Participation of five uniformed members of the Royal Canadian Artillery, a militia unit, in a Fascist meeting may be investigated by the Department of National Defense, it was learned today.
A sergeant, two corporals and two privates took part in the meeting, conducted last night in the heart of the Jewish district here by Adrien Arcand, Canadian Fascist leader. According to the sergeant, he and his companions are members of the Fascist party and had come to the meeting directly from their unit’s drill session.
Entrance of the artillery men into the hall, occupied by 340 of Arcand’s followers, was unexpected. In single file, spurs jangling, they marched in, drew up before the speaker’s platform and extended their right arms in the Fascist salute. The blue-shirted Arcand, who later told reporters he knew one of the men, quickly returned the salute.
Brig. General W.H.P. Elkins, commander of Military District 2, declared today that members of the militia, while wearing the King’s uniform “are not supposed to take any active part in political meetings.”
“They are free agents,” he said. “There is nothing against them joining the Fascist or any other party that I know of. But taking part in politics while wearing the King’s uniform is a different matter.”
Anti-Fascists tried unsuccessfully again to break up the Arcand meeting, but a reinforced police squad that lay in wait for them dispersed the demonstrators after confiscating their signs. The meeting was held in the heart of the Jewish district here because, Arcand said, the Fascists needed converts and the “only place to get them is to go where there are few of us.”
The situation is regarded by local Jewry as becoming more serious.
Meanwhile, barred by the Kingston City Council from holding their scheduled three-day convention there, the Canadian Fascists have shifted the site of their meeting to Toronto, it was announced today by Arcand. The convention will open June 30.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
