THE SITUATIONS OF 1865 AND 1900-14 COMPARED.
Our "Nationalist" opponents of all colonial participation in the
Imperial wars, affirm that Canada should have abided with the convention
of 1865. Are they not aware that, since that year, a great deal of water
has run along the rivers; that the world, although perhaps not wiser,
has at least grown half a century older; that so many ancient conditions
have radically changed; that nations, like individuals, to be
progressive, cannot go on marking time on the same small hardened spot?
Any man sincerely desirous to form for himself an enlightened opinion on
the question of Imperial defence, must first admit that two national and
general situations, totally different, create widely different duties.
Let us compare for a moment, 1865 and 1900-14--_yesterday and
to-day_--as the "Nationalist" leader says.
Fifty years ago, the German Empire was non-existent. Nothing pointed to
the early birth of this terrible child destined to grow so rapidly to
such colossal proportions.
The French Empire was the leading continental Power; Great Britain, then
as now, the leading naval Power, both military and mercantile.
Those two nations, without a formal alliance, had been united ever since
the days when Lord Palmerston favoured the advent of Napoleon III.
The Union of England and France was doing much to maintain the peace of
the world.
The United States were just emerging from the trials of their great
Civil War. They had to solve the very difficult problem of their
national reconstruction. Their population did not exceed thirty-five
millions.
How different was the situation of 1900-14!
The German Empire had become formidable with her population of
68,000,000, her soldiers numbering more than 7,000,000, with 1,000,000
of men permanently under arms, ever ready for an offensive campaign,
with her fleet much enlarged yearly at the cost of enormous financial
sacrifices; allied to Austria-Hungary, with her population of
50,000,000, to Italy, with her 36,000,000--then being one of the Triple
Alliance--supported by Turkey and Bulgaria,--in all a combined strength
of 150,000,000 bodies and souls; with the Germans exalted to the utmost
by persistent appeals to their feelings and to their ambitious dreams.
The American Republic grown to the rank of a first class Power, with a
population of 100,000,000 and a magnificent military fleet.
Was it even sensible to pretend that such altered worldly conditions did
not make the revision of the understanding arrived at in 1865 an
imperious necessity.
They are living in an imaginary world those of us who assert that Canada
could remain a British Colony under a permanent agreement--never to be
amended--by which the Mother Country would be bound to defend her, at
all costs and all hazards, whenever and by whomsoever attacked, Canada
in the meantime refusing, whatever the perils of England might be, to
spend a dollar and to send one man for her defence. There could be but
one issue to the consideration of such propositions: the dissolution of
the British Empire. I regret to say that Mr. Bourassa has audaciously
declared that such has been the objective of his oppositionist campaign
to the Canadian participation in Imperial wars.
If Canada, through its constitutional organ, the Ottawa Parliament, had
signified to England, in 1914, that she would not take the least part in
the war imposed upon her by Germany, nor do anything to help her Allies,
France and Belgium, could she, without blushing with shame, have claimed
the protection of the British flag, if her territory had been attacked.
Would not England have been fully justified in taking the initiative to
break the bond which could henceforth but be disastrous to her, our
shameless attitude towards her, at the hour of her peril, being most
favourable to her mortal enemy.
Have I not every sound reason to conclude that Canadian participation in
the present war was in no way whatever the outcome of an Imperialist
attempt to drag her, against her will, in the conflict into which she so
nobly hastened to enter with the determination to fight to the last, and
to deserve her fair share of the glory which will be but one of the
rewards that will accrue to all those who will have united together to
save Liberty and Civilization from the German barbarous onslaught.