Canada: Beware, Beware!

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Two members of the Social Credit party thought they detected a dangerous trend last week. They objected to a bill, introduced in the House of Commons, designed to give diplomatic immunity to United Nations officials and employees stationed or traveling in Canada.

Up rose Alberta's Norman Jaques (pronounced Jakes): "People need to be warned against insidious propaganda from [visiting U.N. employees]. . . . People [must] be on their guard against . . . adult education, world culture and science. [Men involved in such things] are drifting toward Communism, or totalitarianism if you prefer. It is not British; it is not Canadian, and finally it is not Christian. We are asked to give immunities to these people so that they may have the run of the country. No matter what they say or do, they will be above the law."

Cried the party's national leader, stocky Solon Low: "Sufficient atom bombs to destroy a city the size of New York could be carried in the back of an ordinary automobile. It is conceivable that a group of technicians coming into Canada, with their cars immune from examination, could bring in dangerous things."

But the House was unmoved. The bill was quickly passed. Next day, the Ottawa Citizen had a warning of its own. The people must beware, said the Citizen, "of the direction in which Mr. Low and his friends are trending."