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Clinton News-Record, 1970-10-29, Page 4J. H. Horner M.P. for Crowfoot addressZd the local Conservative association last week, and said Canad4 is overgoverned. comment: .Some good news at last The hopeful tone of the announcement on CFB Clinton, by Robert McKinley, member of parliament for Huron, when he addressed a meeting of local Progressive Conservatives last week certainly is encouraging. It's been a discouraging thing in the last few months, just waiting for something to happen. Most of us • often wonder just what is being done. We don't know of the activity going on behind the scenes in various places. Now, at last, we can see some of that spadework starting to show, however cautiously. We must praise the work of Mr. McKinley. Certainly as a politician he has something to gain by keeping his constituents happy, and the, best way to keep the constituents in the Clinton area happy, is to make sure that base, one of our main sources of livelihood, continue to operate in some way or other. But a politician who can do the work, needed, can plead our case and win in Ottawa deserves all the praise he gets. We hope that his hopeful announcement turn out to be the first of a long line of good news announcements about the base. Mr. McKinley has been one of two men who will deserve full credit if the base is reactivated after its scheduled closing by the armed forces next fall. The other man who has been working hard on the problem is the Huron County Co-ordinator at the base, Spence Cummings. We hope both men will keep up the good work and wish them, and us, the best of luck. Put the spirit back in small communities Jack Horner, M.P. for Crowfoot addressed the local Progressive Conservatives last week and touched on the death of community spirit. Mr. Horner pointed out that the type pf get-together for the benefit of the community for building community halls and such does not often take place any more. Unfortunately, he was so right. The type of community spirit — the all-for-one, one-for-all feeling that helped build our country a century ago — has virtually disappeared. Instead today we seem to think money will buy everything. Thankfully, we still have some examples of this oldtime spirit. The new ballpark was built very much on the basis of volunteer labour. In many of the smaller hamlets throughout western Ontario, people still get together to meet their needs. There is much to recommend this way of life that we have discarded. Where, for instance, would the Kinsmen club have been this summer if they had tried to pay people to help prepare for, and run the horse races. Volunteer, ,labour was one of the big factors in the success of their horse racing project. In the past, we :traded hours for what we wanted not money as we do today, and somehow the hours often went a lot farther. Our ancestors built many of the facilities themselves that they could never have afforded if they had had to fork out cash for them. And just as important, they had a sense of accomplishment and pride in their community that money can't buy. They gave unselfishly and were rewarded with a strong, united and richer community. It's something we should all remember today when we think of things we would like to see in our community. Would parties help local government? Party politics is now becoming a fact of life in municipal elections in bigger centres. Last week we saw Mayor Jean Drapeau. of Montreal and his Civic Party sweep to victory in elections in that city. Last year saw the emergence, for the first time, of party politics in Toronto. There are good points for and against the party system in municipal elections. Parties can be to the detriment of action if hard party lines are followed on each subject that comes before a council. If the regular federal and provincial political machines field candidates there can be trouble because all the old enmities are thrust into the workings of the smallest unit of government, leading to a lot of talk and little action. But there is also something to be said for the emergence of .independent municipal parties in each municipality. For one thing, it' almost assures that the democratic system will thrive because there will always be an election. And take for instance, the case of an idealistic person who runs for council because he has policies he would like to see instituted. If he is elected as an individual he may' never be able to persuade the other members of the council that his ideas are good. He may have more luck if he has the support of a party which will give his ideas a bigger boost. Party politics would also force those running for councils to put forward specific platforms they want to accomplish if they are elected rather than being elected just because they are "nice guys." Perhaps the parties aren't the answer to all that ails local government, but we should certainly be giving them some thought. Certainly things can't be much worse than they are now when most councils spend three and a half hours of a four hour session just paying the bills and housekeeping and then, if they're lucky, get around to new business for a few minutes when they're all too tired to think straight. Our backyard was the church 7./4f-45474F.' 1.• 1 t: . ; :tso ,1:)L 0 "Lee" H s- reR, 7-0 ,,WWWW1104 Other views A SUMMARY OF EDITORIAL OPINION FROM OTHER AREA NEWSPAPERS. ADVERTISING'IN THE , • NEWS-RECORD, is an INVESTMENT ,4 .;' NOT AN EXPENSE:;` THE CLINTON NEW ERA Amalgamated THE HURON NEWS-RECORD Established 186.5 1.924 , Established 1881 Clinton News-Record A member of the Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association, Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association and the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) second class mail registration number - 0817 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: fin advance) Canada, $6.00 per year; U.S.A., $7„50 KEITH W. ROULSTON Editor J. HOWARD AITKEN General Manager Published every Thursday at the heart of Huron County Clinton, Ontario Population 3,475 THE HOME OF RADAR IN CANADA 4 Clinton. News-Record, Thursday, October 29,1970 In the midst of the terror and panic induced by the F,L.Q. kid- nappings, it was therapeutic, to say the least, to experience a few minutes of peace and sanity and beauty in a world that seems to be steadily steering a path to- ward chaos,' Sorry you weren't able to share in this pleasant interlude, but then you weren't invited to the Baha-i wedding in our back- yard. When I was in the newspaper business, I loathed writing-up weddings, with their intermi- nable details Of the bride's costume, down to the last, lousy stephanotis. Not this one, It wasn't all smooth sailing, My wife insisted that the lawn be raked. I insisted that she was going to spoil the natural setting of golden leaves the couple wanted, It rained all week, and I thought I was home free. But the day before the ceremony, it dried up, and my Cook was goosing me to get to work. She is a better, or more persistent, insister than I, With a herculean effort and the aid of two small boys, I got the hedge trimmed, the lawn raked, the dead weeds pulled and a pile of fresh leaves cover- ing the old sand-box which ser- ___- _— yes as a combination compost- heap and garbage-dump, The groom came around and asked what the point was of raking the leaves, During the night, naturallyip-t rained and blew, and .by morn- ing, the lawn looked exactly as it had when I'd started the day be- fore. My only satisfaction was going around all morning muttering "I told you so," Tension increased as the day wore on. It was pouring. The girls' dresses and new shoes would be ruined. People would be tracking mud into the house. The neighbors, who'd been look- ing forward to the spectacle for weeks, would be deeply disap- pointed should the ceremony be moved indoors. As the Saturday morning passed, and the drizzle held, no word from the bride. We phoned, and her mother, with supreme confidence, said it was gong to clear by noon. At noon, I took a little sashay out to check. The sky was like the in- side of a tar barrel and the Scotch mist showed no signs of abating, But those Baha-i's must have something special going for them, By one p.m., it had stop- ped raining. By two it was clear, and a number of guests had ar- rived. (Typically, the bride had issued invitations for two p.m., the groom for three p.m.) By three, it was one of those beautiful, warm, autumn days, with the sun catching the high- lights of the maples, the grass al- most dry, and about 80 guests in a variegation of colors that made even, the full glory of the fall fol- iage look a bit dim:, They piled out of vans and cars and moved into the yard, There Was everything from blue jeans to smashing maxi dresses, buckskin jackets to white shawls, colorful headbands to cowboy boots, ultra-mod tweed jackets to gaucho hats. The principals were not to be outdone, The bride, with long, sleek golden hair, wore a full- length hand-crocheted off white dress with matching hood, The groom was no less imposing, with beard and Afro hair style, his dark, full-length cape cover- ing a white tunic with black hand embroidery. Only a few old squares, like the principals of the parents and us, wore "ordi- nary" suits and dresses. Ninety per cent of the guests were under 21, happy and ex- cited, but mute and reverent • during the ceremony, The service itself was charm- ing in its simplicity and sincer- ity, Friends and relatives read selected prayers. There was no ritual as such, no sermon. The couple was attended by a Wit- ness, who did just that - wit- nessed. The only music was a modern song, with the refrain, "See me, touch me, hold me, heal me", soft and lovely, sung by our Kim and friend Mike Hanna. Then the bride and groom pledged themselves to each other and to God, kissed emphatically, and it was all oven They can have a Baha-i wed- ding in my backyard any time. Except February. I will be bar- becued before I Will shovel three feet of snow out of my yard for anything except the Second Coming, 75 YEARS AGO The Huron News-Record October 30, 1895 James Howson has re-opened his clothes cleaning, dyeing and repair shop in the commodious premises over Cantelon Bros. Grocery Store on Albert Street. Mr. Howard Holmes was tendered a farewell party on Wednesday evening at the residence of the Mayor previous to his departure for St. Catherines. He is an industrious young man and has our very best wishes for his future prosperity. The extensive improvements to St. Paul's Church are about completer], and it is expected the electric light system will be in readiness. for next Sunday. 55 YEARS AGO The Clinton New Era October 28, 1915 Lieut. Col. Sutherland, commander of the 71st Battalion, at London, paid Clinton a visit on Thursday evening last and held an audience for over an hour and a half while he gave a description of the campaign of the Canadian soldiers from the time they left Valcartier until the battle of the Yser Canal and then how the wounded soldiers are taken care of at the hospitals and convalescent homes in England. 40 YEARS AGO The Clinton News-Record October 30, 1930 The new electric oil train on the London-Wingham line has been running since Friday last, coming in on time and filling the bill as well as could be, until yesterday, Yesterday at neon an old steam engine brought the infuriates me. Her slow, exaggerated, dreamy back-swing infuriates me as, indeed, does her entire swing which looks exactly like an instant replay done in slow motion. Her merry laughter when, against all the laws of nature, she sends them flying straight down the middle infuriates me. Until then. I loved her laugh. Now it chills me to the bone. Playing golf with her, in short, is...well...it's infuriating. I used to arrive back from our expeditions in a state of nervous exhaustion, bled emotionally, my throat raw from bellowing advice and threats, my little psyche all warped' and bent from resisting the perfectly natural impulse to homicide. (There were days, I must admit, when I wondered hysterically what kind of sound it would make if I used my "ping" putter with murderous intent.) What was worse, my own game had fallen to pieces under the strain. On one awful day in August she had taken me, three up, in nine short holes, a piece of intelligence which swiftly reached the entire outside world and instantly added 10 strokes to my game. It was after that particular day, as I recall, that I knew I had to come to grips with my problem and resolved to play the next round with her in complete silence. train in, an oil pipe having burst in the other engine. The train was a little late but it is expected the new train will be on again today. 25 YEARS AGO The Clinton News-Record October 25, 1945 In the announcement of scholarship awards at the University of Western Ontario, London, Miss Elizabeth Middleton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Middleton, Goderich Township, a graduate of Clinton Collegiate Institute, won the $100.00 Huron County Scholarship. Servicemen expected home this week when the "Queen Elizabeth" docks at Halifax N.S. include Sgt. Everett M. Lobb, Canadian Dental Corps. son of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Lobb, Clinton, and Pte. H. R. Fremlin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Fremlin, Clinton. 15 YEARS AGO The Clinton News-Record October 27, 1955 Fire gutted Shearing Block, Pinger's Restaurant, Heard's Barber Shop. Two apartments were burned. Smoke damage to the stock and interior of Pickett and Campbell's may total $10,000. Total damage to the block has been, roughly estimated at $40,000. Peter Roy is in Clinton Public Hospital suffering from severe back injuries resulting from a motorcycle accident near Kippen last Sunday evening. Harvey C. Johnston, Walton, has been appointed farm manager at the Huron County Home, succeeding E. J. 'Dick' I did, in fact, manage seven holes only to spoil it all when I was unable to contain the single, blood-chilling scream that had been gathering inside me. Even so, it was something of a triumph. If you could see us now you'd hardly believe it is the same man. You would see a man whose countenance affects a mein of almost Ghandi-like serenity, a face of such stoic imperturbability that only the occasional fleeting wince of rage reveals the seething conflict on the inside. As my wife steps up to address the ball, going through the' . moving-day -vrelitniparies that once had me drumming my fists against my temples, I now intently study blades of grass or the horizon, my lips sealed to dam the flow of ugly comments that burble up from below. I think I can say that it's made a new marl of me. Such control, such sheer strength of character, instantly opened new vistas of self-discipline. In a world full of irritations and invitations to temper tantrums I now make my way with a thick outer hide of magnificent insulation. I am a man who has learned to play tranquil golf with his wife, perhaps the only man who can make that statement, and now all of life's fairways stretch ahead wide, sunny and free of mayhem. Jacob who has recently resigned the position. 10 YEARS AGO The Clinton News-Record October 27, 1960 Contract for construction of a 300-bed Ontario Hospital south of Goderich was awarded to Anglin-Horcross Ontario Co. Ltd., Toronto. • Hotel Clinton is first place in town to have a "Season's Greetings" sign displayed, - others may wait until after Hallowe'en, but Frank believes in being prepared. Stanley's Meat Market has been sold to Grant Irwin and Art Coulson effective Monday, October 31, 1960. Three Legion golfers were recipients of "I Got Beat By Eddie Dale" certificates, - Len Arnston, Bob Draper and Bud Schoenhals. The Elmira Signet last week dealt with the election of Stephen Lewis and the political juggling that is going on to prepare for a provincial election some time soon. "While the New Democratic party no doubt hopes in the next Ontario election to imitate the party's success in Manitoba, the Conservatives are just as likely to follow the strategy set by the Social Credit regime in British Columbia of trying to characterize the election as a simple choice between yirtuous , free ointerpriseAncl evil socialism, `It'Ory ,r, te4eirAlii started the strategy at a recent convention of the insurance industry. He said his government would not even consider any advances into the public auto insurance field, as the NDP has done in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. "He laced his speech with references to preserving small business - an admirable cause, but hardly appropriate for insurance companies which hold incredible power in our economy. "For his efforts, Mr. Robarts was presented with a gold sledge hammer to "annihilate the socialists." The symbolism was hardly appropriate considering the attitude of many government leaders - including Mr. Robarts - to the type of violence taking place in Quebec. "It is becoming readily apparent that Mr. Robarts is willing to go quite a stretch to discredit the New Democratic party. "He has said that with the election of Stephen Lewis as leader, that party is now in the control of union management. This is slightly hypocritical in the first place, since Mr. Robarts courts the support of the small, powerful groups that control business and industry. "Mr. Robarts is also highly inaccurate, for Mr. Lewis did not get significant support from labor leaders. Rather, many labor delegates who supported Mr. Lewis were from unions whose leaders were not supporting him... "...Since the NDP is the real opposition in the province, it will be unfortunate if the Tories manage to polarize the election into a choice between ideologies. "Not only is this unrealistic (and unfair to the NDP considering our American- influenced phobia about the We agree Mr. Horner, but just what part of government will you cut first? The city voters` would likely say farm subsidies but we doubt your rural constituents would agree to that. They'd probably say cut off housing or welfare adgencies, but we doubt the huge urban population would agree to that. If Mr. Horner can cut back on government without being lynched by one segment or other of society, he certainly deserves to be prime minister. * While the squabble between town council .and the police department goes on, the poor citizen can only sit back and wonder when the struggle against crime is going to get as much attention as the budget. Have you been looking around to see who would be the best candidate for election in your ward? Nomination day of November 16 is drawing close and you don't have much time left before you will have to make a decision. evils of socialism), but it will obscure the more important issues." Tee for Two A loyal friend tells me he heard my name taken in vain in a locker-room last week. "Scott?" he overheard one man say to another in tones of mingled scorn and incredulity. "Oh, yes, you mean the man who plays golf with his wife." Since the secret is out I suppose I might as well make a clean breast of it and perhaps even let you glance at the preliminary notes of my inspirational book to be titled "How to Develop Strength of Character With Tee For Two" or "The Royal and Ancient Way to Positive Thinking." ("Royal" and "Ancient"refer to the game, of course,-and. not the little ladY,;,,, in question.) All this began when we moved not long ago to a new town, far from my regular partners on the links, and discovered that the area is rich in small, nine-hole courses. Once or twice a week through- the summer we carried togetherness to its most ridiculous extreme. The fact that I began to look forward to these sorties with anticipation would not be surprising except for one thing. It is this: Everything my wife does on a golf course infuriates me to the point of running amok. I mean everything. The way she addresses the ball, a procedure which takes fully three minutes of preparation, adjustment, organization and knee-locking * * * The Huron Expositor dealt with the tragic developments of the previous week in Quebec and called for positive action in light of events. "The tragic events of recent days in Quebec, culminating in the murder of Pierre La Porte, Quebec's Minister of Labour, have stirred all Canadians as have no other events within generations. nro' }‘3111,1PY were ill;agreePlerkt with Prithe Minister Trudeau when lie described the death of Mr. La Porte as a cowardly assassination by a band of murderers and when he added these words: "I can't help feeling as a Canadian a deep sense of shame that this cruel and senseless act should have been conceived in cold blood and executed in a like manner." "Proclamation of the War Measures Act, while regarded by some as a drastic step, was required to meet a drastic situation. Any delay resulting from parliamentary consideration of the extent to which the government should be given necessary powers to meet the threats could only have made ineffective the legislation. The debate would have provided ample warning to that small minority involved against the Canadian people. "The government recognizes, of course, that inherent in the War Measures Act are extra ordinary powers that well may go beyond those needed to meet the crisis. For this reason every effort is being made to provide alternative legislation tailored to present requirements and which, when enacted, will permit the broader powers of the War Measures Act to lapse. "There are risks to certain of our freedoms certainly, in the War Measures Act. The prime question, however, at this time is not so much a possible loss of civic liberties by a few, but the protection of the civil liberties of the vast majority of Canadians and in acting as it did the government recognized this_."