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_;The Patriots Volte Face

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aflministration for failing to carry out its pre-eiec- tiwbn promise to participate in the King Govern- ment's old age pensions scheme. it assured its read- egs that the cost to this Province would be “around $§00,000 if not more." Now that it is politically ex- podient to minimize as much as possible the advant- age of the Conservative policy by which the Federal Government would assume full cost of these pen- sionsﬁthe $300,000 dwindies over night to $100,000. Swuch a barefaced somersault is unprecedented even in Liberal election propaganda. The Patriot was in a; gooda position to make an accurate calculation last April as it is today. Here are the two statements rnade by our contemporary. We shall leave it for the electors to judge which was the most likely to be in- spired by political considerations:

The Patriot The Patriot June 30, 1930 April I-i. 1930 "In that article written some

months ago it is estimated that the cost to the province would be around $300,000. This was based on the assumption tiiat there were about. five thousand persons in Prince Edward Is- land over the age of seventy and that about fifty per cent were eligible. '

"Since then we have given the matter further investiga- tion and find from statistics that the proportion of persons eiigible for pensions through- out Canada would be little over twenty per cent of those over the age oi seventy. In Prince Edward Island, there is a high- er standard oi prosperity than in any other province and it would he safes to place the fig- ures at twenty" per cent which would bring the number of el- igible to about a thousand. Talting the average paymciits at around two hundred dollars a year iior the payments range from S140 to 8240i.

“This would mean an ex- penditure oi $200,000 for this Island, of which our share un- der the present plan in force would be 8100.000.

i “According to the figures given In the Canada year Book for 1929 the proportion t“! thousand of pormlation of people seventy years if age and over in New Bruns- wicl. is 38.53, and in Prince Edward Island 50.24. This would give. roughly speaking. between five thousand and six thousand people In this Province oi‘ seventy years of age and over. IT IS DLFFICFLI ;t'o ssv iiow MANY or THOSE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR gsxsioss. In NCV.’ "Brunswick jQriy O0 per cent. of the 16.000 persons are eligible and the cos. to the hovince is nearly a miliioi. -dol!ars. ASSIIIIING THAT 50 PER Essa". or THE 5.000 m PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND ARE ELIG- ‘IBLE AND THEY ARE BEING 1 PAID THE SAME PROPORTION AS IN NEW BRUNSWICK. THE COST TO THE PROVINCE OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND ‘WOTLD BE AROUND $300,000 A IEAR IF NOT MORE.“ - The Patriot ',‘ April 15. 1930 j, “We noticed that the Tory organ this morning quite characteristical- ly misquotes us and tries to give the impression that that would be g (the total cost of old age __ ‘ "including the payment to be made Ivy the Federal Government. The lami- will pay fifty per cent oi t {these pensions so that ii the fig- , “ﬁres for New Brunswick are ap- ‘ﬁlicable here in the same propor- as

tion, THE TOTAL COST IN THIS PROVINCE IVOULD BE $600,000. $300,000 BI’ THE FEDERAL GOV- ERNMENT AND 5300.000 BY THI‘. PROVINCE."

.1‘ M "A"? .The Conservative Party in Parliament has stood cdlfisistently and energetically for Federal aid for highways, and a renewal of generous grants for this purpose.

in" a statement to the electors, just published, Hon. W. A. Black and Felix P. Quinn, are definite and emphatic in this pledge-Federal aid for main trunk roads, in order that provincial money may be releas- ed for use on the secondary roads of the Province.

_ _ In his “keynote" speech at Winnipeg a few clays ago, Hon. R. B Bennett, in addition to his '_'_»party’s stand in Parliament on the question of ifFederal aid for highways, pledged "the establish- (qmet of a National Highways System."

‘ Our own people do not have to be told how im- portant this is. it was Sir Robert Borden who launched the great national plan of Federal aid for

; highways; and the failure of the present Dominion ‘ Goyernment to continue those generous grants has i been most discouraging.

' For therein lies the solution of the problem of secondary roads in this Province. With ihadequate Federal contribution to the construc- tion and maintenance of trunk roads, hundreds of thousands of dollars would be released to es- tabiish the kind of secondary roads our people ;»;_‘ require and deserve.

y W. The day has gone when highways could be re- l garded as strictly provincial. The motor car, that rhodern means of rapid transit, has broken down

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provincial barriers, and the highways of this country.

today should be regarded quite as much a Federal y‘, as a provincial and municipal responsibility. i‘; _; The Treasury at Ottawa has been overflowing L "Jfgr years. while the provincies, particularly the Mari- . tljiioes, have been hard pressed to make both ends ~,. lmeet. The Federal Government has a DIRECT RE- lSPONSIBILITY in this most important matter, and our own people are greatly heartened to know that one of the great parties in this Dominion is PLEDG- ED to this form of aid and relief.

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* ,, MR. KING'S VICIOUS PRINCIPLE Speaking in Charlottetown on Saturday night, , Premier Mackenzie King stated that he was “not t‘ yaverse" to consider the taking over of old age pen- " Ysions as a Federal obligation. How does this state- i merit tally with his statement in Parliament in 1929 ‘ that contributions by the Dominion Government to

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L THE SUBSIDY QUESTION l

ONE OF TIIB DIAIN ISSUES OF THE PRESENT FEDERAL ELECTION ACCORDING TO PREMIER MACKENZIE KING IS THE RECORD OF THE GOVERNMENT. HERE, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER, IS THE RECORD OF BOTH GOVERNMENTS, FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL, IN THE MATTER OF OUR CLAIMS FOR IN- CREASED SUBSIDY. LET THE ELECTORS JUDGE IVHETHER. THIS RECORD CAN BE HECONCILED IVITII TRUTH AND SIN- CERITY. OR EVEN WITH COMMON SENSE:

The report of the Duncan Commission. recommending in addition to interim payments, “IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION" of the WHOLE SUBJECT OF MARITIME SUBSIDY CLAIMS WITH A VIEW TO COMPLETE REVISION OF THE FINANCIAL ARRANGE- MENTS AS BETWEEN THESE PROVINCES AND THE DOMINION GOVERNMENT, was submitted to the Mackenzie King Government in September, 1926. .The interim payments were voted by Parliament In the following year:

In August, 1927, the Saunders Government took oﬂlce in this Pro- vince. In November of the same year a Dominion-Provincial confer- ence was held at Ottawa, at which the question oi readjustment oi‘ provincial subsidies was discussed and favorable opinions expressed as to Prince Edward Islands right to a. substantial increase.

In Iliarcii, 1928, the following statement appeared in the Speech from the Throne at, the opening of the Legislature:

“A conference was convened in Ottawa in the month of Nov- ember last by the Dominion Government and the Governments of all the Provinces of Canada. As a result of this meeting the Dominion Government. . . is undertaking in the very near future to make a complete revision of the ﬁnancial arrangements as recommended by the Duncan report. We conﬁdently antici- pate that when such a revision is made we will receive a very material increase in our subsidy.”

MACKENZIE KING'S DENIAL

On February 18. 1929, nearly a year afterwards. Premier King, on the floor oi the House of Commons, in reply to a. query as to why, when the western provinces were being dealt with in the matter of subsidy claims the other provinces were ignored. said:

"FOR SOME REASON OR OTHER THE CLAIMS HAVE NOT BEEN PUT FORWARD BY THE PROVINCES."

One month later, (March 19, 1929i, the following statement Ip- pcared in the Speech from the Throne at the opening of the, Legis- laturc:

"During the year my Government HAS BEEN VIGOROUS- LY PRESSING OUR CLAIMS for a further increase in the sub- sidy which we receive from the Dominion. and has stressed the fact that in view of the apparent intention to transfer to the Western Provinces the natural resources within their boundaries,

i ii the Provinces for old age pensions was a “thorough- i iy:._vicious principle"? On that occasion he was asked 4 ftdfistate his attitude. Would he say. as he said of fed-

if erai grants for highway construction and agricultur- V atytraining, that federal aid to the Provinces for old I Va‘ pensions was a vicious principle? The Premier's , . reP l‘; as reported in Hansard of that year, is give'n. , verbatim: : - "m. MACKENZIE KING: I think it o. ya. z mwg com To . gggvctigzgLﬂll0N ma: rr is a monocular ‘VICIOUS

equitable treatment. to all the Provinces would appear to call for some corresponding concessions to our own Province."

A DEFINITE PROMISE

On March 21, (two days later) in a letter to thetSecretary of the Teachers‘ Federation, Premier Saunders wrote:

“AT A‘ RECENT CONFERENCE IN OTTAWA, THE PRIME DIINISTIJR AND TIIE MINISTER OF FINANCE AGREED TO ARRANGE FOR AN ACCOIFNTING BETIVEEN THE PROVINC- IB AND CANADA, AT IVHICH TIME OUR PROVINCE IVILL BE ENABLED TO MAKE A FURTHER DETAILED PRESEN- TATION OF OUR CLAIMS. THIS ACCOUNTING IYILL TAKE PLACE NEXT I".-\LI. BEFORE A BOARD OF EXPERTS. We are Iiopciiii that, after this Hoard will have submitter-i its ﬁndings to the Ifcdcriii (iovcrimiciit, we will receive a SIIIISIIIIIIIII increase in Sllllhlll)’ AT THE NE. I‘ . SSION OF PARLIAMENT."

0n ZiIari-lt 25, four ilays later, Hon. J. D. Stewart, leader of the Oplltlkllltlll. placed on the order paper in the Legislature the follow- ing question:

1. Have there been any negotiations between the Government o! this Province and that of (‘anode during the recess of this Legislature regitrtling the final adjustment of provincial subsidies, or with a vicw to obtaining additional subsidy for this Province. 2, ‘Table all correspondence re same.

And the following reply was tabled by, Premier Saunders, March 20th:

“The subject matter is still in process of negotiation and I do not i-on<id»-i~ it in the public interest to publish the correspond- citcc at this tiizic." -

HON. MR. ROBFS ASSURANCE

In October, 1929, (according to eonespondence read by Premier Saunders lll the Legislature during the session oi’ 1939) Premier Satin- dcrs wrote to Iioii. J. A. Robb, Minister of Finance, in part as follows:

“When I saw you in Ottawa last spring in company with Messrs. Sinclair. Jenkins and McLean, we discussed this matter" ioi‘ rcailjiistiticnt of subsidy clalmsl "AND 1'01‘. ADVISED ME ‘TO (‘OM15 TO O'I"I‘.-\\VA THIS FALL AT IVHICH TIME YOU WOULD .-\I“I'OINT A COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS FROM YOUR. IIEPIIIITAIICNT‘ TO HEAR OUR. REPRESENTATIONS. In the House of Commons last session the Prime lliinistrr In reply to a question as to why a ﬁnal adjustment had not been made with the Provinces said that claims had not been presented by the latter. This statcmctit oi the Prime lliiiiistcr has often been referred to by the (ipposition members nf our Legislature last session, and al- though I refused in reply to tabled questions to divulge all that had passed between the Federal and Provincial Governments on the subsidy question on the ground of public interest, in justice to myself and in view of the Prime Ministers statement, I announc- ed the arrangement suggested by you, namely, that I was to go to Ottawa this fall and present our case before a committee of experts to ho appointctl by you. YOI‘ FURTHER SUGGESTED LAST SPRING 'I‘IIAT THIS PROVINCE COME ALONE RATHER THAN IN (TONJUNCIION WITH THE OTHER PIARITLIIES."

MORE CONFUS ION

On January 25, 1930, following the return oi Premier Saunders from Ottawa. the Patriot newspaper announced that o. special audit board had been appointed and was now engaged in adjusting Island claims. A FEW DAYS LATER IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT TIIE ADJUSTMENT WAS BEING MADE, NOT BY A SPECIAL BOARD BUT BY THE DOMINION BOARD OF AUDIT OF TIIE CLAIMS OF ALL THE MARITIME PROVINCES AND THAT THE REPORT OF THIS BOARD WOULD NECESSARILY BE PRELIMINARY T0 AN INTER-PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE AND SUBSEQUENT RATI- FICATION Ill.’ PARLIAMENT.

CONTRADICTORY CLAIMS

During the Session of 1930 two memorials on our subsidy claims were tabled in the Provincial Legislature. One, signed “Albert C. Saunders,_Preinier._Walter M. Lea. Minister of Agriculture, J. O. C. Campbell, Counsel," was for a subsidy claim of $408,796.94. THE OTHER. ISSUED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF "HON. W. M. LEA, ACTING PREMIER." WAS FOR A SUBSIDY CLAIM $3,372,- 166.57 plus $200,000 CASH PAYMENT FOR DAMAGES ARISING FROM EXPROPRIATION 0F THE DALTON SANATORIUM AND FOR MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENTS IN PUBLIC LANDS.

N0 DELAY SUGGESTED

AT N0 TIME SINCE TIIE SAUNDERS GOVERNMENT CAME nrro rowan was u‘ INTIMATED. EITHER av PREMIER SALNDERS 0R ANY MEMBER 0F THE PROVINCIAL OI. FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS. TI-IAT r1" WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR ‘I'll! MARITIME PROVINCE!» T0 WAIT UNTIL THE CLAIM! 0F TH! WESTERN PROVINCE! HAD BEEN SETTLED. On the contrary, it ls obvious from the statements in the Speeches from u"; 13mm, h, I928 and 1929 that h accord with the recommendations of the Dun-

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can Commission, “immediate consideration" of the whole question‘ ot Maritime subsidy claims was expected. The intcrlm subsidies were first paid to the Maritime Provinces in 1927. HAD PREMIER SAUNDERS BEEN INFORMED BY THE PRIME MINISTER IN THE FALL 0F 1921 THAT IT WOULD DE ADVISABLE TO WAIT UNTIL THE QUESTION OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES 0F THE WEST- ERN PROVINCES HAD BEEN DEALT IVITH. HE WOULD CER- TAINLY NOT HAVE INSERTED IN THE SPEECH FROM THE THRONE IN 1928 THAT “THE DOMINION GOVERNMENT . . . IS UNDERTAKING IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE T0 MAKE A COMPLETE REVISION 0F TI-IE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DUNCAN REPORT." YET EITHER FULL KNOWLEDGE THAT THIS STATEMENT IVAS ERRONEOUS AND MISLEADING AND THAT

VINCE! WERE SATISFIED. 0R PREMIER. MacKI-JNZIE KING DE- LIBERATELY MISLED HIS AUDIENCE IN CHARLOTTETOWN wrmv ON JUNE 2i or TIIIS YEAR. m: STATED;

"I remember AFTER WE HAD GIVEN THESE INTERIM GRANTS (recommended by the Duncan Commission in 1925 and paid for the first time tn 1.927) “that the former Prime Minister of this Province. Mr. Saunders. came to Ottawa on two oi- thm; occasions and wanted Mr. Robb and myself to settle the ﬂmnhm terms so far as the Island was concerned there and then. I said: ‘MR. SAUNDERS, DON'T PRESS US AT THIS TIME. You wont do as well in the end. . . We have dealt with the Maritime Pro- virwﬂ to berln with; m. in now get settled with Manitoba, Banlratohenn, British Columbia and Alberta.

KING'S REMARRABLE STATEMENT

If this conversation between Premier Saunders and Premiu- lin: took place in 1927. or even in 1928. when the second annual Int-

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erlm payment recommended by the Duncan Commission was made. WHY om nor ma. satmotms Announce THE PRIME MIN- ISTER'S REFUSAL TO TREAT WITH HIM a!‘ run TIME? war DID HE NOT ANNOUNCE THAT ‘THE AUDIT BOARD _WAQ PU‘! T0 WORK AT ONCE ON THE FINANCING" FOLLOWNG TIA!‘ CONVERSATION? Mr. Saunders was being hard pressed to m.” his failure to implement his promise to secure an‘ early readjustment,

the Finance Minister that the Province was to present its claim "alone" and that a board oi experts would be appointed in the h," 0g that. year. FOR UP TO THAT TIME THE CLAIMS OF THE WEST~ ERN PROVINCE! nan NOT BEEN DISPOSID or. 1': thlg an“. loua conversatiodever took place. it must have occurred negating during the present year. But Premier King sly! It III when Mg. Saunders was pressing him for a settlement "there and then," ‘y!

INSULT T0 INJURY

OBVIOUSLY. STATEMENTS PREMIER RING _WA8- ANYTHING BUT IIICIEI IN THE TRUMPED-UP EXCUSE WITH WHICH II HIULTID THE INTELLIGENCE OI 1H8 AUDIENCE IN CHAILOTTITOWI‘ ON JUNE 21. AND IN VIEW OI‘ HIS EXTRAOEDINAIY STATE‘ MENT AT BRANTIORD, ONTARIO, A FEW NIGHT! PREVIOUS THAT THE SUBSIDY CLAIMS OF THE MARITIME PRDVIHCES HAD BEEN SETTLE]! T0 THE SATISFACTION OF ALL COHUEII" ED. THERE IS N0 REASON TO ASSUME THAT HE KAI AH! MORE RESPECT FOR THE INTELLIGENCE OI THE ILIOTOI»! IN OTHER PARTS OF CANADL .

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IF MB. SAUNDERS WAS SDICEII 1N