The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1966-02-24, Page 4•
,• • • ••• •••••
Policy on wages Claude Ryan
The church in Canada cent increase was designated to offset
the new Canada Pension Plan deduc-
tion (98.625 cents). If this were the
case then the men should have been in-
formed of this, If this was not the case
and council intended this as a legiti-
mate increase then we must sympathize
with the men.
We could go further than this and
suggest council take another look at
the labor market in the area. There is
virtually no unemployment and good
men are difficult to find. While we fa-
vor economy in government bodies we
also recognize the principle that there
are false economies. In view of the fact
that council recognized the high cost
of living recently in granting salary in-
creases to all members of the police
department, it is difficult to understand
their actions in this matter, Their pol-
icy does not seem consistent.
In most cases when an employee is
given a wage increase he appreciates
the actions of his employer. This is not
always so and we strongly suspect that
there are one or two men in Exeter
who feel slightly bitter as the result
of the actions of council at their last
meeting,
Regular employees of the Town
were given a two cent per hour in-
crease which will give them before de-
ductions, an extra 90 cents per week.
In this day and age the increase could
rightly be classed as useless. In view
of rising costs and Canada Pension
Plan deductions, the men will have less
take-home pay in 1966 than they did
in 1965, There are few workmen in
the province who face this prospect.
It may be that council in their wis-
dom feel they cannot afford to pay
these men a higher wage and the two
Common honesty
The phrase is interesting — com-
mon honesty. It says much about the
foundation of mutual trust on which
the everyday life of Canadians is built.
We set out newspapers in a corner box
with a pay slot in one side, and it
works. Men and women with expen-
sively acquired skills give us their serv-
ices first and bill us afterward. Almost
any store will extend credit easily and
quickly. The director of the Accounts
Department of a large retail establish-
ment says that except for a hard core
of deliberate chisellers (perhaps 5% of
the clientele) most people are reason-
ably good risks.
Unhappily, though, dishonesty is
not as rare as we'd like to think. There
are indications that it is on the in-
crease. Shop-lifting for instance. Prior
to the Christmas buying spree, mer-
chants expected a heavy wave of pil-
fering. There was such a demand for
security services from firms like Pink-
erton's, who keep a watchful eye on
slippery-fingered customers, that one
newspaper commented, "The private
eyes never had it so good," The ma-
By Val Baltkalns
jority of these petty thieves are women
who pick up little items and tuck them
into their clothing. Male dishonesty
shows up differently. A repairman of-
fers his customer a discount if he
doesn't care about a receipt. Often the
former jumps at the bargain; after all
it's only the government that loses. Not
long ago a pyschiatrist remarked that
one of the chief subjects discussed at
the parties he attended was how to
beat the income tax.
People who wouldn't think of steal-
ing from an individual not only take
`souvenirs' from hotels, deceive Cus-
toms Officers, and knowingly break the
laws; they boast about it.
Perhaps the stream of 'giveaways'
and the 'no down payment' techniques
of modern selling are to blame for this
blunting of the edge of integrity, but
whatever the cause, individuals should
take a sharp look at their own habits.
We all have a stake in common hon-
esty. Sooner or later, we are the vic-
tims if it disappears. It is a precious
commodity. Let's not lose it.
Dying for truth
An editor in Viet Nam has been
murdered by the Viet Cong because he
refused to alter his anti-Communist edi-
torial policy.
An editor-publisher in the state of
Mississippi was squeezed out of busi-
ness by the Ku Klux Klan because he
opposed segregation.
Newspapers in various countries
have been closed by governments
which did not like their news and/or
editorial policies.
In some countries -the few news-
papers which exist are pitiful parodies
of what a newspaper ought to be, re-
flecting only the official government
line.
Increasingly attempts are made to
decide what the press shall publish,
and publishers and editors who insist
on putting the truth as they see it in
ment is that we must define con-
ditions of dynamic co-existence
for two leading cultures and for
many other cultures which have
an equal right to be heard. My
conviction is that the churches
have something special to con-
tribute in this connection".
"The diversity of culture is
often seen by the politicians, the
financiers as an obstacle. .
Diversity is an harassment to the
man who is thinking purely in
material terms. The churches on
the contrary have always felt
and taught that cultural diversity
was in a real sense an expres-
sion of the creative mind of God
Himself. This profound convic-
tion has led the churches to an
attitude of understanding with re-
spect to individual cultures that
can seldom be equalled by the
state".
He believes that when "re-
ligion becomes involved in the
daily lives of individuals it can-
not but have an important for-
mative role in the development
of man's culture, man's opin-
ions, attitudes, habits, etc.".
What attitudes should we pri-
marily strive to develop at this
stage in the English-F rench
crisis? He has already stressed
reason, moderation, tolerance,
understanding of the diversity of
people. He goes on: have
noticed all over Canada a great
sense of alarm about what may
be the outcome of the present
crisis. I think this is another
trait that the churches can con-
tribute to the present debate in
Canada—a note of serenity.
This spirit of serenity could
be cultivated with great profit
by the churches".
"The churches if their influ-
ence in man's real life were
greater would have a welcome
contribution to make to the im-
provement of human relations
in this country. No institution
in this country can be prouder
than the churches of the contri-
bution they have made to the
development of Canada. It has
reached to the very subtle areas
where the hearts and minds of
men are involved".
"The religious man must look
at this country in a manner which
will be as little dogmatic as
possible. This is one of the con-
tributions which religious man
must make to temporal life. We
must fight against the false dog-
matism which continually tries
to inject itself in the political at-
titudes and philosophy of men".
In short he feels that the ecu-
menical dialogue in the churches
can show us the way towards the
solution of the cultural dilemma
which confronts our nation. I
wholeheartedly agree.
Claude Ryan is the editor of
LeDe voir, French Canada's lead-
ing newspaper. lie is also a com-
mitted Roman Catholic Christian.
Last summer he delivered a tre-
mendous address to an Inter-
Faith Conference inOttawa. What
he had to say is of vital interest
to people who are wondering what
contribution the Church can make
at this critical stage in our na-
tional development.
The following excerpts from
that speech are taken from the
Roman Catholic publication "So-
cial Thought".
"As a Christian I do not be-
lieve in an ethereal conception of
religion which would confine the
Church to the private lives of
individuals and would let the
Church have nothing to do with
social values . . . religion can-
not be confined to the narrow
and dry world of the sacristy
and seminary. It is with man's
real aspirations, frustrations and
hopes that religion needs to be
associated. It is the genuine re-
alities of man's daily lives that
religion wants to penetrate and to
animate. The true sphere of re-
ligion is life itself in its most
dynamic and concrete manifesta-
tions".
For him one place the Church
must be involved and make a con-
tribution is in the area of French
English relations. As he puts it
"The greatest problem we had
to solve in Canada was the Eng-
lish-French problem. We must
all confess that after 100 years
of Confederation we have not yet
succeeded in devising satisfact-
ory and liveable solutions".
How can the Church help at
thispoint? "It is important that
each one of our churches should
realize that what counts most is
not the preservation of Canada,
not even the preservation of de-
mocracy, not the defeat of Com-
munism but the edification of the
spiritual man in each member of
our churches. You just have to
look around yourselves to see
that the inspiration of force, the
language of power, the language
of the human will accepted as
its own end exerts more influence
on man's daily decisions. This
is the challenge that is most•
important to remember for our
churches. I am sure that if the
Churches plant deep spiritual
foundations in their respective
members they will equip them to
deal in a more reasonable, a
more tolerant, a more under-
standing way with the political,
economic and cultural problems
that we have to face".
and persuasion another volunteer
is added to the ranks.
I can think of over 50organiza-
tions and groups in the Town of
Exeter covering almost every
conceivable area of interst. One
excuse people cannot give for not
contributing their share is,
"there isn't any group that in-
terests me", There is work
enough for everyone, the secret
is in convincing people of the
need and getting them out to work.
On a similar subject, there is
still a sizeable amount of money
needed to complete paying for the
swimming pool. The men who did
much of the work in getting this
project underway also signed
bank notes guaranteeing payment
of this. It would appear that a
major fund raising campaign will
have to be organized to complete
this project and relieve these men
of their financial committments.
More specifically he goes on:
"One of the basic elements of our
Canadian problems at the mo-
print are subject 'to pressure, and re-
prisals in many areas.
What the press stands for is the
public's right to know. That includes
the expression of editorial opinion, in
which the press seeks to inform the
public more fully, or stimulate thought
on matters of public importance. The
right to know in news matters must
include the right of the press to have
access to all the facts, not to rely on
the propaganda handouts of any group
or person.
When the right of the press to
find out on the public behalf is denied,
then true press freedom is threatened.
It is to prevent this that some edi-
tors have died, some have been put
out of business, and many have been
abused and threatened.
— The Trentonian
obligation to assist in public
projects of one type or another.
Not all do. A healthy community
depends to some extent on volun-
teer labor and we have all seen
examples of towns which stand
still and become stagnant from
the lack of this.
Fortunately Exeter is healthy,
it has a large group of people
working on projects they feel
are necessary, but they still have
the large group who donate little
or nothing of their time and
energies. And because of this we
have a few people we must admire
as master arm twisters.
These are the people who have
a long history of work in the
community and know most of the
people who have donated of their
time and efforts at any time.
From experience I would say
conversation would sound like
this.
Q. "Who can we get to help us
on this?"
A. "How about Larry?" He
should be willing to help out
on this if he isn't still tied up
with that other thing."
Q. "He's tied up in so many
things I doubt if we'll get him,
but it's worth a try".
A. "How about Jim? He used to
work on things like this when
his boys were growing up."
Q. "That might be the answer.
We'll put it to him this way.
We'll back him up 100 percent
and help get the rest of the
members needed if he'll head
it up. We'll both go down and
see him and put the pressure
on. Once we get him working
he won't let us down."
And so, by means of flattery
Arm twisting and buck passing
are two phrases most of us re-
cognize quickly whether as vic-
tims or otherwise. It is part of
our way of life and most of us
are guilty of using these tactics
at one time or another. The two
terms go hand in hand and con-
stitute a mild form of social
blackmail. It is a game and yet
an art as well and it constitutes
a recognized method of getting
volunteers for community pro-
jects.
I don't mean to suggest that
all volunteers have had pres-
sure exerted on them in order
to serve, this is not the case
anymore than it is safe to say
those who didn't assist "passed
the buck". It is a recognized fact
that in many cases it is neces-
sary to apply a certain amount
of pressure on people in order
to get them to agree to assist
in a project.
The reasons for this vary from
the excuse of the very busy per-
son who "just hasn't the time"
to the other extreme who say,
"I can't miss the hockey game."
Fortunately in most communities
there is a hard core of socially
minded people who recognize
certain projects should be car-
ried out and devote a great deal
of time to the area of their in-
terest. It is unfortunate that they
are in the minority and have their
work doubled for them in at-
tempting to dig up volunteers
needed to ensure the success of
the project.
It is difficult to know what
the solution would be to cure this
apathy. I believe all people liv-
ing in a community have a moral sessions "Legal"
Anything less could well destroy
public confidence in the council's de
cisions, regardless of the manner in
which they are reached.
Fortunately, there has been noth-
ing transpire in the present council's
term — so far as we know — to sup-
port rumors which we have heard.
But the rumors are starting, and
we suggest to the Town Council mem-
bers that the best way to deal with
rumors is to tell the public everything
possible; and the best way to tell the
public everything possible is to keep
open to the public every possible min-
ute of council sessions,
"Legal" sessions should be kept to
the absolute — and we mean — AB-
SOLUTE — minimum.
ties the pioneers are supposed
to have had. People who wouldn't
pick up the Queen of England,
even if she displayed a sign
reading, "Buckingham Palace or
bust," suddenly start picking up
hitch-hikers.
People who ordinarily wouldn't
give you the time of day will stop
and shove you out of a snowbank.
People who wouldn't buy an apple
from a Boy Scout will shovel out
old ladies' driveways.
And strangest of all, they smile
and grin and chortle while they
are doing it.
Not only do they revert to hu-
manity. They return to a certain
primitive pride in doing battle
with the elements.
There is a county wide group
'doing a lot of work, and have
been for some months, although
they have received little publicity
to date. These are the men who
are organizing the International
Plowing Match at Seaforth which
will be held in October of this
year,
All areas of the county are
well represented on the various
committees and plans are well
advanced. All of Huron County
will benefit from the publicity
arid added visitors to the area
but the success will depend on
the work and efforts these men
are putting into the project now.
The Sussex Town Council is show-
ing an increasing tendency to revert to
"legal" sessions.
It could well be that these "legal"
sessions are perfectly in order; but
there is a growing feeling — based on
reports which trickle from these meet-
ings — that all of the business trans-
acted thereat is not of the nature which
should be transacted at "legal" ses-
sions.
The ratepayers of Sussex are en-
titled to know what goes on at Town
Council sessions; and what are the
opinions expressed by the various rep-
resentatives.
We stress to members of the coun-
cil that business carried on at such
"legal" sessions should be strictly —
and very strictly — within the limits
absolutely demanded.
* * * *
Exeter will be publicised in
New York State this summer as
the Exeter Legion Pipe Band at-
tends centennial celebrations of
a New York Community. Although
there are volunteers from other
area communities participating
the band will travel under the
banner of the local Legion and
judging from the work and effort
they are putting into this, they
will do a credible job.
The Kings County Record, Sussex (N.B.) LETTERS THE EDITOR
;Ate'.eaVOrp,.(1/:,e,xxm:y
Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924
50 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Pass-
more, Thames Road, have re-
turned from their honeymoon.
Messrs Lorne Baskerville and
Young Creech left Monday for
Windsor where they have secured
positions.
Brock-Heywood — On Wednes-
day, February 23 at the Elim-
ville Methodist parsonage by Rev.
G. A. Barnard Miss Florence
Othello Heywood, daughter of Mr.
Wes Heywood, Usborne to Sher-
wood Brock.
Mr. Garnet Heywood has pur-
chased Mr. GeorgeSnell's resid-
ence and thirty acres of land on
Huron Street W., and Mr. Snell
has purchased Mrs. John Snell's
residence on Andrew St.
15 YEARS AGO
Over 100 guests from London,
Zurich, Exeter and Seaforth at-
tended the first annual Lions Club
ladies night at Grand Bend last
week,
The employees of Guenther
Transport Ltd. indicated by a vote
Saturday that they did not wish
to be represented by the Union
voting 15-5 against it.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Heist of
Crediton marked the fiftieth an-
niversary of their marriage at
the home of their son-in-law and
daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Ed, Hend-
rick.
Usborne council approved pur-
chase of a new read maintainer
at its meeting Monday night. The
machine was bought for $18,000
and the old maintainer.
exeferZiniesAhtsocafe
SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND
Member: C.W.N.A., 0.W.N.A., CLASS A and ABC
Publishers: J. M. Southcott, R. M. Southcott
Editor: Kenneth Kerr
Advertising Manager: Val Baltkalns
Phone 235-1331
#13121M121141411t0,0,0IA N , bytikir
Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ont.
Authorized as Second Class Mail, Pest Office Dept, Ottawa,
and for Paynient of Postage in Cash
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $4.00 Per Year; USA $5.00
Paid in Advance Circulation, September 30, 1965, 4,208
25 YEARS AGO
Mr. Goldwin Glen and MiSs
Beryl BroCk of Usborne were
united in marriage Saturday,
February 15, by Rev. William
Malt of Thames Road.
Ice harvesting has been in full
swing on the Ausable River at
Crediton. A gang of 12 men were
cutting and hauling ice which was
12" thick and of excellent quality.
Richard Stanbury, a former
Exeter High School student, son
of Judge J. G. and Mrs.Stanbury,
St. Catharines, won the senior
oratorical contest for boys at St.
Catharines Collegiate Institute.
The Township Ball was packed
by farmers at Crediton Monday
evening, It was decided to font
a township unit of the Federation
Of Agriculture in Stephen. It is
planned to do the same in every
township in the COUntY.
People who will grumble for
hours about a sprinkle of rain
that spoils a picnic, turn •into
giants when the big snow Comes.
They hump through the drifts,
They snort and stamp into work
half an hour late, as proud as
though they'd just crossed the
Sahara, single-handed, without
water. They die in their hundreds,
frozen grins on their faces,
clutching their snow-shovels.
I speak from experience. This
morning, my neighbor, with whom
I exchange a carefully amiable
greeting about every six months,
had managed to smash his truck
through the three-foot drift in his
drive. And there he was when he
mushed out, grinning like a gar-
goyle, motor running, to give us a
drive to work. And he wasn't
practising one-up.,manship. He
Was being a good neighbor.
Got to work, and found that one
chap had driven through the storm
for four-and-a-half hours to
make it on tithe. He was slit-
eyed, unshaven, and somethingof
a hero, for perhaps the first time
in his life.
I hate to suggest it, in case
old Mother N. is listening, but
perhaps we need a few more
blizzards, earthquakeS, h o I o-
dausts and hurricanes, They work
a lot better than nationally ad-
vertised Brotherhood Weeks.
There's nothing like an old-
fashioned blizzard to put that
cocky creature, man, in his place.
We're right in the middle of a
four-star dandy at the moment.
It's been snowing and blowing
for 48 hours, with salutory re-
sults. The world has become a
wild, white wilderness. And the
people in it have become human
beings.
The creature man in his wis-
dom believes he has tamed na-
ture. He will admit, under quiz-
zing, that he still doesn't know
much about himself. Hut he is
confident that he has brought
the natural world to heel.
Normally, he thinks of nature
as something subdued, something
to be used for recreation, or
looking at and saying, "Nice,
ain't it?'0
It takes a rousing belch from
that old trollop, Mother Nature,
whether it be in the form of a
blizzard, a hurricane, an earth-
quake or a fire, to set him right
back on his primitive heels,
And strangely enough, it is
only when nature comes up with
some kind of a spectacular that
man seems to shed his scale of
materialism ) get down to his
basic virtues, and find out once
again what makes the human
race go round in ever-diminish-
ing circles.
Ordinarily, the Christian vir-
tues are as easily spotted as the
teeth in a hen who is drawing
the old-age pension. taut when
nature gives a vast rumble Of
laughter at the little fellows,
arid collapses the facade of Crea-
ture comforts which are the mod-
ern-day fetishes, the old virtues
brighten the darkest corner.
Generosity, unselfishness, de-
cency, do-unto-others all the
things to which we pay lip serv-
ice — suddenly flower when peo.
pie are getting a good kick in the
teeth from old Mother.
When a blizzard is raging, on.
dinary, miserable, grouchy pee,
ple regain Some of those qualm
Dear Sir:
Reference is made to your
edition of February 3, 1966.
On page one there is a picture
of the Exeter Legion Pipe Band.
Draped over a drum is an Ameri-
can flag. The flag is resting on
the floor. Since 1942 it has been
a violation of the U.S. federal
flag Ode to allow any portion of
the national flag to touch any-
thing under it with particular
concern about preventing our flag
from touching a floor or the
ground. '
Certainly, it is not possible to
be aware of every regulation
pertaining to such matters as the
display of national symbolism.
I mention the above as a point of
information,
continue to enjoy the Times-
Advocate.
nest wishes
' Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Harding
3741 West 182nd Street
TORRANC8, CALIVOttNIA 00804
10 YEARS AGO
Carol Gibbons, 13-year old
daughter of OPP Constable Cecil
Gibbons and Mrs. Gibbons, Marl-
borough St., won the Times-Ad-
vocate shield for the best speller
in South Huron at Exeter Public
School Wednesday evening,
Exeter Public Sdhool will pre-
sent the operetta “Peter Rabbit"
for Education Week Thursday
and Friday nights. A different
east of characters will take part
each night.
Damage to hydra and telephone
equipment caused by last week's
ice-storm may exceed $75,000
officials estimated as Crews con-
tinue to repair the damage.
Fieldman Hal Hooke of the
Ausable Authority said this week
he hoped to have complete ap-
proval for the Morrison Dam in
Usborne Township this week.
It brings
out the best