Houde Liber

Blue and white posters plastered Montreal with the news: "Enfin, Houde est libere." After holding him for four years, the Government had at last released Camillien Houde, four times mayor of Montreal. He had been interned (near Fredericton, N.B.) "for the safety of the state," because, as mayor, he told French Canadians not to register for the draft.

When he stepped into Montreal's C.N.R. terminal last week, 10,000 people surged forward to welcome him with flowers and posters saying: "Bienvenue, Camillien Houde!" (Welcome, Camillien Houde!). Hoarsely they sang Il a gagne ses e paulettes, French Canadian equivalent of For He's a Jolly Good Fellow. Houde burst into a torrent of French: "I believe that someone would have preferred to see me back in a dress suit, lying in satin, rather than back alive. . . ."

The crowd guessed whom he meant, shouted: "St. Laurent!" (Justice Minister Louis Stephen St. Laurent, who had interned Houde). Chuckled Houde: "I presume you are referring to the St. Lawrence River." Then he switched into English: "I have not been the victim of British fair play . . . only the victim of a political party. . . ."

The cheering crowd swept him into an open car. In procession he drove to his home where 20,000 more welcomers waited. He came out on his balcony, made another speech.

When asked: "Are you going back into politics?", Houde answered modestly, "How can I avoid it?"

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