HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1951-08-30, Page 2Page 2 THE TIMES-APYQCATE, EXETER, ONTARIO, THURSDAY MORNING, AUGUST 30, 1951
<tje Cxeter <imes=^bocate
JJtaies Established 1873 Amalgamated 1924 Advocate Established 1881
Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ontario
, An Independent Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of the Town of Exetei* and District
Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Department, Ottawa
Member of the Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association
Member of the Ontario-Quebec Division of the CWNA
Member of the Audit Dureau of Circulation
Paid-in-Advance Circulation as of March 31, 1951 — 2,396
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Canada, in advance, $2.50 a year -- United States, in advance, $3.00
Single Copies Each
J. Melvin Southcott - Publishers - Robert Southcott
THURSDAY MORNING, AUGUST 30, 1951
Burning
The government’s surplus of $490,000,-
000 over the first four months of the fed
eral year won’t make taxpayers too happy.
They could use that money.
The big reason for the large “profit”
is, apparently, the lag in defence produc
tion. Industry isn’t producing the war
goods the government expected to be pay
ing for by now.
Whatever the excuse, Canadians will
wonder where this $490,000,000 will go. It
isn’t probable that defence production will
make up its four-month lag because the
government has already planned for great
er production in the. next eight months and
has levied for taxes accordingly,
We hope it doesn’t burn a hole in the
government’s pocket. They have far too
many holes burning now.
* * * *
Good Old Canada
Not long ago a New York newspaper
put a series of simple geography questions
before a large group of American college
students. The results were appalling.
The great majority of these educated
people hadn’t any idea of the name of Can
ada’s capital or the location or approximate
size, of the chief cities in the dominion.
In another poll, conducted by a Can
adian magazine among Americans, very
few knew the name of our Prime Minister
and no one could spell it.
These things aren’t surprising. With
all the American propaganda which is
spread not only through their own country
but into Canada as well, Americans must
do well to keep up to current facts in their
own country.
It seems to us Canadians must be af
fected by the terrific amount of American
publicity in this country. We’d like to find
out if Canadians know more about Sir John
A. McDonald than Abraham Lincoln, or if
the Boston Tea Party is more familiar than
the capture of Quebec,
Currently, it wouldn’t surprise us a bit
to find out that Canadians know more of
what’s going on in the U.S. government
than in Ottawa.
We hope we're wrong but we’re afraid
the results wouldn’t be too encouraging.
* * * *
Congratulations
Street-cleaner Ted Mawhinney got a
left-handed compliment paid him recently.
It came from the editorial columns of The
Ingersoll Tribune.*
“We drove through Exeter the other
day and were impressed by the litter-free
streets. None of the items so familiar in
Ingersoll gutters and on Ingersoll streets—
candy wrappings, cigarette boxes, bits of
newspaper and wrappings—could be seen.
The answer to the cleanliness, however,
could be seen on every corner. The answer
was trash baskets.”
We wouldn’t like to disillusion Tommy
Lee, the editor of The Tribune, but if he
takes another look the next time he comes
around this way he won’t see any trash
buckets on every corner. However, if he
comes around early enough in the morning
he’ll see Ted Mawhinney with broom and
cart cleaning the streets.
Ted’s the answer to the good impres
sion The Tribune editor received when he
drove, through the town.
Take heart. Ted! Your efforts are ap
preciated.
* * * *.
Those High Prices
There is no one in Canada who is not
concerned about the sky-high cost of living
■—no one who is not affected. We. are chief
ly interested not in the causes of inflation
(we leave that to economists) but in its
effects upon our own pocket books and
standard of living.
Since \ the retailer is the man with
whom we deal, we have a tendency these
days to regard him as something of a pir
ate, out to fleece us. "Sam Smith,” (our
local merchant) we say, "must be making
a young fortune at our expense. Look at
the prices he charges!”
We forget that Sarm is just as per
turbed about those high prices as we are.
When the wholesaler raises his prices to
Sam, all he can do is pass along;, the in-
ctcase, Often he absorbs as much of it as
he can and still keep solvent.
The wholesaler, too, is in a similar
spot since, by the time the goods reach
him, the primary producer, the manufac
turer and almost inevitably, the govern
ment, have had their share of the increase.
It is the old law of supply and demand
at work. To get reduced prices in any com
modity, either the supply must be increased
or the demand decreased or both. At pres
ent in the case of many articles the supply
is relatively small and the demand is great,
not only here but all over the world.
During the last war the Canadian
Government did a noteworthy job of con
trolling prices. The controls were not popu
lar, effective though they were, and they
cost the country plenty of money. Controls,
sub.sdies and restrictions <pf one kind and
another do not go over big with Canadians.
Aftei' the war the government removed
controls. The result was a rise in the cost
of living in Canada that took our breath
away.
Through its policy of high taxation
and through too little effect to curb govern
ment expenditures, the federal government
has not helped the situation. While prices
•were low during the war the public paid
high taxes but could purchase necessities
at relatively low cost due to subsidies and
ceilings. Now both taxes and prices are
high.
The whole mess is particularly tough
on many Canadians—those on salaries
which haven’t increased in step with in
creased living costs and increased indirect
taxes, the pensioners, the small business
men whose turnover is up but whose profit
is down.
What is to be done about it ? We sug
gest that Canadians need to roll up their
sleeves and produce more. They need to
give a fair day’s work for fair play, to
work longer hours and produce more goods.
At the same time they need to decrease
their purchase of goods and increase their
savings. Temporarily Canada’s high stan
dard of living may suffer.
Canadians do not need to leave this
cost-of-living business to their government.
They can do something about it themselves
once they realize that the law of supply
and demand is at work.
* * *
Western allies in Berlin are gloating
over the failure of youth rallies in the
Russian sector of the city. They are gleeful
about the youths who try to escape into the
free part of the city. This is hardly en
couraging when we realize that only a few
of the thousands of youths who take part
in the rallies realize that 'democracy has
something better than communism to offer.
A little less gloating and a little more of
a democratic sales-talk is in order.
WHAT OTHERS SAY
Unwelcome Attention
(Listowel Banner)
We are aspiring to great things today.
We hope these words will finally reach the
eyes and eah-s of Arthur MacNamara. De
puty Minis tor of Labor.
First of all, we would like to acknow
ledge receipt of a piece of mail from his
office which included a reprint of a news
story which had appeared in the Globe and
Mail August 11, 1951, plus a separate
printed slip, a very neatly gotten up little
slip, bearing only the Canada crest, the
words "Submitted for your information”
and. signed by the deputy minister. The
paper was of fair quality, and so was the
printing.
What burns us up is that the gist of
the story was that “Defense Minister
Brooke Claxton today expressed satisfac
tion with the method employed for recruit
ing the Army’s 27th Brigade group for
European service and use of selected units
of the reserve army”, and went on at some
length and in some detail to state that
contrary to criticisms levelled at him,
everything was, in fact, hunky dory.
We do not know what opinion Mr.
MacNamara has of our ability to write, but
it is all too apparent he is under the im
pression we do not read. As a matter of
fact we do read, and rightly or wrongly
consider ourselves sufficiently well in
formed on newspaper topics that we do
not need our reading material indicated to
us by Mr, MacNamara’s propaganda ma
chine.
Not only do we objurgate the pro
cedure, but we bate like the dickens to
have to contribute tax-wise to the upkeep
of it, *
COLOR BLIND
As the--------
"TIMES" Go By
■......11 ................" .......................................... ................. ....................
50 YEARS AGO
The following were among the
number taking in the excursion
to Sarnia and Detroit -on Satur
day last: Mr. John Farmer and
son, Roy, Alex Stewart, Mrs.
Billings, Miss Ella Morlock,
Miss Edna Creech, Miss Olive
Westcott, Miss Sarah Sweet, Mrs.
A. Sheere and son, Frank.
The intended removal of Mr.
A. E. Bennett and family to
London will be learned by their
many friends with sincere re
gret. 'Mr. Bennett has for some
years been head clerk for Mr.
J. A. Stewart, in fact, ever since
Mr. Stewart commenced business
here.
Miss Ida Johns is visiting in
Sarnia.
Mr. John Spackman has sold
out his park at Grand Bend to
Mr. William Levitt and Co., of
Exeter. We wish them every
success.
According to official returns
the population of Exeter is 17-
92. A decrease of 21 since 1891.
New teachers on the high
school staff are Miss Alice Archi
bald and Mr. R. H. Millgarthner.
On the public school staff is
Miss Violet Watkins.
The first sod was turned on
Tuesday for the new airport in
Stephen township. At the same
time surveyors were staking on
the farms of Ross and Hugh Love
and Lloyd Taylor on the Twen
tieth concessions of Stephen
township, the latter to be used
as an auxiliary field.
1O YEARS AGO
Resurfacing of Highway No. 4
for a distance of five miles south
of Exeter is now in progress.
There was a break in the wat
er main on John street, Sunday
evening and a young river was
in the formation when the leak
was discovered.
15 YEARS AGO
Mr. Jas Francis who for the
past six years has been employ
ed with Mr. E. R. Hopper has
purchased the furniture and
undertaking business of J. Kalb-
fleisch and Son of Tavistock.
The Women’s Institute held a
Garden party on the spacious
lawn of Mr. and Mrs. Seymour
on Friday evening last.
Misses Meta Salter, Pearl
Wood and Celia Christie took a
boat trip from Port Stanley to
Cleveland during the week-end
where they attended the Great
Lakes Exposition.
Miss Alma Ratz has returned
to her home at Shipka after
taking a six weeks course at
summer school, Kingston.
The cement work for Exeter’s
new waterworks reservoir has
been completed.
... Neighboring News ...
Upper or Lower?
Over a thousand High School
cadets from Camp Ipperwash
took part in the biggest mock
battle in 'Parkhill’s history last
Tuesday and Wednesday as a
climax to their seven weeks’
training at Camp Ipperwash.
From a military point of view
the exercise, “Slobbovia” was a
big success and to the civilians
it was highly interesting.
(Parkhll Gazette)
Proof That It Pays
The driver of a soft drink
truck was happy to recover his
small two-wheeled cart which he
had left by mistake in the lane
at the rear of the Journal-Argus
office this week. The cart was
turned in to the Grill by Tom
McGiveron and on the driver’s
next trip the J.A. “back room
boys” had free drinks supplied
to’ them.
(St. Marys Journal-Argus)
Feels Younger
Than 91
Mrs. J. W. (Bertha) Horner
who is spending a few weeks at
the home of her daughter, Mr.
and Mrs. Albert Ings at Varna,
enjoyed a few hours with Zurich
friends one day last week. Mrs.
ftorner looks real well and feels
good, several years younger than,
her age actually is; so cheerful,
as usual. We were glad to see
her Smiles which makes one feel
happy, and to converse with her,
We wish her many years of the
best of health.
(Zurich Herald)
Seaforth Student
Finds Far Fields
Donald Stephenson, BASc, 22-
year-old son of Mr. and Mrs.
Leo Stephenson, Seaforth, will
sail from Queb'ec City, Sept. 7,
to study for two years at the
Imperial College of Science, Lon
don, England. Last spring he
was awarded an Athlone Fellow
ship, which brings with it two
years’ free tuition and expenses
in England. For the past two
years, since his graduation from
the University of Toronto at the
age of 20 he has been associated
with the National Research Coun
cil at Ottawa.
(Seaforth News)
Who Said That ?
Don’t be surprised—and cer
tainly don’t complain—if the
paper handles a story some
what differently than you would
have written it yourself. The
newspaper doesfi’t try to tell'
you how to sell your products.
Don’t get the idea that you can
give the paper any pointers on
how to sell its product which is
news.
(Forest Free Press)
What Do
You Think
About Going Back
To School This Fall?
Marilyn Skinner: I like the
thoughts of going back to school.
Working is all right but I like
school much better. I’ve been
working steadily for the first
time this summer and I’m ready
for a rest.
Pat. Hennessey: I’m looking
forward to getting into first form.
It will he nice to have a more
serious program of sports. I’ll
be glad especially to be .able to
play basketball.
Barbara Brinfnell: It will be
good to get back to school after
working steadily since mid June.
I. will be glad to see all my
school pals again and to get into
sports.
Jean Taylor: I’ll be glad to
get back, I really like school, it’s
much better than working.
Richard McFalls: I’ve been
having a good summer. I’m not
too anxious to .get back, but I
won’t mind too much? I’ll be
glad to start grade 10 and get
into some mechanical Subjects.
Bill Batten: I suppose I’ll be
glad to be back at school for a
month or so, until I get used to
it again.
/— — — —— ———
Saturday Evening
Here, There
And Elsewhere
By Rev. James Anthony, M.A.
Supplied
When the seqpnd world war
was over, there was a scarcity of
nearly everything the market
needed. The war god had seen
to that. The buyer was at a dis
tinct disadvantage. The* seller
could get almost any price he
asked, and he got into the habit
of "tucking it on” with a ven-
gance.
Producers got into the way of
putting all that they coulu
on the market. Just now the
market is pretty well supplied
and the buyer is having his
innings. He is pretty well sup
plied with everything he re
quires. Along this state of af
fairs goes the increasing demand
for war materials.
All that a nation has will It
give for its existence. Hence the
expenditures for defence. But
necessary as are the demands of
war materials, the demand de
vours the materials required for
civil life. Now far seeing busi
ness men have seen the condi
tion of affairs now making it
harder for the buyer. The buyer
is now squeezed white. These
thrifty folk have on the market
something new and in many in
stances something better than
the market could secure even
ten years ago.
These newer and apparently
better goods are crowding the
older products off the market.
Salesmen are instructed in this
sort of thing and are required;
in the strongest terms, to make
sales of the new goods. Many a
good salesman is having a first
class headache on this account.
On the other hand the buying
public is not keen, in many in-,
stances, to be off with the old
that still does the reaping and
the cultivating satisfactorily and
to be on with the new that has
not as yet proven its efficiency.
More than that, the old, in
many 'cases is not yet paid for
and the banker is turning a quiz
zical eye upon the purchaser
who is inclined to buy goods of
one sort and another that are
not actually required.
Moreover that mysterious, in-
visable but mighty power, the
government, is doing all it can,
in a quiet way, to be sure to
put the brakes on the money
printing machines and to have
the dollar represent one hun
dred cents rather than fifty-
three cents, as it does at the
time of writing.
The time is right here when
the misleadng promise to pay is
giving place to the payment for
goods interms of real wealth. In
other words, folk with respect
for gray matter are coming to
see that credit is like one’s Sun
day suit, that is to say, that the
seldomer it is used the longer It
will last.
Credit is like rubber, it will
not stand over stretching. Real
business is bound to continue.
Pretentious business is likely to
have a rocky time of it but such
a time will affect prosperity but
a very little. The market is
pretty well supplied with . goods
of a middling quality.
There is still need for sup
plies that will meet the needs or
the tastes more satisfactorily
than they have been met or are
now being met.
Need For
Brain Steeping
Grave fears are in the air that
there is an approaching business
crisis. We hope that we are not
alarmists but things are what
they are. First of all, there is a
shortage of steel and copper be
cause that old enemy of the race,
War, is on a bloody rampage.
The situation in Iran js grave
The statesmen of Canada and
Britain and the United States are
watching the war clouds with
their occasional burst of forked
lightning with anxious eyes and
are demanding that iron, and
coal and steel and oil should be
diverted to munition production
and all that munitions require.
Next, the bumper wheat crop
of this year Is overtaxing Cana
dian shipping facilities. The
wheat is needed, very badly need
ed, but the facilities for trans
porting the crop to where it is
required simply are not adequ
ate.
Further, the St. Lawrence
with i t s inadequate passage
ways, will not allow the passage
of large ocean going vessels
should Canada be able to employ
them for shipping the wheat.
That is not all, the imperative
demand for shipping facilities is
driving steel, coal and iron from
the the vessels.'Wheat and course
grains must have the preference.
This results in the closing of
steel manufacturing plants, es
pecially automobile plants. If
such plants are closed altogether
their operations will be so cur
tailed that there will be a very
considerable amount of unem
ployment.
We had' better think of what
this implies. Some businessmen
already are feeling the pinch.
We hope that a financial storm
will not break but the wise sail
or heeds the storm signals. Hind
sight afords cold comfort.
The Know How
It was an important law suit.
The trial involved not only the
fate of two public men but the
fate of a great political party.
You may be sure that no stone
known to either party in the
suit was left unturned. The best
legal talent had been engaged,
as the parties believed, in the pre
paration of the briefs. The best
talent was secured for the con
duct of the case in the court, so
it was though, at any rate.
As the time for the trial drew
near the leading council com
menced to lose confidence in
himself. At last he said to the
other lawyers and those prose
cuting the trial, “Gentlemen,
this is beyond me. You must get
Mr. B.” After much argument
the council had his way and Mr.
B. was secured.
At the trial there was not
much change in the evidence.
Mr. B. sat quiet throughout, and
those who engaged him profes
sed disapointment. The examina
tion of the chief witness was al
most colourless and spectators
were amazed at the great law
yer’s lack of zeal.
Indeed, when the case went to
the jury, the leading party who
was on trial came to the law
yer and said "Thank you, Mr. B.,
you have treated me like a
gentleman, but you have lost the
verdict. I appreciate your sacri
ficing your reputation in my be
half.”
"Thank you”, replied the law
yer. "I have tried to be the
gentleman But I have the ver
dict” and even as he spoke the
jury returned with the verdict
for the lawyer.
The best lawyers in the
country, and they were present
On the occasion referred to, left
the court saying to Mr. B. "We
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