Anti-Military Policies of Liberals in Canada

I read with interest the comments by John V. Conroy of Stratford, Ont., referring to Canada as the “meat in the sandwich” between the U.S.A. and the Soviet Union. Conroy indicates his desire, and that of the Canadian Liberal Party, to avoid foreign militarization of Canada.

How times have changed.

Conroy might well look back to the dark days of 1939 and 1940 when Canada, ill-equipped and under strength, entered the Hitler war on the side of the Mother Country. He might also recall that thousands of American citizens crossed the border at that time to “do their bit” in the Canadian armed services.

He might also recall that many thousands of Canadian citizens, liable to be drafted, entered the home defense, which could not be sent out of the country to fight. We, of the Canadian Active Service Forces, referred to these patriotic Canadians as “zombies.”

Conroy might recall the recruiting tents set up by the Canadian Army at the Canadian end of the Peace Bridge from Buffalo, N.Y., where many Americans were recruited.

I am sure, however, that Conroy, as a self-righteous Canadian, has forgotten, or perhaps never heard of the men who drilled with obsolete Ross rifles. As a matter of fact, the best bit of equipment we had in those dark days was the Army greatcoat.

To anyone who was there during that period when Imperial Forces suffered one disastrous defeat after another one might well say that Conroy stands as a credit to the “zombies” of another age.

CAREY WILBER

Tarzana