Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

, forTHE BEGINNING OF WAR, 1939September 19. On that day also the Prime Minister reorganizedhis Cabinet, and the Hon. Norman Rogers, who had beenthe Minister of Eabour, was given the arduous post of Ministerof National Defence, i' It was felt that Canada couldbest contribute to the cause by co-ordinating her effort withthat of Great Britain, and plans were made for the expansionof Canadian industry in order to meet Britain's urgent needfor all kinds of war material. For a time, therefore, militaryactivity took second place to industrial effort, although meansstrengthening Canada's defences were also projected. Thepersonnel of the Royal Canadianji^Navy was to be doubled,I'while anti-submarine and minesweeping vessels were to bebuilt, and harbour facilities improved. Two army divisionswere already being recruited for overseas service should thisbecome necessary. Troops would also be maintained withinthe country for coast defence and the protection of vulnerableinland points. A handful of airmen were to proceed overseasat once, but the rest of them were to be retained for use asinstructors in connection with the greatly increased air-trainingscheme that was envisaged.The industrial plan, however, proved to be abortive. Canadianmanufacturers encountered dif^culty in procuring informationfrom United Kingdom industrialists, and the BritishGovernment wanted to save its Canadian credits for the purchaseof food and raw materials. It was only after the collapseof France, therefore, that the anticipated expansionbegan in earnest.On November 4, the President of the United States signedthe Neutrality Act of 1939,'^ a co-operative step which notonly beneficially influenced Canadian-American-British trade,but in some measure contributed to the waging of the waritself. Because it enabled Canada to obtain American supplieson a cash-and-carry basis, the Dominion was able to carry onas an effective ally when, after the fall of I'Vance, British goodswere no longer available.As far as the Naval Service of Canada was concerned,outline plans covering the actions to be taken in the eventof an emergency were ready; and in August 1939, whileEurope hovered on the brink of war, preparatioiis were madeto carry out these programmes. Naval Control_ServiceofHces" See Gazette, Montreal, Sept. 20, 1939; editorial, iiiJ., Sept. 21, 1939; PC. •27:^5, S«-pL19, 1939.>*United States Statutes at Large, Tfith Conti., '2nd Scss., ch. 2.