty was his grand
little opportunity. How' he did float
off into the - elocutionary ether that
appears to be the essential to interna-
tional politics!
But, just as he had the job nicely
finished uff, an
d this fair:, ,
Dominion
rounded o
into a sure enough nation
of the same size as Santa Domingo,
along came a cable from England that
intimated that the Canadian ambas-
sador to Washington was to be a sort
i
of office boy to the British ambas-
sador. It was a dash of cold water
that temporarily quenched the fires of
oratory. Nevertheless, when the esti
item of 480,000 for Canadian repre-
sentation at the American capital.
And when the wise ones started to
figure who would spend the $80,000.
their eyes somehow turned to Hon.
Wesley. And this is how they figur-
ed: "Mr. Rowell claims that he is
and always was a Liberal, so he can
hardly adopt the Conservative name
and the = protection policy that the
Unionists have up their sleeveR. If
he had intended jumping out he would
have made the jump when the Cab-
inet rescinded his prohibition - order -
in -council. He could have -gone then
u. like
the
out hed
with
his chest spread P
hero of a Sunday school story. But
he didn't go. He stayed on the job
and kept_ right on working. Now; if
he didn't go and can't stay he must
know somewhere he's going to light. -
"So naturally they picked Washing-
ton as the place for him to light. And
till the more so that- the seat of
Yankee Government is now bone-dry
and in a position to provide an en-
vironment to his liking. Moreover,
a few years in a position that would
keep Hon. Wesley in the public eye
and still, more or less, protected from
i l t
the political breezes might suit t a
astute person's ambitions. For though
the present political map provides no
place for him, who can tell what the
future might provide? When the
country gets back to normal and the
prejudices of the war and prohibition
period are forgotten, who can tell
but that a chastened people might yet
clamor for the services of an industri-
ous individual who at the present
writing is credited with having "made
the world safe for sobriety."
Anyway there is just one other
name mentioned in connection with
that Washington job and that is Hon.
E. N. Rhodes, Speaker of the House
of Commons. Which reminds us that
Mr. Speaker had been very much in
the Parliamentary eye "dating the
present session. Nor must you run
away with the impression that he is
displeasing to said eyes. From his
spats to his carefully kept hair he is
sartorially l correct. rreLt.
He
patronizes onizes
the
best London tailors and is a credit to
them. He claims Nova Scotia as his
birthplace and like others of the same
nativity he professes law and practises
politics. He would doubtless prefer
to proceed with the practice but the
fact remains that it took the soldier
vote to elect him in 1917 and nobody
predicts that the soldier vote will be
so solidly Unionist in the next elec-
tion as it was in 1917. So Hon.
Edgar must seek other fields or go
back -to law.
Nor is the United States altogether
interpretation. Naturally Hon. Arthur mates came down there appeared the
to his liking. He made a trip down
to Washington not so many months
ago and the lack of dignity that at-
taches to congressional proceedings
rather disgusted him. To see "Champ"
Clark with his hands in his pockets
roll up on the dais and shout "order,"
only removing one hand from its na-
tural resting pace in order to work
the gavel, rather shocked his finer
instincts. For Mr. -' Speaker has . a -
proper respect for his position and
the things that attach to it. He iaay
accept the Imperial House of Coin
mons as an example of how things
parliamentary should - be conducted,
but his Nova Scotian modesty does
not prevent his trying to improve on
anything done overseas. In fact,
though some people contend that the
late war was fought for democracy,
Mr. Speaker appears to have later
information to the effect that dignity
was really what was at stake.
Anyway he came back from Wash-
ington prepared to put our law-Inak-
ing on a high plane; and the opening
of the new Parliament buildings fur-
nished the opportunity. He grabbed it
and got away to a great start. None
of that lolling up on a dais, thump-
ing a table with a bungstarter and
yelling "order" for him! Indeed no,
and again no! The Canadian House'
of Commons should open with proper
eclat.
So a - few minutes before three
o'clock each day he lines up his staff in
three cornered hats - and flowing robes
of black. There's himself,. the Ser-
geant -at -Arms with the gold mace on
his shoulder, the Clerk and the Deputy
Clerk and a camp follower or two,
not to mention a guard of Dominion
policemen, They slip down a side
alley and bear down on the front
lobby, the majesty of the law person-
ified. As they approach the main en-
trance to the chamber a big police-
man with lungs to match cleaves the
awed silence with "Hats off; . Mr.
Speaker." - - And through an uncovered
throng and on -up the aisle the pro-
cession moves till Mr. Speaker is
perched upon his throne. Then, and
not till then, do hats go back to places
of ordinary wear. Nor does anybody
smile. Everybody feels that if those
three -cornered lids in the grand par-
ade should go awry for a moment
the laws of the new nation would not
be well and truly made.
But the. improvements do not stop
here. On either side of the Chamber
is a peacock alley in which M. P.'s,
Senators, correspondents and such like
are' expected to gather to discuss na-
tional affairs and other . things, in-
-eluding cigars.. Mr, Speaker issued
an ultimatum ;clecclaring these,. corri-
dors - consecrated. to members of
Parliament only. The Senators roar-
ed
oamed and the correspondents protested,
with the result that the Senjators
were allowed to. desecrate the sacred
carpet. But only for a brief period.
A few days later the Senators decided
to - close up shop and take a well:
earned rest till after Easter. No
sooner were they out of town than.
Mr. Speaker was again busy. This
time he got the House Leader to help
him out and at a secret session of
Parliament those lobbies were again
closed. Sanctuary was provided for
those harassed representatives of the
people who cannot sleep :comfortably
in their seats in the House.
LISTEN !
TWO--
REDEMPTORIST FATHERS
McLaughlin
and Barry
will open a one week's mission
in St. James' Church, Seaforth,
commencing Sunday, May 9th,
and will close Sunday evening,
May 18th.
Bring your friends with you
as you are cordially invited,
Alt
But if Mr. Speaker has added to
the dignity of Parliament it cannot
be said he has helped out his own
popularity to any marked extent.
The Senators can hardly be expected
to take their snub lying down, the
correspondents find the gathering of
news more difficult and the private
members cut off from -intercourse with
the common herd are lonesome and
homesick.
However, all this niay not interfere
bions
it
with Mr. Speaker's alleged ambitions
to represent his country at Washing-
ton. There is a feeling that the
country that won the war and 'the
man who gave new dignity to Parlia-
ment should not be kept apart. They
may represent different brands of
snobbery, but after all they're birds
'of a feather. And if by his removal
to another sphere, Mr. Speaker should
help to smarten up the Yankee Con-
gress
undoubtedly earn t
press he would n y
blessing, not only of'his own grateful
country but of that great republic
that lies immediately to1Y
to the e so
uth of
would flash on a surprised country as - -
the chairman of the 'Board of Direc-
tors of the greatest railroad system
on this or any other continent, To be
sure some small part of the country
might be indignant as well as sur-
prised. For it has not yet learned
to know Honest John as a great rail
road 'nazi. Still he ,must have some
qualifications. It was only the other
day, you know, that Mr. D. B. Hanna,
the present chairman, in addressing
a Canadian club or some kindred
organization, predicted that the Na-
tional Railways would yet pay the-
national
henational debt. - Honest John's dis-
closure of how they were proceed
with the paying shows him to be at
least as practical as the address -mak-
ing railroader. And Dr. Reid may
have other qualities that even his
closest friends do not dream of. Any-
way he has courage. For his colleagues
rather quailed before the prospect of
telling the country at one gulp just
how much money the railways had
lost. They wanted to break it softly,
sifting it to the public a bit at a time
till they had got rather used to it. -
But not for John. He wanted the
whole mess spilled at once, and he
wanted to do the spilling. Now did
the simple doctor from the banks of
the St. Lawrence have an object? Did
it ever occur to him that if the coun-
try was jolted into a belief that the
management of the system should be
changed it might fix its eyes on the
man who furnished the jolt? This
question, put to an admirer of the
Minister of Railways, brought only a
shake of the head. "You never can
tell what Jack Reid is thinking," he
said.
Froin the foregoing You will gather
that Easter did not find things at Ot-
kiawa very exciting. The old drift had
set in, the same old feeling that all
was rightwith the Government and
the country was epidemic. For a full
five weeks not a Minister had resign-
ed from the Cabinet. To be sure Hon.
Arthur Sifton is .a ,sick man and would
like to relinquish the cares of office, -
But even a sick Minister is better than
a vacant portfolio, and Union Govern-
ment as we have it in Canada has
portfolios to spare and none - to fill
them. Not that numerous Unionists
do not hanker for the Cabinet purple.
But they're a careful lot. - They have
read the story of the dog that grab-
bed
rabbed at the shadow and lost the bone
on which he intended to dine. And
it is a good guess that there is not
a Unionist in the House who in re-
turn for a portfolio could give a ;guar-
antee that he could be re-elected in
his -constituency. So uncertain is the
-
!political situation.
So the Cabinet will hang on to the
Minister it has, sick or well, Any-
way,
with why should it quarrel with a
bit of sickness. Is not a sick Preinier-
.
the greatest asset it carries on its
books ? Were Sir Robert Borden -
hale and hearty and in his prune the
country would expect him to do some-
thing. And any form of activity
might breed discord in his "heter-
ogeneous flock. So long as he is sick
and absent he is part of the price
Canada paid for freedom --one of the
casualties of the war. As such he
is above criticism. As such he can
be used as the excuse for "carrying
on" by marking .time. He is where
�
.
lot of
he can do the Cabinet good
without a chance of doing it any harm.
For when a snarl arises any solution
with a Borden O. K. ,smooths -things
out perforce,
Anyway Sir Robert may be back in
Ottawa by the time this is in print.
To
resume his duties as Premier? you
ask. Heaven forbid. Surely he has
a better conception of the duties he
owes to that Unionist party of which
he is not only the leader but also the
father. Nothing must be done to dis-
turb the peaceful calm under cover of
whichis
cls leaven
the White -Calder
quietly working. Sir Robert's return
to active Premiering, might result in
a collapse that would drive him en-
tirely out of the political arena. And
that might bring matters to a pre-
mature head, For Sir Thomas White
could hardly aesume the Premiership
without an appeal to the country.
And said country has not yet had
s
u
f-
ficenttime,to returrtothose sober
senses in wh=ch it can appreciate its
present rulers.
us.
Another statesman who cluttered
up the spotlight while the Easter eggs
were being laid was Hon. J. D. Reid,
Minister of Railways and chore boy
in general to the Union Government.
But it was hardly an Easter egg that
Honest John presented to Parliament.
It was the statement of the National
System of Railways for the year 1919
and it showed that the amalgamated
deficits of the various lines composing
that system had reached the magnifi-
cent total of $47,000,000. And in. other
ways besides its total that statement
was a remarkable document. It is
said to have been the joint work of
D. B. Hanna, Graham Bell and Geo.
Yates, But Dr. Reid attended to its -
delivery in person, and though he
stuck closely to his typewritten notes
he did not fail to live up to his usual
style of oratory. And as an orator
the Medical. Minister reminds you of
the British people; he muddles
through.
With the Railway speech, anyway,
i He chorted
he was well acquainted.
millions and chanted lists of equip-
ment as if he had taken the cash of
every till and tramped over every tie
on the line. Also anyone who want-
ed any improvement made got a
ready promise.
For you know Dr. Reid is said to
be nursing a great ambition. When
his political career - has ended he
So Sir
Robert and
give
the party his blessing and prorogue
the House, And the country wilt
continue to drift towards those same
sober ''enses• •
Sir George Foster by the way, has
mellowed wonderfully of late yearn.
Taking advantage of the leisure af-
forded by his elevation to the Acting-
Prenderehin he is studying French.
Occasionally he delights the Rouse by
a short sneech in the language of
love end diplomacy. To be sure the
Unionists don't understand him and
it is a noon guess that the French-
men on'f either. But it adds variety
to his various forms of uselessness
or versatility; take your choice.
As to the Farmers they're largely
playing,' tfnn nart of snectators. With
Hon T n ^rarer absent. Dr, Michael
Clark, with his hat pulled down over
his e,e^ i^ actin' leader. He looks -
as if the cars of leadership rested
heavily on his shoulders. Gould of
Assinibeia never misses an, oppor-
tunity to sneak, but he runs to words
rather than idea'. The others are
waiting and watching, They'll have
a few words to say when the budget
comes down, But that will be abort
all. They feel that the Unionists are
playing the game that will produce
a change of Government—se why
should they interfere? -:they . who
promise to be the chief beneficiaries
of that change.—By J. K. Munro, in
MacLean's.
e