Judge Duff, Reds, Wedding?

A nice, oldish gentleman of short stature with silky white hair and keen blue eyes opened the Canadian Parliament at Ottawa last week, read loud and clear the "Speech from the Throne" of absent George V.

Never before had this been done by a man not sent from beyond the seas by His Majesty. The nice, oldish gentleman is 100% Canadian: Mr. Justice Lyman Poore Duff of Canada's Supreme Court.

With a cavalry escort, with the guard of honor of a viceroy, Judge Duff whirled up Parliament Hill. For him the brass band of the footguards played "God Save the King." In legal fiction the nice, oldish gentleman was the King. It was the most exciting day of his life.

Why was not Canada's new Governor General, the Earl of Bessborough, on hand? When appointed (TIME, Feb. 10), he expressed an eagerness to hurry to his job. But Lord Bessborough remained in England last week, perhaps to oblige his friend Prime Minister Richard Bedford Bennett of Canada, who may have wished to let Canadian nationalism blow off steam.

Than Mr. Bennett no Canadian is more nationalistic, or more devout, and few indeed are richer.

Speech, Speech. While he was at it, Judge Duff made one of the longest and least exciting Speeches from the Throne that Canada has ever heard. The Bennett Government (whose members, of course, wrote the speech) did so well at the election last year (TIME, Aug. 11), that they can sit back with impregnable parliamentary strength, lofty and vague.

Optimistically the Speech promised that at the Imperial Economic Conference to be held in Ottawa next summer "agreements will be concluded for closer empire trade which will strengthen still more the bonds of empire and bring to every part of it great and enduring prosperity." Canada's so-called "Wheat Pool" (similar in its aim to the U. S. Grain Corp.) will "take steps for the orderly marketing of the wheat crop of Western Canada"--as though anyone knew how to do that satisfactorily !

The tariff on U. S. exports will be further upped (Mr. Bennett being determined to batter down the U. S. tariff wall eventually by reprisals); and next month Mother Britain will come in for a buffet when Canada's provincial premiers meet for a Dominion Conference. As foreshadowed in the Speech from the Throne this historic conclave will sever virtually the last restraining bond and make Canada completely free of domination by London. This it will do by revoking the act which makes His Majesty's Privy Council in London the court of last resort in Canadian litigation. Once this tie is severed the Canadian bench on which Judge Duff sits will be actually "supreme" in Canada.

Judge Duff used to have fun corresponding in Greek with the late great Viscount Haldane. He now has fun writing letters to Dr. Albert Einstein and getting replies, doing problems in higher mathematics for recreation.

Red Embargo. If the Duff speech was somewhat stuffy all Canada was excited and agog last week over an Order-in-Council announced by the Hon. Edmond B. Ryckman, Minister of National Revenue. The O-in-C, a most drastic embargo, shut out of Canada virtually all Russian produce, including Soviet coal, wood pulp, lumber of all kinds, asbestos, furs.

This action by the Canadian Govern-ment was the more remarkable because Soviet Russia has been dangling before Ottawa's nose: 1) a promise to buy $10,000,000 worth of Canadian machinery this year, if one-third of the payments be accepted in the form of Russian coal; and 2) an offer to sit in on a Canadian-Russian conference "upon the broad problem of wheat marketing, with a view to elimination of dumping." A Labor prime minister could scarcely have resisted the temptation; but Mr. Bennett is a Conservative, opposed in every fiber of his being to political Red. The Order-in-Council, announced by Mr. Ryckman but reflecting Mr. Bennett's views did not mince words. Excerpt: "The [Canadian] Government is convinced that [in Russia] there is forced labor in the cutting and transport of timber and in the mining of coal; that political prisoners are exploited; that the standard of living is below any level conceived of in Canada; and that, broadly speaking, all employment is in control of the Communist Government, which regulates all conditions of work and seeks to impose its will upon the whole world.

"This is Communism, its creed and its fruits, which we as a country oppose, and must refuse to support by interchange of trade."

Dark, Diseased Miasma. Among the strongest backers of Mr. Bennett's strong stand are virtually the entire Roman Catholic population of French Canada, led by foxy, energetic old Premier Tasch-ereau of Quebec. Referring to the Soviet Government, he has publicly flayed "the detestable methods which are theirs!"

Canadian clergymen of all denominations have constantly rallied, and rallied again last week to Mr. Bennett whom they well know to be a godly man. A Toronto newspaper reported as front page news, for example, these remarks of Rev. Dr. L. B. Gibson of Cooke's Church:

"It is time for all Christian civilized nations to throw off their indifference and counter this godless horde of Communists that are making their baneful influence radiate like a dark, diseased miasma from Moscow to the very ends of the earth!

"Let our authorities denationalize and deport all Communists and those who sympathize with them or support them. Let all good citizens support the police in combatting all communistic gatherings, whatever their auspices.

"In saying all this I believe in freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, but when it comes to the case of an organized movement that has for its object one purpose alone, however it may disguise itself, that purpose being to blow up the State, then I say they should not be given an opportunity to foment revolution and strife and hatred and unrest among people who are otherwise comparatively happy and contented. The Communist program is a challenge to the Church of Christ and all Christian people!"

Wedding Bells? If the opening of Parliament and the new "Closed Door To Russia" policy of Canada seemed of major importance last week, there was also no small interest in a persistent, undenied report that Canada's "First Lady of Parliament Hill"* is about to wed. Fortyish, Miss Mildred Bennett keeps house for her brother the Prime Minister, aged 60. She refused to confirm or deny last week that she plans to marry His Excellency William Duncan Herridge, K. C., D. S. O., M. C., newly appointed Canadian Minister to the U. S. (TIME, March 16), aged 43.

In the ranks of Canada's Conservative party last week, old guard politicians grumbled at Leader Bennett's bestowal of Canada's sweetest diplomatic plum upon "Bill" Herridge. They recalled that "Bill" has never held public office until now, wondered if Miss Mildred had spoken to her brother.

Matter of fact "Bill" Herridge, a cultivated man, successful and potent lawyer, member of a Canadian "good family" did excellent service for Mr. Bennett throughout the last Canadian election, is believed to be heart & soul for the Bennett policy of "Canada First!" (i. e. ahead of the Mother Country).

*Canada's "First Lady" is, of course, Lady Bessborough.

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