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Clinton News-Record, 1974-02-21, Page 447411'4TO14 NOWS7RIECORDt THURiDAY FibrutrY 21, 1074 Editorial Comment Aquestion of credibility Claude Ryan, POUsher and editor of Le Devoir, a Frenph language daily newspaper from Montreal, Is a very soft spoken man but whenever he talks nearly every one of his words is full of impact. Mr. Ryan, one of the most respected journalists in North, America if not the world, was talking to the Ontario Weekly Newspapers' Association in Toronto last Saturday and his comments should be taken to heart by every newspaper editor, reporter and publisher, Mr. Ryan, himself an outstanding jour- nalist, said that 'even he has trouble being reported accurately. "These days, a person who presents his ideas publicly does not have the assurance he is going to be reported fairly." He said that-partly this is the fault of error and partly It is the fault of many younger reporters wanting to add their opinion to the report rather than just give the straight facts. Mr. Ryan, who is very articulate in both English and French, said that good journalists, not• press councils, are the answer to protecting the public; "the discipline must come from within the paper. Each paper must have its own standards." Reporters, Mr. Ryan told the 400' delegates, are not the newspapermen who must keep their objectivity 'shar- pened. The publisher and the editor tool must divorce themselves of any activity that might be construed by the public as a conflict of interest. These men must become solitary figures he said and keep their distance from involvements such as being a mem- ber of• the chamber of commerce or president')of the local Kiwanis in their turn. He said the publisher must choose Why is it? The first snow falls. The first nut jumps on his . snowmobile and rips over someone's lawn. The first complaints start rolling into our office and to mem- bers of village or township councils about careless snowmobilers. And' one wonders: why?„:„ Why ;dbes it have to 'happen every year? Why,do we have to go through this same hassle every year when some of our snowmobilers go nuts at the first sight of snow and ride roughshod over the rights of others? Once the winter is really with us, things seem to settle down and non- snowmobiling citizens, if not happy with the noise, at least can put up with the raucous machines because they're not between hobnobbing with the powerful and maintaining his Influence as a credible newsman, When one glances around at all the different organizations that many in the Weekly newspaper field are in, it's a wonder that many' papers , have any credibility left. When an editor or publisher belongs to an interest group in the community, people complain that he or she would naturally only report the good things about that organization, even though the Opposite may be true. Newspaper men must, then, increasingly become loners to remain unbiased and accurate. ugnts out If you've a guilt Complex about leaving that extra light on overnight, or letting that hot water tap drip too much, don't worry about it, not too many people in the cities are. While on a trip to Toronto last weekend for the Ontario Weekly Newspapers' Association Convention, we couldn't help but notice that in Toronto, they couldn't careless whether they wasted power or not, In three of Toronto's tallest skyscrapers, next to the hotel where we were staying, there were enough, lights left on all weekend to power Clinton and half of Huron County, it seemed, for six months. Why they leave so many lights burning for no good reason is way beyond my capacity of understanding. And the situation was repeated over and over hundreds of, times in office buildings throughout Toronto. So much for the energy crisis. ripping 'through rose beds or newly- planted hedges. But for the first month every winter, it seems maniacs have taken over. Ultimately, nearly every year, the town council has to issue a stern warning that if there isn't more sen- „sibility used,, snovyrnobiles„,,will-haye be barined from 'the town. Then, mysteriously,' things improve. But why can't snowmobilers use some sense in the first place and not cause the same ruckus every winter? Why can't they use some common sense and common courtesy and be aware of the rights of others? Is it something in the exhaust fumes of snowmobile engines that causes loss of sense or something? (from the Blyth Standard) 1'. Sugar and spite/By , Bill Smiley I wonder who really won The Jack Scott Column u. 11111 MI WE "Mother is glad to do all she can to help conserve energy, but do car headlights really use that much?" When the cat's away, the mice will play From our early files . • • • • • -61•Ntlier, Cattedkn Community Newepaisa kaimbelatlool tasiseer,Orilset• Wei* Amalgamated 1924 THE CLINTON NEW ERA EsfolAshed 1865 THE HURON NEWS-RECORD Established 1881 A Published every Thursday at ,Clinton, Ontario Editor James It. Phagerild General Manse.", J. Howard Aitken *wend Chloe Mot howl** no, 0e17 73 Hug 00 NOON toUt•ITY we get Letters School buses. I've just been reading a book about the Battle of Britain, written by Peter ToWnsend. He was a World War II fighter and was in the battle himself. He's also. the chap the royal family wouldn't allow to marry the then Princess Margaret, because he'd been divorced. He was probably lucky. Later she married that pipsqueak photographer called Jones or Smith or something. He is now Lord Something-or-other. His wife is Princess Nothing-or- other. - Anyway, it's an excellent book, for anyone interested in battles that have changed the course of history. Townsend has consulted a mass of inathrial from both German and British records, and gives a balanced picture of the B. of B., looking at it from both sides of the English Channel. By the way, is anyone in- terested in the battles that changed history, besides me and a few history buffs? There are quite a few of them, and one must wonder what would have happened to history if the battles had been lost, not won. At least one of them has probably affected you, per- sonally. If the Persians hadn't been slowed down at Therrnopylae and trounced at Marathon, they'd have wiped out the Greeks. Think what that Would have done to the restaurant business in Canada. Not to mention Jackie Onassis' 620,000 a week in spending money. - If Drake and his fleet had riot beaten the Armada, half the people in Canada would be talking Spanish, eating garlic and going to bullfights. How would yeti 'like td be out at a bullfight this afternoon (it's 16 below outside), sitting in the shady side of the arena, and shouting "Ole”, at a bullfighter and a bull frozen, literally, into the classic stance of the bull-ring? And what about the battle of the Plains of Abraham? If the Limeys hadn't won that one, I'd be happily back in Ireland right now, cutting peat in a bog, instead of sitting here won-• dering how in the name of energy I'm going to meet my fuel bill. Go farther back. If Joan D'Arc (later St. Joan), hadn't lifted the siege at Orleans, there'd be no French, no Separatiste Party, no Canadian problem. Another dandy was the Bat- tle of Culloden, where Bonny (retarded) Prince Charlie was beaten by the English. Instead of the Scottish invading England in kilts, they were for- ced to invade with their brains, and they took over the finan- dal affairs of the British Em- pire. Which, as we all know, are somewhat less than remarkable, Back home again, there's the Battle of Queenston Heights, which nobody knows much about except the residents of Queenston, and few of them But this produced a great, pure, Canadian image, Laura Secord chocolates, without which Canada could probably not have maintained its integrity, nationality, and rotten teeth. The Yanks have theirs. The Alamo,• for example. One of the Most stupid affairs in history. (If anyone ever tells you that you are going to fight to the last man, throw away your gun and begin running in all diret- tiona, preferably at once.) There was, of course, the charge of the Light Brigade, Which didn't change the course of anything. But it did serve as a lasting memorial to the utter stupidity of the British ruling classes. And from that war we did get the Cardigan sweater and the Raglan coat. Not to be sneezed at. Or on. Perhaps you have sensed my purpose in this little essay. Or, perhaps, like me, you haven't. ' Well, like, it's been a bad day, y'know, and y' take an' put your average Canadian up against something, and he'll come up with something. eh? Oh, yeah. I remember. I was wondering what would have happened if we'd lost the Bat- tle of Britain. ,It would have been a Jolly Good. Show. Hitler was prepared to make generous terms, and divide the known world with Britain. Pretty good deal, I'd say. But the obstinate, stupid British decided to fight. And even worse, they won. The Luf- twaffe did not destroy the R.A.F., which had the privilege of being attached to me (or was it the other way around?) during the war. Result, Britain is sliding down the sluice into economic anonymity. Germany is master of Europe, financially. It pays to lose wars, Ger- many and Japan, the big losers in W.W. II, are riding an in- credible winning streak in peacetinie. Italy won a short war in Abyssinia, combs against arrows, machine-guns against spears. She's in her usual mess. France "won" two ware and is in chaos. 13ritain "Won" two wars and couldn't borrow a quarter for a pint of bitter, America 'won" two Wars and the dollar is about as health as a Wet tissue, Maybe we should have lost the Battle of Britain, Comes a time in every man's life when, for one reason or another, his wife and little monsters leave him temporarily a bachelor, a free man in a great big dangerous world. The big day arrives and Daddy drives the whole tribe to the plane or the train, there is a poignant little scene of farewell, they go and -- instantly!---Daddy looks 18 years younger. In such circumstances the average man allows the chains of matrimony to slip away from him and begins to feel as debonair and abandoned as a character froni novel l•iy,Scott• Fitzgerald: e r k4.0 A montage of fascinating pursuits presents itself im- mediately, but a man is in- clined first to savour the delights of his own home all to himself. How' restful it is without the patter of a hundred little feet and the bellowing of his progeny! He looks in the refrigerator and finds a horn of 10 YEARS AGO February 20, 1964 Harold Gibbings who resigned about four years ago as Clinton roads superinten- dent, was re-hired for that same position at a speCial meeting of council, Monday. Mr. Gibbings succeeds James Edwards, who resigned his position to become superinten- dent of Clinton cemetery. Mrs. A. Glenn has returned to CHSS as an instructress rather than a student. She is teaching typing, penmanship and business practice. Mrs. Glen is also advising the Drama Club. Denise Deveau, a. grade five pupil and Helmut Preston of grade eight placed high in the Legion public speaking com- petition held in Clinton. They both attend the public school in Adastral Park. Mr. and Mrs. W. Pickett celebrated their fiftieth wed- ding anniversary on Tuesday, very quietly. However, over 50 relatives and guests attended in the afternoon alone and many more called in the evening, Mr. Pickett is 77 and his wife is 68. Mr, and Mrs. Pickett have 11 grandchildren and a similar number of. great-grandchildren. Miss Ethel Blair returned home on Monday after a delightful three weeks of skiing in Austria and Switzerland. She went over the Toronto Ski Club in a chartered TCA flight. Ethel escaped injury although a few of her friends came home with casts. 25 YEARS AGO February 24, 1949 -Mr, Corrati, who has been a resident of Canada for twenty, one years, possesses a very Musical background. As a boy he lived in North Wales and tOmpeted in the Welsh Eisted- fod or Music festival, Coming second in his atlas, He was a boyhood • friend of David George Lloyd, the famous British singer who WAS coming plenty and, like as not, may open a $1.40 tin of lobster on the spot. It may be assumed that this first feeling of freedom will wear thin within an hour. The second phase begins when the man feels a gnawing restlessness and decides it is time to do something. The house has come to seem strangely lonely and barn- empty. Almost automatically he finds himself perched expec- tantly before the telephone. Now occurs one of the strangest coincidences known to the human race. Dozens of ;;citizens wha ordinarily would toe available'iand eager foit, fun and games are now bound by previous engagements. The potential golf partners are out of town, sick, too busy, dead. The boys who might make an all-pight poker session are broke, taking their wives to a show, baby-sitting, working nights, or their keepers simply won't let them out. All will decline with thanks to Stratford in April in the Community Concert. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Cun- ningham have returned to their Clinton home, corner of Rat- 'tenbury and Shipley Streets, af- ter two • years of rest and change, having spent the win- ters in Florida and Owen Sound, the summers in Bayfield and also part of this winter in their new home there. Exeter Gun Club is staging a drive for funds in an effort to provide' protection for district game. Hay, Stanley and Stephen townships have selec- ted ideal locations for per- servation of birds. The birds will be distributed by the Department of Game and Fisheries over the three town,: ships in such placed as meet with approval of the game over- seers. It will then be the duty of Exeter Fun Club to care for these birds which will be protected by law. 50 YEARS AGO February 21, 1924 Mr. N. Geddes manager of the Junior Hockey team, said he would stand treats for the team at $1 per goal in the game against Goderich. The boys scored just seven goals and thus the manager will have to supply a pretty good feed to the • boys, . The Rattenbury has a full house due to the weather. Four- teen travellers are stormstayed there and the Railway CO, are paying the bill. David Russell, who has con- ducted a blacksmith business in Exeter has sold the shop to Wesley Simmons, who learned his trade in the shop, but who has been out West for several years. Mr. Wm. Neal, Walton, celebrated his 82nd birthday on Thursday. He 'is in Very good health for that age, Mr. Neal was born in England and came to Canada 'a good many years ago. He opened a large business in Waken, His son still is carrying on the business, and express envy at the hap- piness of a man whose family is away. The man will do his best to sound enviable. A little panic now fills the temporary bachelor and he may do something quite desperate. He finds himself exploring the possibility of going bowling with Susie, the stenographer with the ten-pin legs who greets him--and everybody else--each morning with "Hi, Good- looking". He may even try to get Susie on the phone, hanging up furtively after the first ring. Suddenly he is realizing what a barren life he has come to lead, Without his family he is a mar i Washed up Orville shores of an uninhabited island, a wanderer in a strange land, a tree without roots. Thus arrives Phase Three in which the man becomes morose and given to wandering about the house, reading first paragraphs of old novels, tur- ning up the volume of the radio, looking at himself Mr. Sterling McPhail of Por- ter's Hill delivered a lot of 60 chickens to the local branch of Gunn, Langlois, Co., this week for which he received the largest cheque issued to any in- dividual farmer for single delivery in one day. He realized $116.25 for the lot. They were an exceptionally fine lot of chickens. Yesterday morning our neighbour councillor Jenkins, came into this office and placed on the desk a magnificent specimen of the hyacinth family. It is purple in colour and of almost perfect for- mation, a bright blotch of colour. The Jenkins are very fond of floral culture and always have something in bloom. It is a pretty hobby and the results are appreciated by those of us who have not the wit - or the will - to try it. 75 YEARS AGO February 23, 1899 Mr, Robt. Beattie, Harlock, returned from visiting his mother and other relatives living near Toronto last Wed- nesday. Holmes, the new member carefully in mirrors, scanning the theatre advertisements and rejecting them, standing for long periods by the, window. It is well to draw a curtain over the first few days of a man's exile. Let us leave him to his own quiet agony and look in at him three days from the date of his family's departure. The house, it may be obser- ved, is a shambles. Dirty dishes are stacked in the sink. Empty cans are everywhere, in- cluding the mantel-piece in the living room. A grey powder of dust and cigarette ash covers all. Daddy's bed looks as if it had been slept in by six St. Ber- nard dogs: Everywhere.there are drawers half-opened. Somewhere, miles away, a little child is looking up at his mother anti saying, "Mama, when are we going to see Daddy again?" "Sooner than you think," his mother responds.in a voice of utter wisdom, for Mama always knows about these things. for Goderich, came to town at eleven o'clock Tuesday night. The Reform party, and the Marine Band met Mr. Holmes at the train station. He was escorted to the Temperance Hall, where many addresses were delivered. Mr. Holmes thanked ' them and said it was possible he would come here to reside and might purchase the Signal office. Mr. and Mrs. John Ferguson of Auburn were in Clinton last Thursday and it being 'visiting day' they made their first visit at the House of Refuge. They were much pleased with the spick and span appearance of everything about "the in- stitution, Mr. 'Walter Keddy, of Usborne, has in his possession a species of the feathered tribe rarely if ever seen in these parts at this season of the year. On Tuesday he went to the bush to cut wood and on felling a tree discovered a large bird fly out of a nest, and on cap- turing it discovered it to be a wild duck. Its feet had been frozen but otherwise it was all right. Mr. Keddy has his prite now caged, Dear Editor: As a journalist, your support is needed to correct what strikes me as an extraor- dinarily dangerous situation in the Highway Traffic Act, Like many citizens I have, for years, been under the im- pression that the regulations required that: • school buses must have flashing TigNis operating when children' are being loaded or unloaded. • school buses must have a sign or lettering, indicating "DO NOT PASS WHEN SIGNALS FLASHING". • motorists - approaching from either direction must come to a full stop until the flashing lights stop. Did you realize that in areas where speed limits are not more than 35 miles per hour, none of these regulations are requirements? Indeed, the Act allows the council of any city to exempt highways under' its jurisdiction where speed limits may be more than-35 miles per hour. A's a father and citizen, I sub- mit to you that the protection provided a child in a 36 mile per hour or over zone, is just as vital to a child in' a 35 mile or under zone. Being hit by a car at, any speed could indeed cost the precious life of a youngster. This week I have written all members of our Provincial Parliament asking for introduc- tion of a bill amending these inconsistencies in the Highway Traffic Act. I implore your investigation and public support as a jour- nalist. Respectfully, Hugh A. Crothers Toronto. Varna By MRS. IVAN McCLYMONT • The Ortinge, -Hall .Was filled.' to capacity last Tuesday evening as six members of LOL 1035 received the Royal Arch Degree, The South Huron County Degree team conferred the degree on Eric Chuter, Barry Taylor, Don Taylor, Doug McAsh, Allan Hayter and Dave Ray. Visitors were present from Woodham, Exeter, Grand Bend, Hensall, Seaforth, Clinton and Bayfield. Peisonals • The community lost a good friend and neighbour in the death of Mr. Roy Keys, Roy was a descendant of a pioneer family and lived most of his life in the Varna area. As a young man, he was active in softball and soccer. For many years he was a member of Murdoch's or- chestra and ran a custom threshing service. He operated the first town- ship power grader and was later road superintendent. He will be remembered as one of the first and by far the most colourful umpire in the Huron Central Softball League. The last few years he lived quietly on his farm but was always ready for a lively discussion on most any subject. Mr. and Mrs. John McAsh have taken up residence in Huronview. Mr, McAsh operated a general store in Varna for many years. He was postmaster in"Varna from 1915 to 1961. Mr..and Mrs. McAsh were faithful members in Varna United Church and Mr. McAsh has been an elder since Church Union in 1925 and before that in the Presbyterian Church.