Crackdown in Canada

Two Canadian dailies, both normally stanch supporters of the Mackenzie King Government, were fined last fortnight. It was the first major crackdown for violation of Canada's Defense Regulations.

Le Droit, respected French-speaking Ottawa daily (circ.: 19,000), was fined $200 for a column generally ascribed to Editor Charles Gautier denouncing Britain's "murderous raids" on "our dear France." (P.S.: Editor Gautier lost his job.)

The Vancouver (B.C.) Sun, second biggest paper in Western Canada (circ.: 72,000), got a bigger fine ($300) but did not feel bad about it. In scorching articles on British Columbia defenses, the Sun had accused the Government of practically every dereliction in the calendar. Three sentences particularly were singled out by the Government as "information useful to the enemy": "There are no planes, no guns, no men. We have thrown up the sponge. There are no modern training methods."

Pleading guilty last week, the Sun showed small sense of guilt. Said its editorial two days later: "The Government, in theory, prosecuted the Sun because it was damaging public morale and hence the cause of war. And how did we damage it? By pointing to the need of arming British Columbia for defense and offense. . . . The result of our damage was highly interesting."

The result referred to: a promise from Ottawa to bolster Canada's West Coast defenses, a visit by Defense Minister Ralston and Air Minister Power, subsequent steps to fulfill the promise.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.