B.C. Saturday sunset, May 29, 1915

              The Saturday Sunset
Vol. 11, No. 24 VANCOUVER, B.C., SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1915 Twelve Pages—Price 5 Cents
H For some weeks there has been waged in Vancou- ipates trouble when the suspension to Home Rule is C Germany's reply to the American note of protest traditions have been sadly upset during the past ten
ver'a battle for the protection of Canadians from raised and the time arrives for the act to become over the sinking of the Lusitania has not yet been months. The heroism of Lafayette, who greatly aided
alien enemies. While the campaign seems to have operative. The move is one that cannot but be forwarded, the statement having been made that Ger- the revolutionary troops in defeating the British, is
been fruitful of results in the city, as attended with undesirable results. The European many is too busy with Italy to bother forgotten. France played a prominent part in end-
Who is far as the civic authorities can help, the struggle saved Ireland from civil war, the end of that The Price about anything else. This disregard for ing British rule in what is now the United States,
to Blame? militia department refuses to take struggle will probably bring about the very condi- of Peace the feelings of the American people is but the cause of France in the present war has re­action.
In fact the authorities refuse tions which threatened the country last August and not surprising under the circumstances, ceived no aid from the American people except
even to take notice of the agitation.
; The situation is this:
There are thousands of alien enemies in Canada.
They maintain a Bystem of espionage which en­ables
them to communicate with their friends across
the border.
In the United States there are millions of German
and Austrian sympathizers who would be glad of an
opportunity to create trouble, with the help of those
aliens already in the country.
The police are practically powerless, the local chief
of police acting directly under the instruction of the
Dominion police in the matter of interning enemy
aliens.
Several Germans have been arrested and permitted
to go free, although it has been proved that they are
active enemies. The police do not receive any co­operation
from the militia authorities.
There is a quantity of German capital invested
in Canada and there seems to be some fear that this
capital will be endangered by the internment of alien
enemies.
In British Columbia we could be cut off from the
rest of the world by an organized raid, even by a
small number of enemies.
Our soldiers have been sent to the front, with
the exception of a small number on guard duty.
When the time comes, practically all the troops under
arms in this province will be at Vernon, not in Van­couver.
It is known that already one attempt to send a
dynamiting party to Vancouver was frustrated by
two war-vessels. It is believed that the bridges burned
in Vancouver were burned by Germans.
Germans are permitted to remain in business and
are given every chance to send money to Germany.
The people of Canada are in this way contributing
to the support of Germany and are sending money
to aid in the fight against our own men.
It has been established already that no crime is
too dastardly for the German people to commit. The
entrance of Italy into the war increases the desper­ation
of the German people, both at home and abroad.
We are, then, inviting trouble by leaving enemy
aliens at liberty in our midst. We are asking them
to commit murder or encompass the destruction of
railroads or bridges. Who is to blame T
There can be but one answer. The .militia depart­ment
is responsible for Canada's part in the present
war and i&T equally responsible for the safety of
Canadians at home. The large public bodies of Van­couver,
Victoria and the smaller municipalities have
expressed themselves to be unanimously in favor of
the immediate internment of all alien enemies. There
is some disagreement as to the treatment of naturalized
citizens, but it is recognized that among even these
there are traitors to Canada. Yet the militia depart­ment
ignores all warnings and all demands for the
protection of the people. Surely it is not necessary
to take a club and beat ideas into the heads of the
uithorities. Surely they have learned their lesson
from the treatment accorded Canadian prisoners, or
the non-combatants of Belgium, or the passengers of
.he Lusitania!
It is time that the people of Canada asserted their
rights in more tangible form. They must get together,
irrespective of all political creeds, and bring their
demands forcibly to the attention of the authorities.
In Great Britain it has been found necessary to form
A coalition government. Every political party, with
the exception of the extreme wing of the Nationalists,
is represented in the new cabinet. In Canada what
do we find? The Conservative party rules supreme
and the voice of the people goes unheard. The
Minister of Militia is recognized to be a dolt who is
the bringing into existence of an organization that Germany has come to believe that the United States through individuals.
has not tended towards harmony in any part of Ire- will not fight, no matter what happens.
Who is to Blame?
fj Although Canada has been at war
for ten months, there are thousands
of alien enemies at liberty in the
Dominion.
*I They are given every opportunity
to commit any crimes tha% might
aid Germany, but the authorities will
not intern them.
Q Who is to blame ? |.
1$ Germans and Austrians are making
money in this country and sending
it to Germany through the United
States. This money goes towards
prolonging the war arid aiding in the
slaughter of our gallant soldiers.
^ Who is to blame ?
t|[ Read the answer in the leading
editorial on this page. The time has
come for the people of Canada to
assert their rights and governmental
delay and red tape can no longer be
tolerated.
IJ We are entitled to protection. Why
do we not receive it?
Premier McBride
And his Travels
I f the United States intends to carry out the
present policy of "peace at any price," then the time
will come when some nation will challenge the com­merce
of the United States so boldly that peace will
mean absolute humiliation. We believe that when
Germany has been obliterated, the remnants of the
German nation will seek to colonize South America.
W i l l the United States permit this? Certainly if
Germany is not defeated so badly that a hundred
years will not suffice to build up the nation again,
the United States will not be asked permission. The
Monroe Doctrine will go by the board, and German
" f rightfulness'' will be inflicted upon whomever
happens to be in the way of it. '
It is a difficult problem and one which requires
the biggest man the United States ever produced. If
the nation is to remain a nation, with national pride,
traditions and ideals, the policy of the government
must show no faltering. It must be one thing or the
other, and, for the sake of our neighbors, we hope it
will be peace with honor and only with honor.
C According to schedule Sir Richard McBride is now
on the broad Atlantic. Barring accidents he is almost
due on this side. In New York he will have some­thing
to say of what he saw on
the eastern side of the ocean,
then the trip to the West will
commence, presumably through
San Francisco, where he will do the exposition, thence
to Seattle and across to Victoria. And thereby he
escapes some pertinent queries that might be hurled
j'.t him anent political matters in British Columbia.
When Sir Richard travels he maps out his line of
route and he knows exactly where he is going and
what he is going to say. But there have been in­stances
when his calculations have erred and when the
cold shoulder and cold feet have not been unknown.
Now what will happen when he returns is a question
that is being asked even in Tory circles. Will Sir
Richard and Mr. Bowser bury the hatchet, or will
the chief tell his one-time lieutenant to go to the
deuce and work out his own salvation? It is prob­lematical.
But this much is assured, if the statements
of Conservatives are to be believed, that the premier
has never entertained the idea of relinquishing office
on this coast. This does not quite fit in with the
object of his mission to England. There the proposal
was cut and dried for him to step into as agent general
for British Columbia. Evidently something has gone
awry, and whether he comes to say goodbye to the
province, or whether he returns to carry on an aggres­sive
campaign at the hustings, is yet to be seen. But
the general opinion is that Sir Richard, indignant at
the scurvy treatment he has received at the hands of
Bowser and company, and, overflowing with righteous
wrath, will let loose the dogs of war in a way that
will astonish the members of the party that once
was his. Assuming that he takes the bit between his
teeth, former henchmen are going to get the surprise
of their lives. Sir Richard is nothing i f not method­ical,
and this time his methods will have direct bear­ing
on the attitude of men who have played him false.
And then the deluge.
The man in the street sees quite a lot of the game
that is being played in the, local political arena, a
little more indeed than the boss politicians know of.
And from their viewpoint matters are reaching a
critical stage, not only for the men who have con­trolled
the province for too many years, but for the
province itself. To suffer a continuance of conditions,
such as obtained for the pasts eleven years, is more
than any party with a scintilla of common-sense or
self-respect can expect. No amount of explanation
so filled with the sense of his own importance that land is the initial step in that direction. John Red- It is not the business of the Canadian people to D V . Bowser or any of his satellites will carrv any
he recognizes no opinion but his own. He is the man mond has proved himself to be a statesman i n every tell their neighbors what they should do. We know
who refused to permit British officers to take part in sense of the word, but in acquiescing in this proposal where we stand in this war and we know that Cur
the training of Canadian troops at Valcartier. He he appears to have surrendered to the malcontents cause is just. So much is admitted by the American
it was who boasted vaingloriously that Kitchener con- who cannot conceal their irritability at the delay people. That they themselves are not anxious to
sidered him a marvel. He is not a soldier, but a which the war entails to making the measure of self- enter the lists against Germany is their own affair,
politician, and not particularly successful even in government effective. It is unfortunate that such a Whatever their problems may be, and we imagine
that department. proposition has been made; it will be equally unfor- the lack of troops and an inferior navy are among
In General Steele, General Otter, Colonel Lessard tunate if it is acted upon, and there is every reason them, the United States have undoubtedly placed t 0 ' a s e e r t a j n the standing of both parties in British
and many others Canada has soldiers of whom any to believe that it will be. themselves on record as being opposed to war in any Columbia*/ To such a pass have matters come that
nation might well be proud, yet the militia department MM, form. It is true that they went to war with Mexico today the province stands in the same position as a
at the present time is ruled by politics. We must <[ While we cannot but admire the state of prepared- as the result of an insult to the flag, but it was not r n a n ' o r firm nnable to meet their liabilities. And all
reach the inevitable conclusion that the internment ness in which the navy found itself at the outbreak a war of any consequence and resulted only in the t n j 8 t j i n c g ) r R j c i ) i m ] i l a s n e e n ga]]iVanting about
weight at the present time. Sir Richard returns to
take a hand at the washing of an accumulation of
dirty linen, the accumulation of eleven years, reeking
as it is with political filth that Manitoba could scarcely
equal. What will he do? Have the voters' lists to
be scrutinised yet before the Conservatives can make
up their minds to go to the country on their record,
The militia department is to blame for the policy Need Apply civilian of his calibre should have the the right one, time alone will tell. "Peace at any w n j ] e British Columbia awaits the word of an elec-of
giving alien enemies their freedom. If this were supreme post at the British admiralty, price" has never been favored as a national motto t j o n c j a v W J J J t h e ejectors tolerate such bare-faced
a Liberal ministry we would make the same statement As a politician, Winston Churchill has been a huge among Anglo-Saxon nations, but the United States ,u.g|jg(>n c e 0 f their interests? The answer will be
and carry on the same campaign that has been waged success, but when it comes to bossing men like has drifted away from that classification. With the m a ( j e c ] c a r a t the proper time
for the internment of enemies. This matter is too " J a e k y " Fisher, then it must be conceded that the exception of the New England states, where the old '
great for politics. It may be a matter of life and man who has spent his life in the navy, and who stock took root hundreds of years ago, the country
death, and there is no time to waste. " - - - • . . . . . .
until afterwards before taking action'
C One of the surprises of the newly- , , - - - „ , • „ . . ...
coalition cabinet is the inclusion of Sir Edward Car- made some egregious errors since the war began, but A declaration of war against any European nation notably the children, are being taught toy-making in
son as Attorney-General. Another surprise is the they were errors of judgment. At the same time, would cause great difficulties within the borders of the hope that when the war is over Nuremberg will be
-exclusion of Mr. John Redmond, the country is face to face with a crisis when mis- the States. While we doubt very much the possibility deprived of the hold it has long had on the British
Ireland's Place The Government, however, cannot takes may cost too much, and though the erstwhile of civil war, there would be grave incidents necessitat- market. An exhibition of what British toy-makers
In the Empire be blamed for that. Mr. Redmond first lord has given of his best while in that office, ing the presence of large bodies of troops. This, too, can do is said to have proved full of encouragement
was offered a seat, but the prin- the time has arrived when the practical man must must be considered by President Wilson in his attitude for the success of the movement. Another instance
ciples of his party precluded his acceptance of it until be the master. Figure out the state of affairs at towards Germany. ' of organization against German activities in Great
Home Rule is an accomplished fact. But what is present were a civilian in supreme command at the On reading of the various insults that have been Britain is the formation of a league or society to
really significant is the command that has gone forth war office. There is enough and to spare of criticism offered tUfc American people by Germany, one wonders promote the employment of Britons as waiters in
from the Irish Nationalist party for the rejuvenation just now. What would it have been had a less com- what the national life of the United States is to be hotels and restaurants. The German waiters have, of
of the United Irish League. There is a hesitancy petent man than Kitchener been the head of that fifty years hence. Their laws are admitted to be course, either been driven out of London or are in-about
the official statement of jthe party, in.accepting department? All of which goes to prove that in poorly administered. Labor unrest has been so violent terned. Lectures are being given on the art of wait-the
pledge of Premier Asquith, that betokens some coming administrations i n Britain the experienced at times that pitched battles have been fought on ing in some of the technical institutions of Ireland
important steps in the near future. If all is well man, the man who knows and who is capable of put- American soil. Their traditions are Anglo-Saxon and England. That waiting is an art has been im-with
the Nationalist cause, why'should the'United ting his theories into practice, will wield the power traditions, for George Washington was a British pressed upon Englishmen since the German waiters
Irish League be reorganised. Clearly the party antic- irrespective of what political party he represents. officer before the War of Independence. But these disappeared.