Mackenzie King Complains

In Canada's House of Commons last week Prime Minister William Lyon King aired a grievance against the U.S. and Britain. Diplomatically but to the point, he found fault with London and Washington "security precautions" which: 1) prohibited him from making announcements occasionally on the progress of the war; 2) failed to single out and credit Canadian forces when credit was due. Canada and smaller countries, he suggested, might get a news break now & then.

The Prime Minister's complaint was one of long standing. It went back to the British War Office's old prejudice against identifying military units smaller than armies or corps. The immediate cause of the Mackenzie King discontent was the procedure in announcing the invasion of Sicily. Told of the action the day it started, Canada's Prime Minister was requested to withhold any personal announcement about Canadian participation until midnight of the second day.

Irked, he called the Canadian Legation in Washington, asked Minister Counselor Leslie Bowles Pearson to appeal to President Roosevelt. President Roosevelt saw his point. Washington's first communique was revised from "Anglo-American" forces to mention "Canadian, British and U.S." forces. Canadian troops, said Mackenzie King, "are entitled to equality in all statements . . . made in reference to military service." The House of Commons cheered. Canadian troops are now mentioned in communiques from Sicily.

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