play. Very brief enquiry revealed the situation. Sir Wilfrid was
determined to have a resolution and a vote. The western Liberals
were in revolt; the Ontario Liberals were reluctant but were
prepared to be coerced; most of the maritime province Liberals were
obedient, but there was a minority strongly opposed. Theoretically
the formula that there was to be no coercion, each member voting as
his conscience directed, was honored; but Sir Wilfrid had found it
necessary to indicate that if in the outcome it should be found that
any considerable number of his supporters were not in agreement with
him, he would be obliged to interpret this as indicating that the
party no longer had confidence in him. Professor Skelton supplies
the evidence that Sir Wilfrid pressed the threat to resign almost to
the breaking point. He actually wrote out something which was
supposed to be a resignation before the Ontario Liberals
capitulated. The western Liberals were of sterner stuff; they stood
to their guns. No resignation followed. "The defection of the
western Liberals," says Professor Skelton, "forced from Sir Wilfrid
a rare outbreak of anger." The use of the word "defection" is
enlightening, as showing Professor Skelton's attitude towards the
Liberals who in those trying times adhered to their convictions
against the party whip. He is a thorough-going partisan, which, in
an official biographer, is perhaps the right thing.

The writer's activities in encouraging opposition to these party
tactics led to a long interview with Sir Wilfrid, in which there was
considerable frank language used on both sides. Sir Wilfrid gave
every indication that he was profoundly moved by what he called "the
plight of the French-Canadians of Ontario." They were, he said,
politically powerless and leaderless; the provincial Liberal
leaders, who should have been their champions, had abandoned them;
the obligation rested upon him to come to their rescue. The
suggestion that, while he might be within his rights in thus
expressing his individual views, he should not seek to make it a
party matter in view of the strong differences of opinion within the
party, was rather impatiently brushed aside. Still less respect was
shown the observation that it was not desirable that the Liberal
party should identify itself with a resolution the carrying of which
meant a general election in the height of the war upon a race and
religious issue. Sir Wilfrid, in the course of th