Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1951-08-09, Page 2THE TIMES-ADVOCATE, EXETER, ONTARIO, THURSDAY MORNING, AUGUST 9, 1951 s. * Bfje Cxeter Onesbgfoijocate Times Established 1873 Amalgamated 1921 Advocate Established 1881 Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ontario An Independent Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of the Town of Exeter and District Authorized as Second Class Mail, I*ost Office Department, Ottawa Member of the Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association Member of the Ontario-Quebec Division of the CWNA Member of th® Audit Bureau of Circulation Paid-in-Advance Circulation as of March 31,. 19S1 —• 2,396 SUBSCRIPTION KATES Canada, in advance, $2,50 a year United States, in advance, $3.00 Single Copies <>p Each J. Melvin Southcott * Publishers » Robert Soufhcott THURSDAY MORNING, AUGUST 9, 1951 Introduction This week we reproduce, in its entire­ ty, an editorial on the war in Korea. It’s the best and most logical comment we’ve seen on the situation yet. The writer is a young Canadian journalist who has recently returned from a tour of operations in the war-torn land. His articles on the Korean scene have been sincere, honest evaluations of the situation. The Korean war is tremendously sig­ nificant. not only in our fight against com­ munism, but because it involves the firvt action of troops under U.N. colours. Some­ times we lose sight of the many principles at stake in this war because of its great indeeisiveness and nerve-wracking exten­ sion. We recommend this article for anyone who’s interested in the future of the free world. The Real War In Korea By Pierre Berton (In McLean’s Magazine) In the gathering dusk of Korea’s weary bloody war, some things were clear and others still clouded. Certainly, the Chinese, some of whom had only clubs, were mov­ ing back up the peninsula through villages roasted by our napalm and cities crumbled by our shells. The long lines of refugees were on the move again and the rice was green only in those paddies which had sur­ vived the tread of marching feet. People were saying that we’d won the war. But had we ? Can you win a war in this tragic year of 1951 as you win a prize fight, by brute force in the fifteenth round ? To answer that question you’ve got to think back to what the war in Korea was all about. The initial objective was clear enough. It was, as Cpl. Karfy Dunphy of the Pai^s put it: “To resist aggression and all that sort of thing.’’ But surely this is a negative objective. What have we done in Korea that is posi­ tive? Sure, we’re winning the. old-fashioned war of brawn. But what about the new­ fangled war of • men’s minds? Have our actions in Korea made more friends for the western world ? Have we been able to con­ vince the Koreans themselves that the phrase “our way of life” is something more than a slogan? Have we succeeded in sell­ ing our brand of democracy to this proud but unhappy race ? It is terrifying to report that the an­ swer seems to be a flat, unqualified “No!”. If we had gone into Korea as an in­ vading army of conquerors with the express purpose of humiliating the citizenry we could have done no worse than we have done in the name of the United Nations, the Western world and the democratic way of life. I have some vivid memories of Korea and many of them I wish I could forget. There is the memory of the old Korean who stumbled unloading a crate from a C-54 in Pusan, and of the little pipsqueak of a GI private who seized him by the fad­ ed coat lapels and shouted in his face: “You sonofabitch—if you do that again I’ll punch you in the nose!” There is the mem­ ory of the wretched young man with his feet half eaten away, dying of gangrene and refused medical assistance by a succes­ sion of MOs because he was a Korean and didn’t count. There is the memory of the Canadian private who emptied his Bren into a Korean grave and the memory of the GI in the bus at Pusan who shouted loudly at a comrade about how much he hated the gooks—and the look on the face of the Korean bus driver who overheard him. And always there is the memory of the crowded streets and the khaki river of sol­ diers flowing through them, many of them drunk, not a few of them arrogant, most of them with too much money to spend: a shifting montage of jeeps driving lickety- split down narrow Janes built for oxcarts, of voices cursing at the men who didn’t move out of the Way quickly, of faces leer­ ing and winking at the women, of hands dispensing the largess of democracy—a piece of gum here, a piece of chocolate there —to the ragged hungry children beg­ ging on the curb. There is above all the memory of the serious young Korean university graduate gating solemnly and sadly at me across the vemnntitfi <y£ a ehow mein- dinner that had cost the equivalent of two months’ wages in Korea, and saying: “You Americans are so stupid, You have made prostitute-. of our women and beggars of our children. Surely you are not going to make the mis­ take of thinking the Koreans love you?" We were eating in a native restaurant because this young man could not eat with me in the officers’ mess where all other war correspondents eat. Yet he was an ac­ credited war correspondent, too, who wore the United Nations patch and uniform. But he was a Korean. Sorry. Surely this illustrates the stupidity of our policy in Korea. We not only go out of our way to insult a group of Koreans, but we single out newspaperman-—the very people who can interpret, or misinterpret, our way of life to their countrymen. In Korea we have given very little thought tn anything but the military expediency of the moment, whether it encompasses the breaking of dikes on a paddy field or the tacit support of' a government which is about as democratic as Franco's, The great lesson of the new decade is already clear: that the ends of military ex­ pediency are not enough, that you can’t burn away an idea with gasoline jelly but can only destroy it with a better idea. But this lesson hasn’t been put into practice. Our soldiers are sometimes referred to as “the ambassadors of democracy” but the painful fact is that they lack both training and talent for ambassadorship, They have been taught how to fight and they fight well. They have not been taught how to act and they act badly. It seems to me there are two basic principles we must accept. One has already been suggested in these columns by Lionel Shapiro: that these days it is as important to teach a soldier how to get along with other people as it is to teach him the first and second stoppages on the Bren ♦gun. This will take more than just the odd lec­ ture and the occasional pamphlet. The idea needs to be drilled into the troops as surely as the manual of arms. The other thing we must understand is that we all share some of the responsibility for what has happened to the Korean peo­ ple and their land. No matter who is to blame it is we who must rebuild this wretched country, for victory will rest in the end with the side that gains the trust of the people. I believe this is the only practical aim we can follow in Korea if we are to come out of this business with our heads up and our ideals unsullied. The fact that it is also the moral course is perhaps an added argu­ ment in its favor. If we succeed with it we may yet make “our way of life” seem worth while to the people who’ve had it inflicted on them for the past twelve months. * * * it Implications One of the largest pay boosts’ever granted by industry was given to members of the local canners’ union recently after considerable bargaining. The 30-percent increase offered by Canadian Canners Limited brings their scale of pay up to a comparatively good standard for local seasonal labor. The boost was surprisingly close to that demanded by labor and amazingly enough brought negotiations to a sudden and happy ending. However there are. several implica­ tions in the pay boost which should be noted in passing. The union had to threaten drastic action in the form of a strike to have their demands heard. And it is apparent that their demand must have been reasonable, otherwise the company would have taken the bargaining to the Ontario Labor Re­ lations Board for an impartial decision. This would lead us to think that, in view of the large increase granted, the company have been taking advantage of the workers for some time. There obviously has been no sudden 30-percent increase in the value of the worker which would war­ rant a similar sudden increase in. wages. The organization and action of the union has been effective in benefiting the laborers. It has justified itself in proving that workers must be organized if manage­ ment is wont to take advantage of them. There is much criticism of organized labor. In some cases they have gone too far. But it would be hard to particularly chastise them when time and again it has been proven that management has exploit­ ed the worker before unions have been organized, "ARMED TO THE TEETH 50 YEARS AGO Our village (Crediton)Fire Hall is finished. It speaks well for our village to have erected such a ' Miss gaged Public Mr. left last week on a trip across the Atlantic to visit Scotland other European countries. Mr. Bart Hooper, who been visiting his mother taking in the sights of the : fine building. Eva Carling has been en- to teach on the Exeter School staff. Pete Gardiner, teacher, and has and Pan- American, returned home Tues­ day. Hensail’s voters’ list contains 308 names. P. Browning, Jack Spackman, Willie Millyard, B. Hooper and Bert Ross are camping at “Ald­ erside” Grand Bend. 15 YEARS Miss Reta^ Rowe and Bobby Dinney Gananoque last week where they took a boat trip through Thousand Islands. Rev. A. Page left Monday England where he will visit aged mother, Attending Camp Minnehaha at Goderich this week are: Lau- rene Beavers, Dorothy Traquair, Margaret Melville and Ruth and AGO and Rowe motored to the for liis Saturday Evening Here, There And Elsewhere Ry Rey. James Anthony, M.A. June Taylor. Caven Presbyterian Congrega­ tion in goodly numbers turned out Sunday evening to greet their new minister, Rev. Doug­ las Hill, B.A., B.D. Mr. Clarence McLean, a form­ er student of Exeter High School and a graduate of Western Uni­ versity has been appointed a delegate to the World Youth and Peace Congress to Geneva, Switzerland be held at next month. AGO1O YEARS Ontario school children helping on farms this summer will not be required to return to school until October 1. Mr. Thos. Tapp of Detroit is holidaying with his sister, Miss Mary Tapp. Mr. Tapp for several months ' United General was on World’s The 1940 Hudson sedan ed by Mr. James Smillie, of sail, which was parked driveway was stolen about mid­ night Wednesday evening and was found on No. 4 Highway at Ilderton after it had crashed in­ to a hydro pole. Fred Luxton, a recent honor graduate of the London Business Institute has accepted a position with SUverwoods Ltd. has been touring the States with the famous Motors “glass” car which display at the New Fair. York own- Hen- in his ... Neighboring News ... Canvass For Barn . About 12 neighbors of Mr. Raymond Waun canvassed the residents of West Williams to aid Mr. Waun, whose barn burned to the ground recently. Nearly $700 was donated by the people of that district. Parkhill Gazette Came By Plane Mr. Orland Johnston from Montreal came by plane to Lon­ don where he was met by his relatives to visit with his sisters and brothers. Orvrlle has not been in Zurich for some four­ teen years and notices many changes. Dr. and Mrs. Archie MacKinnon of Galt came to visit their mother, Mrs. M. MacKin­ non, also to see his Uncle. Zurich Herald Young Quebec Boy Learns Language . Robert Jordan has as his guest this summer, Denis Sim­ ard- of Quebec City, who has come here to learn the English language and Ontario way of life. His visit was arranged through the Toronto Exchange of Students, oh the suggestion of Miss Marjorie South, a former teacher here. Next summer Robert will go to Denis’ home to become ac­ quainted with the French lan­ guage and Quebec customs. When Denis came here he could not speak any English and he is now becoming quite fluent. Further­ more he seems to be enjoying his Ontario holiday and is mak­ ing fast friends with our young people. Mitchell Advocate Gordie Bennett Night It was “Gordie Bennett Niglit’* Monday evening when the audi­ torium of Clinton District Col­ legiate Institute was filled to capacity by enthusiastic people from all parts of Huron County, who came to pay tribute to the popularity their. Agricultural Re­ presentative for the past three years—R, Gordon Bennett—and his eharming wife. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett and t h e i r three-year-old daughter, Carol, were the recipients of many beautiful and useful gifts jointly from more than 50 organ­ izations in the county, connected mainly with agriculture, and spearheaded by Huron Federa­ tion of Agriculture. Clinton News-Record Helped Woodham Band According to William Dickey, drum major of the Woodham Fife and Drum. Band, their group appreciated very much the assistance given them on July 12 by the majorettes of the St. Marys Citizens’ Band. Majorettes Barbara Fletcher, Beverley Skip­ per and Betty Good found it quite a novelty heading up the Woodham Band after leading their own very different brass band. The Woodham Band is led by Lloyd Hern and Matt Allen is the lead snare drummer. St. Marys Journal-Argus The Right Move Men endowed with foresight are congratulating the federal government on its determination to go forward with the St. Law­ rence scheme regardless of the aid or the refusal to give aid, in the scheme on the part of any other government. For one thing the Canadian West is making mighty strides in the way of self help. Alberta is developing her oil fields, a task that would have tried the sinews of Hercu­ les in his prime. Now that Iran is balking on the oil question Canada must be wide awake to the importance of transporting oil to every part ofc the common­ wealth. Further, Alberta has enlisted the rivers of her province in the service of the farmer. Britain needs that wheat, and the farmers of Ontario need the cereals Albt?rta may produce as a result of the irrigation scheme recently inaugurated. For the transportation of rhe major portion of this grain the way to the sea by the St. Law­ rence rout is keenly demanded. Ontario is showing her ability to manufacture the goods the mar­ kets of the world are demanding in evergrowing quantities. These goods will be all the more pro­ fitable shipped from Ontario lake ports. Our mines are every day proving their richness in needed ores. These will be more economically shipped by wa^er than by any other route so far known. Hence the welcome given to the world that the St. Lawrence project is not to be allowed to be thrown overboard. We may well hope that Canadian states­ men will not be diverted from their scheme by any back door influence whatsoever/ Opportun­ ity is upon us. Suppliants? Kremlin folk must have been doing a good deal of quiet smil­ ing for some weeks past. Those astute and not over scrupulous people began the Korean war just when they chose. They kept it going as long as they chose. They offered to negotiate peace with the United Nations when it jolly well pleased to do so. They broke up the negotiations at the moment of their liking. During all this interesting planning the United Nations stood before the Kremlin hat in hand saying in their best tones and with their best bow “What next gentlemen?” The same tac­ tics have been used in Iran. Russia fondly believed that were the Iranian oil supplies coralled, Britain would be hop- lessly crippled. With this object in mind the Iranians were duped into quarreling with Britain. But Iran found that she was cutting off her nose to spite her face by making a move so uter- ly stupid. If Britain's oil sup­ plies were shut off, so would be the revenue the Iranians se-i cured from the oil fields. When economic disaster star­ ed Irania in the face she- was not quite so saucy with Britain, her real benefactor. Further, Russia discovered there was such a place as Alberta that could sup­ ply Britain with all the oil she required and at a lower cost than they secured the oil from Iran. Russia then appeared again as my lord generous and had her dupe. Iran commence to talk about peace. And again Britain took her hat in hand and offered to ne­ gotiate a peace in a strife that another nation had brought t about! How the ^nighty had fallen. Let H im See Some weeks ago these columns spoke of the benefit that follows a boy’s working with his father in liis backyard. It was pointed out that this was one of the very best ways of parent and son becoming acquainted and one of the most effective ways of a boy’s acquiring interests that are sure to prove of permanent val­ ue. There is no doubt in the world of the benefit of such inti­ macy between a normal parent and his son, But of that, more on another occasion. What is being pointed out here is the importance of a fath­ er's taking his son to see the newest and best things going on in this wagging world. Those of us who recall the. Philadelphia exhibition of seventy-six still re­ late the stories of what visitors to the great show saw and heard. As Graham Bell was perfect­ ing that mysterious contrivance, the telephone, stories are recall­ ed of what was going on. Happy the boy whose father took him to see the wonder that was then be­ ing given 'to the world. Again some of us go back to the days when we gazed on the self bind­ er as it was making its way to every farm in the countryside. It was the boys who first mastered that marvelous labour-saving de­ vice. Just the other evening the writer saw a flower display in a mechanics yard that is the won­ der of that countryside. But why particularize? The best things in. modern life were first thought out, incompletely, of course, by boys whose wonder was excited by seeing some process in its simpler and more elemental con­ dition. We need playgrounds of course, but we need to have our child­ ren see the wonderful things and the outstanding men who in­ terest adults. No boy met Prin­ cipal Grant, but who formed a desire to attend Queen’s, No youth who ever met Sir John A, MacDonald or Sir Wilfred Laur­ ier but had his political possibil­ ities roused within him. Untold good follows from those trips taken by the classes in our cities and towns to the stores and fac­ tories and ,ATarms where fine things are being accomplished. More food, far more good, will come of similar trips taken by parents and their children to­ gether. Our hope is that Exeter will soon be organizing such trips, further, and even more import­ ant. Junior should see what is going on in his father’s place of business. The children learn more and more in what the adults are doing than most of us dream. This is all worth thinking about. Still more of this later on. Knuckle Rapping Needed Events speak louder than words. There is the passing of Petain, for instance. This French field marshall was the hero of Verdun, in the first World War. Had he and his men failed at Verdun. Frenchmen might now be polishing the boots of Ger­ man officers. Had this distinguished soldier but been called by the grim reap­ er as the guns of Verdun cooled his name would have ranked high among Frances’s heroes. Instead •—'Please turn to Page 3 EDGEWOOD Mr. and Mrs. Harold Westman of London visited the past week with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Allen Westman. Miss Anna Westman has re­ turned home after spending two weeks at Camp Bimini. Mrs. Kopel and son visited Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Zuball on Wed­ nesday evening. Mr. and Mrs. Bill Bendall and Darlene are visiting a while with his parents Mr. and Mrs. Roy Moore and family. Mr. add Mrs. Allan Westman have rented their farm to Mr. and Mrs. Knipe who reside in Mr. Earl Middleton’s house. Little Barbara Ann Zuball re­ turned home Saturday after holi­ daying with her Grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Zuball Sr. Mrs. Bernice Pettie and her mother of Stratford visited Mrs. H. Clark of Stratford, visiting on Monday with Mt. and Mrs. R. Moore. Mr. and Mrs. Allan Westman spent Saturday with Mr. and Mrs. Warner McRoberts, Don Middleton of Edgewood was guest speaker at the regular church service at Kintore. The Service was in charge of Gordon Smith and was arranged by the Y.P.S. Misses Anna and Isabella Calrk of Windsor spent the week with Marion and Joyce Moore. Mr. Don Middleton has left to take a course in Toronto.