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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1940-07-25, Page 7THE EXETER. TIMES-ADVOCATE THURSDAY, JULY Wh, 1010 t LOOKING FORWARD . Mn..i.«r a w.if, .......in*. mum *i i i '.■■■w— iiiiimun BniT-HRI A iMl JW > A A <•>. Am Royal Canadian Air Force RECRUITS GIVW FIRST WORKOUT As winter ends my spirit sits and broods, Not only for the pleasant flowery ways Of singing streams and birds that fill the days With melody but for the great North Woods; For lonely trails and empty soli­ tudes, And roaring waters and the camp­ fire blaze, And boughs to sleep on, or from which to gaze Up into the stars, and in rapt Chal­ dean moods, Hasten! My palate aches for wailing fare; My shoulders long to feel the heavy pack; I sigh for portages of storm and stress; My soul of all convention would be bare; I’d be primeval and go trudging back Into the dim untrodden wilderness But it I could and did - I'd feel a yearning To be back — pecking out a column.* * * Rid Egyptians Find America? The Abbe Moreaux, directoi' of the Bourges Observatory, and au­ thor of a work on "The Mysterious Science of the Pharaohs" has come out with a theory that, centuries be­ fore Columbus, Egyptians discover­ ed America. 'Otherwise, how did it happen that when Columbus arrived, he found Mie Indians calling the constella­ tions or heavenly bodies by name corresponding to those now known to have been bestowed upon them by the ancient Egyptians? Again, as the Abbe Moreaux in­ forms us in "Le Petit Parisen," ’a savant, Moustafa Ibrahim Bey, has just demonstrated that certain geo­ graphical names in America are de­ rived from ancient Egyptian, where, for example, ‘Mississippi’ means ■‘Father of Waters’." Still again, "in Mexico we find pyramids, hieroglyphs, and sculp­ ture in which the human beings, especially in their mode of hair dressing, exactly resemble those shown in ancient Eyptiau paintings.’ But would an expedition analo­ gous to that of Columbus have been possible in the days of the Phara­ ohs? According to Ibrahim Bey, Raineses II had a ship 280 cubits long built by Phoenicians and we know that the ancient Egyptians perfectly understood the use of sails. In the seventh century, B.C. “Egyptians circumnavigated Africa” Those mariners, thinks the Abbe Moreau, may later have risked a voyage to America. Thus, the company of pre-Colum­ bian discoverers of America in­ creases, and .to Norsemen and Ne­ groes these subjects of ancient Pharaohs are, if not a universally plausible addition, at least enter­ taining, f.i * * Slips of Type "The horses were stricken with a strange melody.” Music and lancing in the dining room." "The opening number was render­ ed by a mule quartette.” "Many fiends attended the wed­ ding.” "Miss Lucy Smith has been under the doctor’s car for a week,” * sp * PRANKISH PROBLEM In a room llxllxll feet is an electric outlet in the lower right corner of the rear wall, 3 feet above the floor and 2 feet .from the adja­ cent wall; a second outlet is in the upper left corner of the left wall, 4 feet below the ceiling and 2 feet from the front wall. It is desired to connect these two outlets. Worry Saps The Nervous System Worry1 over business or household duties, sudden shock, the insane quest for pleasure, the foolish at­ tempt to put a week of normal life into twenty-four hours, feverish ac­ tivity, the demand for sensational literature are all conducive to the aggravation of Wehr and tear On the nervous system. If you are tired, listless, nervous, and worried why not give Milbum’s Health, and Nerve Pills a chance to Help but you On your feet again. They are a body building, nerve strengthening tonic containing the essential elements for the nervous . system. The T. Milbum Co., Ltd., Toronto, Ont. Find the shortest distance be­ tween the centres of the outlets, measured on the surface of any part t of the room." (We’ll print the correct answer in next week's column. Can you solve it before then?* * * The real problem concerning your leisure is how to keep other people from using it. * * * With some people, you spend an evening — with others you invest it.* * * PAL O’ MY DREAMS Alone at last in the quiet night watch of my dull and dreary apart­ ment surrounded by lurking shad­ ows that deepen as they recede from a single lighted table lamp. Hands folded idly over a book - the book he gave me - while from the tiny radio comes a lilting song of love and yearning — longing. Ah, it is good to be alone, some­ times, with one’s memories. Idleness breeds idle fancies — and dreams long ago laid to rest arise to taunt —to linger—and to be lived again in fancy. There is an old, old one of the ideal pal — the one where strangers beckoned and called when we were young. All the others that I used to dream of - and still do - come back to be repolished and brightened. Each time they open up new by-paths aud vistas that shine and gleam among the shadows of the past in a dazzling tantalizing array. Longing, yet not lonely, wistful but not remorseful — for we did have our brief moment of happy ecstacy we were all in all while for us, the world stood still. And so to you, Pal O’ My Dreams, I blow you a kiss along the corri­ dor of our memory Castle. * * * "I hate that chap,” quoth the ’lovable girl, as she rubbed cold cream on her lips. * * * Frankness Rewarded ( On board one Navy vessel, there was a Captain in command who was noted for his strict attitude in re­ gard to granting extensions of time to men on furlough. Absentees were wont to use every sort of pretext to have an extension granted — and usually were refused. One man sent the following telegram: “Nobody > sick. Nobody dying. Have plenty j of money and still going strong. Request five days’ extention. Wire collect.” (N.B.: He got his leave.) * * * "To be or not to be" - are the most famous six words in the litera­ ture of the world outside of the Bible. They are from Hamlet by William Shakespeare. * * * Will some kindly reader tell me why it is that receiving tellers in banks are so condescending when they reluctantly accept your deposit and paying tellers so skeptical when you try to cash a check? We are always made to iv-ei so thoroughly apologetic wheA We are depositing or withdrawing and this is a mental condition that makes us self-conscious. There must be some other method - other than buying the bank outright - but that is the only one we have thought of to date.* * * 'i YOUR PET AND MINE While mast people prefer to buy their pets quite young, the business of training and selling ‘educated pets’ is quite important. Near Philadelphia there is a new Parrot Seminary which uses all the the modern methods in training the birds to talk. One trick is to make use of a phonograph record on which the words ‘mother’ and ‘hel­ lo’, etc., are repeated again and again •—- which is just as good as the old method of oral training and . a lot less, worrying on the profes­ sor. A recent development involves the use of mirrors. The professor stands behind the mirror apparatus, ■which faces the student parrot, and talks in a loud voice. The student parrot, seeing another parrot in the mirror thinks the other parrot is, doing the talking, Curiosity, jeal­ ousy and a desire to emulate are brought into play and the progress is rapid. All that remains is to train par­ rots to teach other parrots and do away with the human parrot teach­ ers altogether. k * ♦ * I ain’t no good at figures The kind With numerals I mean But my hardest job isn’t figures It’s ending the column lean. -'-•the colonel Hay in this part of the world was harvested in the- best of condi­ tion,*** ***** Anyone desirous of a stiff bit of work is recommended to apply to a farmer short of help in a hurry loading green peas. ******** That canning factory makes merry music for a great many Exeter workers and merchants as well as the farmers of the surrounding country.**** **** Hitler is consulting the stars for guidance in his campaigns. We have heard of another who did so and whose end was St. Helena. What we are looking for is quite a revival of astrology and of fortune­ telling.******** Deep and keen regret is felt by many in this district because of the untimely death of Private Philips. This young man had scores and scores of friends. He was among the very first to enlist. The neighborhood in which he lived feels his loss very keenly. ******** THEY WON Yes, the Italians won that boat race in the Mediterranean. That Italian cruiser saw the British cruiser and immediately took to flight. She made use of every lawful means in her power and gained a straight victory, She had the finest of tail lights and displayed them to her rival with fine effect. For the Italian warrior,, discretion'is ever the better part of valour.******** A GOOD NAME Sydney is a great name among British fighters. Sir Philip Syd­ ney proved himself the finest gentleman of all time by giving a brother soldier the drink proferred with the words "Thy need is great­ er than mine.” Then HjM.'S, Sydney pounded to pieces that vicious commerce raider the Emden. And now another Sydney has sent to the bottom of the sea an Italian warship, the gayest and best of her kind. Yes, a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. Humphrey Gilbert, Drake, Frobisher, Nelson and now Sydney, what would the Empire do without such beacon lights to victory and gal- antry.***♦♦»» * WELL DONE, EXETER Exetei- is not a big town but its heart is in the right place. That eleven hundred dollars raised the other night at the theatre party was a good deed exceptionally well done. What pleases us all the more is the knowledge that the gesture of theatre night is hut an in­ dex to what is going on steadily every day. Lads and lassies who se­ cure an extra quarter buy a thrift stamp therewith. Business men turn any spare cash that way. Some even go without this or that extra for the table in order that Jack Canuck and John Bull may be able to pay their compliments.to Hitler in the only way that big bully can understand. You see, we're out to win in this struggle and win we will, no matter what the sacrifice. Sacrifice loses nothing of its fragrance when made with a smiling face and a lifted chin. ******** BETTER GET READY This affair of national registration had better be attended to. So far it looks as if the registering people will have a busy time of it. Lively stepping on the part of everybody wll be required. Folk are anxious about the secrecy of the registering officers. There will be questions asked of folk that simply must be kept secret, a very diffi­ cult affair when everybody knows everybody else. We have heard of oaths of office being regarded as mere matters of form and of the folk who take the oath forgetting the significance of what they have done. The public needs resassurance on this point. Any official1 vio­ lating his soelmn obligation by word or wink should get a staggering penalty.******** A DELIGHT There it was, that little rose. Around it were brick and mortar and all. the hardness that goes to make up a corner of one of our main streets, but there the little rose bloomed and filled the air with deli­ cate fragrance for anyone who would take time to enjoy its loveliness and respond to its appealing tenderness. How the little beauty tame to he just there we cannot say. Perhaps it i< a relic of days long past when neither brick nor cement intruded upon the life of this little flower’s ancestors. But there the little bush grew tinder the hardest of circumstances and gave a deal of pleasure to any who stop and take pleasure in what it had to offer. It was indeed like a good deed in an naughty world. Long may it flourish. ******** A DELIGHTFUL SURPRISE As we were going down the street the other morning we were surprised to hear a piano being played. There was the notes of Kil- larney streaming out in the lovely summer sunshine. Twenty years ago such an experience was by no means novel. To hear half a dozen youngsters busy at the piano and dads proudly announce to one an­ other that May was mistress of a new "piece” and invite friends in to share the triumph and the genuine treat was quite usual. May those days soon come again. We like the radio. It’s fine orchestral and other musical treats are priceless boons to thousands of us who never would hear those glorious harmonies were it not for those in­ struments that never .cease their power to make us wonder how it all comes about. Yet they never quite take the place of the first hand production of music or of the human voice. Still less do they take the place of the real culture that comes from mastering the music for one’s self. Music from a mechanism is a poor substitute for the family or individual performance.* * * * * * * * BETTER STOP AND THINK AT LEAST TWIO^ Any one of us would share all he has with the hungry people of Europe, When we hear of hunger or hardship or first impulse is to give liberally of our best. Why, we ask, should Poland and Denmark and-France suffer while we have abundance? Let the Red Cross dis­ tribute our bounty for us with liberal hand, But that is not the question just now. Should we send of our superfluity to the distressed countries of Europe, the food we offer will never reach the suffering ones but will be instantly and ruthlessly diverted to feed the German war machine. Make no mistake on that point. All aid given to the ravished countries is feeding the murder­ ers of Britain’s soldiers and sons and daughters. Let no talk or plea of any kind to the contrary mislead us. Germany is deceiving the world when she states that Britain is the cause of the famine creeping over Europe. Germany alone is responsible for the arrow that now flies at the heart of menaced Europe. Germany and Germany alone is responsible for every empty mouth in Europe. Were Germany to lay down her arms and behave herself, the ills that infect that bewildered and bloodsoaked continent would heal themselves in six months. Till Germany does so, the pestilence must continue to walk in darkness and famine to ravish at noonday.******** HE SIMPLY does no l1 know We heard' a talk over the radio the other evening by,a prominent clergyman who dealt with some such topic as "The Need, of the Hour”. The spirit of the talk was admirable, but the good man simply did not understand the situation as it confronts the country people of Canada. He told us that as we dived into our lakes and fished in our streams and canoe over our fine wafer expanses that the Hun was at our gates and keen to destroy all that we hold dear. The good man utterly failed to know how hard th'e majority of Canadians are working. True there are a few who enjoy fine holi­ days such as he so eloquently described, but the most of us are up to our ears in work of the hardest kind for twelve hours in the day, pitching green peas, making hay, killing weeds or milking cows or picking small fruit or gathering vegetables for the market. All this is done that schools and homes may be kept going and churches main­ tained with open doors. From homes where such work is done go forth some of the sturdiest defenders of our liberties. Will not those fine folk give over canoeing and fishing and such sport and lend a hand where meh and women are toiling to the point of fatigue that soldiers may be fed and the ideals of the Empire we love be main­ tained? The pressing need of the hour is for workers who will not stay their hand till the last Hun has been routed and the three-cross flag of Britain waves over a world where every man calls his soul his own and a freeman to requited toil to all the blessings of self govern­ ment, A preparatory school for the fu­ ture pilots, air gunners and air ob­ servers of the Royal Canadian Air Force, No. 1 initial training school at Toronto is operating at full ca­ pacity months ahead of the original schedule of the British Common­ wealth Air Training Plan. Hun­ dreds of young Canadians have tak­ en the four weeks’ course of basic air force training at this school since it opened to a small introductory class late in April. The graduates have passed on to the next, phase of their training either as pilots, air observers, air gunners, or instruct­ ors. The initial training school at Tor­ onto is housed in the renovated and adapted premses of the Eglinton Hunt Club. Two similar schools will be organized elsewhere in Canada. Lounge rooms in the old Toronto Hunt Club headquarters have lost * their luxury fittings to become lec­ ture rooms with bare floors and blackboards around the walls. The banquet hall contains long i tables and benches; the arena is a paved parade and drill hall. In this big building, young men spend four concentrated weeks in the processes which determine their aptitude for training as pilots, observer-naviga­ tors or gunners. Elsewhere they spend much long-, er training periods, yet here is • where they are observed most close­ ly, far more than they realize, with the result that a lad’s destiny may be determined to a great extent by his conduct during leisure hours. And here they learn the basic essen­ tials for -service as members of an air crew. When a lad enters the school, ' with a draft from the Manning De­ pot, not knowing whether he is to be pilot, air gunner or air observer, he is first identified and entered in the station strength. He then gets an issue of bedding, is shown his bunk, documented into the school training strength and paraded with the rest of the new draft. Then the Commanding Officer addresses the newcomers. His address is brief and friendly. 1-Ie reminds the lads that they have j been chosen because of their high calibre, and that because of this fact much of the routine is based upon an honour system. He points out I that no barbed wire fence surrounds j the station, and that leisure hours are exceptionally free. Men can 1 leave the school any night until I 10.30, can obtain passes for leave until midnight. But he stresses that studies are heavy and a man per­ sonally determines much of his des­ tiny by his use or abuse of privi­ leges. Thereupon the new classman en­ ters into school life. Henceforth he rises at 6 a,m., must be 'shaved and ready for physical training at 6.50. Breakfast fallows, with every­ one reporting for work at 8 a.tn. The day, until 4.30 p.m. is solid with studies or drills. Studies include mathematics, administration, duties of an officer, armaments (gas and small arms), etc. There is much route marching and drill. During his studies, the student finds himself undergoing regular physical tests, even more rigid than the original medical prior to his acceptance into the Force, Coupled with these, he gets lectures and demonstrations on what is called sanitation, but is actually a sort of aerial medicine. He is told of things that happen to airmen at high altitudes, of what happens when they dive too fast to low alti­ tudes. and a blackout is described. This is the momentary loss of con­ sciousness which faces a pilot or crew if a plane dives or turns at ter­ rific speed. He is told how to recog­ nize approach of a “blackout” and what to do to avoid it. All these things he learns during his four weeks at the school. Reg­ ularly each week he writes examin­ ations as a member of either A, B or C Flight of No. 1 Squadron or as a member of D. E or F Flight of No. 2 Squadron. As he leaves one classroom, another flight follows his flight into it. In this way every room is busy at every hour of the working day; no time is lost. Then he reaches the stage wliety he gets a ‘trip’ in the Link trainer, i This is a full Size aircraft cockpit, with stubby wings attached, equip­ ped with normal flying instruments, and as responsive to control move­ ments as a real plane. It is con­ nected with instruments at a table where an instructor can sit and watch the student’s progress. But the table is outside the Link room, so that the student is alone on his "flight.” The Link Trainer is placed in the centre of a circular room which is painted to represent open country. There are moutains and bays, a storm at one side, open country on another. The objective is to teach the lad to learn how to -"1601” the horizon level of his ship, and how to turn, bank, climb and dive. In between time, the student tra-r vels to a nearby research institute or clinic, where he is taught the use of oxygen, what effect Is has on fh° human system, why it is used for high altitude flying, and so on. .He is also taught its dangers, if used to excess, and is given opportunity to have a whiff or two of it. So, day after, day, he travels the concentrated route of study and practical experience. During this period he does not know if he will be a pilot, an observer or a gunner. His eniightment allows his assign­ ment to any of these three branches of air crew service. And, almost unknown to him, he is being care­ fully assigned by his instructors and officers. They call it. ‘categorizing the embryo officer. At nights he may study or go out. There is considerable freedom in getting late leave passes. He is left to determine his own desires in this course. If he stands high on examination, stays out late, and con­ ducts himself properly, he is not criticized severely in general report. But if he stays out late often and fails in exams., it is assumed he is showing little interest in his future. He may be warned once or twice. But, to a great extent, he is largely master of his own destiny. As one officer put it: "He is judged on his life here; his future will be the sum of his actions here whether they be off or on parade, off or on duty.” There is plenty of wholesome en­ tertainment and recreation1 for the student during his off-hours. There is a swimming pool under the man­ agement of a former Canadian swimy ming champion. There are Y.M.C.A’. tennis tables and a library. Citizens flood the school with invitations to tea or dinner; theatres supply free tickets, There is regular Sunday church service, plus facilities offer­ ed by nearby churches such as so­ cials, dances and so on. There is much of high-class pre­ paratory atmosphere about the whole school. Discipline is strict on duty; officers are saluted and addressed with briskness and courtesy. But they smile as they return the salutes and they try to get across an air of friendliness because they know bet­ ter than the boys themselves just what it is like to be a long way from home among high-spirited compan­ ions who do a lot of kidding and ragging in leisure hours. If a lad seems to be too quiet or despondent officers go out of their way to chat with him and the Y. M. C. A. officer in station quietly starts to work at interesting the lad in books, games or talk. Incidentally, the whole syl­ labus of udties provides one full af­ ternoon a week for games such as bowling, baseball, swimming and so Middlesex - Huron Regiment Men at Drill at Goderich. Fifty raw recruits of "C" Com* pany, Middlesex-Huron Regiment, were put through their first drill July 16 at the armories, Goderich, as Lieut. B. Twamley directed the first step in the training of men who have enlisted since the call went out 10 days ago to bring the non-permanent militia up to, war strength. Quite a xiumber of prospects look­ ed oh and many of these signed up later. One hundred and fifty will be recruited from Goderich and Clinton, Another company of 150 is being recruited from Seaforth and Wingham, The "awkward squad” was shown by demonstration and later they were put through the first rudi- mens of soldiering by Q.M.S. Nelson and C.S.M. Allen. They hlso were issued rifles and instructed in their handling. Physical examination of the re­ cruits was commenced but not eoin- pleted. There will necessarily be a weeding out. Officers in charge, while well pleased with the start made, have launched a vigorous recruiting cam­ paign which already is bearing fruit. It is hoped to have the company at full strengh foi’ the camp to be held in August. Drilling is contin­ uing two nights a week. MRS. A. E- JOHNSTONE DIES Susanna Catherine Heaman, wi­ dow of Albert E. Johnstone, died on July 17 at the home of her son-in- law, Russell Dorrance, in McKillop Township, in her 72nd year. She was born near Centralia, and was married in 1-8*89 to her late husband who predeceased her 38 years. They lived in London and Exeter, Fifteen years ago they moved to Seaforth, and latterly resided wih her daugh­ ter, Mrs. Russell Dorrance. She was a member of the Northside United Church, Seaforth, and a life mem­ ber of the W. M. S. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. A. Curtis, Little Long Lac, and Mrs. Dorrance. The funeral took place on Friday from the home of Mrs. Dorrance. Inter­ ment in the Exetex’ cemetery. Those who have pleasant mem­ ories may live their life twice over. on. Under these conditions the lads work out theix- own future. Then comes the eventful day when they are paraded before the command and told they are being assigned to flying school, observer school or gunnery school. Ninety of every hundred want to be pilots. But the rale of the Air Force is "The best man for the job." "It is tough sometimes to tell a lad he is going to gunnery school when you know his whole heart ped up officer, gently, of each future success, that they will serve as good a cause. And we try to i explain just why the particular lad has been categorized to so-and-so grade. But they take it like men, usually.” is wrap- said one break it members in a pilot’s job," "But we try to We explain that groups are essential to our lOc WHY PAY MORE Best of all fly killers* Clean, quick, sure, cheap. Ask your Drug­ gist, Grocer or General Store. THE WILSON FLY PAD CO., HAMILTON, ONT. A BARGAIN PRICE $ This great tire has the qualities that made Goodyear tires famous for long, safe, low-cost mileage: centre-traction non-skid IT HAS THE FAMOUS DIAMOND TREAD AT tread; extra twin protector cord plies unddr the tread and new Supertwist cord for blowout protection. Marathon is a mileage tire, packed with money-saving value. It carries the full Goodyear guarantee* Yet its cost is surprisingly low. Drive in for service today. The Tube is the Heart of Any Tire For top service from new tires be sure to equip them with new, low-cost Goodyear tubes. Snell Bros. & Co. W. J. Beer Exeter, Ontario