Canadian Election

Excitement mounted feverishly last week as Canadians sought the polls for a general election. Canadian statesmen have been thwarted, hamstrung in their efforts to govern during the past year by a strangling deadlock between Liberals and Conservatives. Would the new election break this deadlock and give either Liberals or Conservatives a workable majority? Canadians pondered that question last week with an anxious, even prayerful, interest.

Issues. The so-called Canadian customs scandal (TIME, July 19) which had been whooped as a great issue early in the campaign petered into insignificance before the polling began. A surprising apathy was likewise shown by the electorate toward Conservative promises of a high protective tariff and Liberal pledges of a low tariff for revenue only. An issue meet for tooth and claw was however discovered in the famed "Byng-King" incident.

Byng-King, This highly technical issue grew out of the refusal of Baron Byng, Governor General of Canada, to dissolve Parliament on the "advice" of Liberal Leader William Lyon Mackenzie King (TiME, July 5) who was at the time Premier. Not for many a year has a Governor General of Canada refused to heed such "advice" from a Premier, and accordingly the Liberals were able to ruffle the pride of Canadians by the slogan: "Is Canada a (locally autonomous) Dominion, or a (subservient) Crown Colony?;'

In vain Conservatives pointed out that Baron Byng acted within his rights. Mr. King, defeated in the House of Commons, was forced to resign as Premier and was succeeded by Conservative Premier Arthur Meighen (TiME, July 12). The Liberals swiftly retorted that when Premier Meighen "advised" the Governor General to dissolve Parliament (TIME, July 12) Baron Byng complied at once.

Thus an issue was created by the Liberals in which it was made to seem that Canada's cherished "Dominion status" was being threatened by "the Crown and the Tories." This essentially spurious argument was rhetorically strengthened by recalling that it was Mr. Meighen who drafted the Military Service Act of 1917 under which Canadians were conscripted and sent willy-nilly to fight for His Majesty George V.

Meighen's Fall. So badly did the Conservatives fare last week that Premier Meighen was personally defeated for his parliamentary seat in the very constituency which first sent him to the Commons (1908), Portage La Prairie, Manitoba.

By a notable coincidence his successful Liberal opponent was E. A. McPherson, once Mr. Meighen's partner at law.

Election Results. The Conservatives lost 25 of the 116 seats which they secured at the last election, bringing their present strength down to 91.

The Liberals who obtained 101 seats in the last election gained 18 seats, raising their number to 119. Thus, Liberal Leader King need find only four more votes among the smaller parties to hold a whip hand majority of 123 over the House which numbers 245. He can unquestionably secure this majority, for eleven Liberal-Progressives markedly sympathetic to him were elected. "Straight Progressives" number eight; United Farmers of Alberta, eleven; Laborites, three; Independents, two.

Significance. Premier Meighen's defeat was deemed so abysmal last week that many Conservatives hinted he should resign his leadership of the Conservative Party.

Not to be stampeded, Mr. Meighen took no such precipitant action last week, but issued a brief statement promising that his Cabinet would resign at once.

Baron Byng was expected, as a matter of course, to call Mr. King to the Premiership. Interest quickened as to whether "the Premier-elect" could form his Cabinet soon enough to hasten from Ottawa to London in time for the Imperial Conference in October.