"Our industries are many fold greater and more diversified than they were in 1914, and so we should have less difficulty in providing our weapons and war equipment, Our population is greater. We have had the benefit of the training given us by war experienced officers and many of these are available to help both in the field and, equally important, in the great task' which must be carried out at home." In these words, delivered on the occasion of the laying of a foundation stone for a memorial gymnasium at McGill University, Montreal, to the memory of Sir Arthur Currie, commander of the Canadian army corps in the Great War, Maj.-Gen. AGI. Mc-Naughton, before he left for France, compared Canada's preparedness for the conflict in this war with conditions in 1914. "On the whole," he said, "we start under somewhat more advantageous circumstances than in 1914. Time is on our side, and there is no undue haste. Further we have the priceless heritage of the accom-pushments of the Canadian Corps, which is an inspiration Canada has never had bef Maj.-Gen. McNaughton, who commands Canada's first contingent of troops overseas, won promotion on the field from major to brigadier-general with the Canadian forces and was closely associated with the late Sir Arthur Currie. For the past four years he was president of the National Research Council and only relinquished his scientific work to answer the call to arms of his country.
Associated with Maj.-Gen. Me-Naughton in the senior positions in the First Canadian Division, are officers who have, in practically all cases, had experience in the Great War, many of them having risen from the ranks. Most of them wear medals for' gallantry on the field while one of them, Brig. G.R. Pearkes, wears the much-coveted Victoria Cross. The democratic spirit which has made possible the rise of "rankers" to senior positions in Canada's war-time army, is further indicated by an announcement by Mr. Norman McL. Rogers, Canadian Minister of National Defence, who recently stated that promotions and commissions in Canada's war-time army would only be granted on the basis of merit and not through personal or political influence, "Enlisted men are entitled to feel that merit will open a clear path of promotion to commissioned ranks," he stated.
Similarly, announcement was made that "political preference was to have no place in expenditures arising from the mobilization and training of the Canadian Forces" This announcement was in strict accord with the statement made by the Prime Minister, Mr. W. L. Mackenzie King, that Dolitical preferences or personal favouritism would not be tolerated in Canada's war effort Veterans of the Great War, who are physically unfit to withstand the rigours of modern warfare, are, however, given an opportunity by the Canadian Government to assist in the Dominion's war work. An Auxiliary Service has been formed to cater to the welfare of the troops, either in Canada or overseas, in the form of recreational huts, and facilities of an educational and religious nature, as well as sports, canteens and entertainments of various kinds, Mr, Rogers has laid down the principle that "the service of former members of the forces who are now unable to enlist for active service should be utilized in every way possible" Provision has also been made for the use of the services of various national and local organizations. 'The officer placed in charge of this Aux-biliary Service is Brig. W. W. Foster, President of the Canadian Legion, a branch of the British Empire Service League. In addition to returned soldiers' organizations, the Young Men's Christian Association, the Salvation Army, and other similar bodies, have offered their. full, cooperation in this work.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.