European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 10, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 16 the stars and stripes William f. Buckley tuesday May 10, 1977 Tab talking machine Quebec separatism still Issue in Canada six months ago. Canadians i visited with in Toronto were disturbed at the prospective Victory in Quebec of the party of Rene Levesque. He won triumphantly or better said disastrously. But it was quickly and widely assumed reality would no set in. And the whole madness of a separate Quebec would fade into the great Patch work of historical Luna cies. A recent visit to Vancouver reveals that the subject continues very much on people s minds. There Are those who will Tell you flatly that it is not going to happen. But even they will Tell you that the Effort is going to con sume a great Deal of Canadian attention in the years to come. Others agree that the question is bound to come up. But warn that Canada is headed toward civil As one sits listening to the argument suddenly they turn and ask the most unexpected question of them All what will the United states do about it my answer could have been written by the most cautious bureaucrat in the department of state. I replied not without pomp that the United states would not interfere in Cana Dian affairs unless that intervention were requested by the most unambiguous re quest Ever framed in Canada. The last thing the United states desires to do is interfere in Canadian affairs i stressed. The average american would consider that on the order of dispatching an american marriage counsellor to the Trudeau household. Such an answer so grandly diplomatic got Back the retort it deserved. How could request from Canada for help in resisting separatism be received As the voice Ocanada when precisely the Point being argued is whether there Are two voices i Canada assuming that in months or years ahead Quebec formally asks for secession then an Appeal for . Assistance is an Appeal to frustrate the desires of six Mil lion people or 23 per cent of the Canadian population. The situation suddenly is made1 Graver. Here is exactly How one Canadia observer sees it developing 1. By progressive resolutions and plebiscites Rene Levesque guides his province closer and closer to separatism. He begins by asking one then another then yet an other Concession. For instance he might formally demand the rescission of the right to veto still nominally held though almost never exercised by might come demands for total control of All taxes paid by residents of Quebec. Conceivably there might follow a demand for a right to impose tariffs on products coming into the province. Mean while provincial leaders travelling abroad would begin to speak of Quebec and demand attention to it As distinct from at about this Point the Issue would need to be faced squarely. 2. The conventional next step is of course one like our own of a Hundred years ago a civil War. But civil wars Are not grandly entered into in the Best of circumstances and in the Case of Canada there is missing that idealistic catalyst the Issue of human slavery. There Are unquestionably Fisher men in Nova Scotia Farmers in Manitoba and real estate developers in British co Lumbia who Are unwilling to die or risk dying for the Prospect of a continuing United Canada incorporating an alienated French speaking minority. In fact the observer notes something quite differ ent might happen. 3. As Canada is taken to the Brink by the separatists other thoughts subdued for years May enter the consciousness of Many canadians. These thoughts however heretical they May sound at the moment will not then so sound. They Are this that unless Canada is viewed As a pluralist the opinion i presid in the columns and cartoons on trin Pace represent those of in authors and Are in no Way to be considered As representing. In views of the stars and slope sur the drilled slates . Slate incorporating French speaking and English speaking canadians with Back grounds and cultural traditions As Varieda they now Are even within the language blocs what will become con spilious i what was theretofore inconspicuous namely the real diversity of the nation. Remove one piece from a mosaic and the Eye suddenly sees the remaining pieces discretely the image of the whole having been dismembered. At such a moment for instance the province of British Columbia or for that matter Ontario will think itself much More plausible As a state in the United states of America than As a prov Ince in the Commonwealth of a disputations Canada the feeling might then arise that asking the United states for help will be under stood As asking the United states for annexation. Or. At least for annexation of those provinces now blasted apart by the centrifugal energies loosed by Quebec for permanent shelter. How would the unite states then react if favourably would that be viewed in later years As an act of histor ical opportunism one hesitates so much As to think out loud about it and the next time i am in Canada i shall study up on the Art of evasion. Washington Star \ upgrading must be run wisely Secretary of defense Harold Brown recently announced a new program to upgrade less than honorable discharges which military men received during the course of the vietnamese Are the principal features of this new program it includes 69.170 deserters who did not choose to participate in president Ford s clemency program and who had received undesirable includes 103.836 servicemen who received undesirable discharges for causes other than desertion. It also covers 259.521 recipients of Gen eral although considered less than honorable by the Pentagon these men qualify for veterans also includes 4.500 listed As fugitives who will become eligible for other than Dis honorable discharges if they now return to military , to be eligible must apply within six months to have their cases individually re program places the review of these 432.000 cases in the hands of boards Al ready operating in the armed services for that purpose. These boards have been operating for several years. Any Serviceman who believed that he was Given a Les than honorable discharge unfairly could apply for a review of his his announcement the program. Brown said these discharge review boards will consider in their deliberations Colum co is ments the president s desire that these Dis charges be reviewed in a spirit of compas there is As there should be a concern for the Large number of Vietnam veterans who Are presently unemployed. Some of of jew my there. Folck us Vod eff us the people so concerned have jumped tothe Hasty conclusion that the hard hearted military have prevented their employment by not giving them honorable discharges. The facts Are that the same characteristics and behaviour patterns which mad these men unsatisfactory in the military service also May make them undesirable employees in civil will be no More effective now to raise their discharges to honorable than it would be to Grant All High school dropouts College degrees. President Carter and Brown have been Wise to Trust this review to the service boards. The boards have the pertinent re cords and they have the Dod boards Are always careful to comply with presidential and Dod directive. Justice will be done to All who apply. This program must however be administered not Only with compassion but with Good judgment representing not Only per Sonal but National interest. Otherwise these unfortunate consequences May occur first thit. New plan like the Pardon of draft dodgers already approved May make it difficult if not impossible Ever again to employ selective service acts to raise the necessary manpower in any future emergency. Then it becomes possible for men who rendered no satisfactory military service to reap the rewards such As educational benefits rightly accorded to Loyal effective veterans. If Large numbers of undesirables now receive honorable discharges this would Cost billions. Next it May be judged As unfair to Al veterans who rendered Loyal effective service. That is Why the earlier amnesty program was opposed unanimously by Al veterans organizations. It could lower service morale reduce the attractiveness of the military career and jeopardize the effectiveness of the All Volunteer Force. Finally it May not reduce the bitter Dis sension following from the vietnamese War. Instead it could increase and prolong the bitter divisiveness resulting from that tragedy. Cd los angelas times
