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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1982-09-29, Page 4POWD 4 Times-Advocote, September 29,1982 Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 Published by J.W. Eedy Publications Limited LORNE EERY Publisher JIM BECKFTT Adserti.ing Manager Blll. BATTEN Editor HARRY DEVRIES Composition Manager ROSS HAL'( H Assistant Editor DICK JONGKIND Business Manager Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Second Class Mall Registration Number 0386. Phone 235-1331 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $20.00 Per year: U.S.A. $55.00 C.W.N.A., O.C.N.A. CLASS 'A' and `ABs' A two-way street Members of the Xi Gamma Nu chapter of the Beta Sigma Phi sorority, in planning their annual ladies' night -out, have left local merchants out, and many of the latter are understandably puzzled; a few being downright upset. Seems the sorority sisters invited a London firm to provide the fashions for the program, although local store owners note they could have provided those necessities and would have generally been quite will- ing to do so. The sorority members are not alone in their failure to consider local merchants and that is indeed unfor- tunate, especially during the current economic condi- tions when many are struggling and need all the sup- port they can get to keep their bu$iness, and therefore the entire community, in, a viable position. Thousands of unemployed people across this na- tion already know the price that is paid when Cana- dians fail to "buy Canadain and the same price is paid by a community when its residents also fail to shop locally. Vacant stores dot many small rural centres, and while Exeter is among the more fortunate in that regard, it will take the support of its local residents to keep it that way. Ironically, the sorority is apparently well aware of the benefits that accrue to them from Ioeal mer- chants. Most of the latter were asked to donate door c ;?NA prizes to the event; surely a brazen request but one that points up quite vividly that supporting local mer- chants is a two-way street. This newspaper is among the local 'businesses which will deny the request for a door prize and we trust the sorority members will understand that it is a tangible rebuff of their lack of support for our fellow business people in this community for this incident alone, and in no way should be construed as our general attitude towards a group which has proven valuable to the community in the past and will continue to be so in the.future. The group made a one-time error in judgement and should receive a one-time penalty. Shopping at home has a snowball effect and the sorority decision to support a Londonfirm could hurt local business and in turn will hurt this newspaper. This is not the first editorial that has appeared in criticism of local groups not giving local merchants an opportunity for business and itis difficult to unders- tand why the message takes so long to sink in, par- ticularly from groups whose members are often direct- ly associated with local businesses. Hopefully the ladies'night out will be another suc- cess to enabie the sorority to continue its good com- munity work. Let's not compound the err.or. Only a symptom? A few weeks ago a vandal with a spray gun badly defaced the outside walls of the local high school, says The Glengarry News. It is not the first time. Vandalism at the school is becoming a problem. In fact, vandalism of both public and private proper- ty is becoming all too commonplace in our community. Once, such criminal acts were dismissed as the ac- tivities of a few rowdies who came from poor upbring- ings and poor economic circumstances. However, to- day's vandals are not ghetto dwellers. They come from supposedly respectable homes. They have enough food on the table, all the clothes they want and can have the car keys at the snap of a finger. Some might say they are just spoiled, that they are so materially well-off that the only way they can get their kicks is through anti -social behavior. Such an analysis may have some merit, but it is a little too simplistic. People do not resort to crime because they are bored. • A more in-depth evaluation would show that such activities by middle-class youth are often a response to the confusion and anger they encounter by being part of a conflicting and irrational value system. The federal government tells us to exercise restraint. The banks put up posters urging us to bor- row and spend. It's all part of the same sick, conflic- ting value system. The problem with vandalism will be solved at the same time we solve the problem of terrorism, infla- tion, poverty and a host of other social ills. It will be solved when we develop a new society - a society that knows where it's going, can harness its energy for the common good and can give its children a sane sense of direction. Now, let's get down to serious Now that Exeter fair is out of the way, the International Plowing Match is soon to become history and the harvest is be- ing completed, it's time to get down to the serious business of municipal politics. The hectic pace of the past few weeks has brought nomination time around at a surprisingly fast clip. However, the rest of the province isn't going to wait for us to catch our breath, so best give the mat- ter the serious consideration it warrants. The choice of elected officials by area ratepayers takes on even greater impor- tance this year, perhaps, given the fact the people they name torepresent them will be doing so for a full three years. There wasn't much harm done in the past when poor officials were elected for only one year, but through a couple of exten- sions, that's now up to a time frame that suggests there's no room for error. The state of the economy also indicates that careful selection will be necessary. There's always been that need of course, but it does somehow seem more critical now. Many taxpayers are already push- ed to the wall and it will take some astute elected officials to weigh carefully the priorities that are to he established. In recent years, one word has summed up municipal politics in this area in general, and that is apathy. Despite that, most communities have been well -served by the people who came forth and virtual- ly volunteered their services. However, that apathy is one of the ingredients that has contributed to some of the economic problems, and while those are mainly at the senior government level, it does show up in the lower levels as well. At the present time, there are indica- tions that there will be vacancies to fill on most municipal councils and school boards. However, it is not sufficient for ratepayers to be satisfied solely with full slates as they have in the past. It's not unlike the situation facing a BATT'N AROUND with the editor coach attempting to get a hockey team together. If he wants a winning team, then the requirement is not merely to get enough bodies to fill the uniforms; rather he gets out and attempts to lure players . with the most talent, dedication and abili- ty available in his area. That's the way ratepayers should ap- proach nomination time as well. Each has a responsibility to himself/herself as well as the community to ensure that the best possible candidates are encouraged to stand for election. That is the basic responsibility in a democratic society, although unfortunate- ly it is one that is often ignored in the apathetic attitude of our times when most are willing to let someone else do the job. Nomination and election time is basically the only time in the next three years that ratepayers have the control and destiny of their public business in task. their own hands. How can YOU afford to be apathetic towards the responsibility of chotlsing people to whom you will give that controland destiny for the next three years? The old adage about the bird in the hand being worth five in the bush has strong realities for those engaged in industrial promotion and perhaps it is in that vein that one should view the reports last week that Exeter is becoming well-known in Japanese and German circles as a poten- tial site for industries. However, it should be noted that you don't stand much of a chance to even get that one bird if there are none at all in the bush, and that points up the benefits of the aggressive work being undertaken by the local industry and tourism committee under the strong leadership of Councillor Bill Mickle: While the economy is not conducive 'to industrial expansion at the present time, there is every indication that Exeter will be in a favorable position if, and when, the economy does right itself and people start looking seriously for industrial sites. The writer finds it almost unbelievable that in only two short years the commit- tee have made such giant inroads and have managed to make the community so well known in the right circles in Japan and Germany. I know it's getting to be a small world, but that's really incredible when you consider the wherewithall that some larger -communities have at their disposal in the same field. The hat's off to you, gentlemen. Keep up the good work ! "I'm worried, Doc Lalonde's beginning to make sense to me!" A little light and cheer Aren't you sick to death ringworm and elephan- of the gloom and doom the tiasis and bleeding bowels media is imposing on us? because they don't even I am. Let's have a little know what a vitamin pill light and cheer in the looks like? country for a change. Are your little boys run - Sure, our economic ning around barefoot in • situation is a mess. Of the rain, selling their course, we have high unemployment. Natural- ly, inflation is not wrestl- ed to the ground,. but has us pinned two rounds out of three. But this is happening all over the world, and we're about 500 percent better off than most of the rest of the people in said world. Do you live on a samparkin sisters for a cigarette or a Singapore or Hong Kong, chocolate bar? Nope, they existing on a' handful of are probably riding rice a day? Those people 'around on bicycles, and don't have high mortgage whining because their rates, high interest rates. allowance doesn't run to They have nothing, except more than a carton of what native cunning and french fries and a Dairy hard work feed their bellies. Does a nice lady in Somaliland or Eritrea bring you into the office and chat about which welfare program you should apply for? Your children are eating mud, because • there's nothing else. Are you stuck in Ulster, as a Catholic, without a hope of getting a job from the Protestants, your children dirty, hungry, growing as vicious as small animals who are starving? Are you black, with a good chance of getting your head pulverized by a white policeman if you say anything but, "Yes, sir"? Are you suffering from "nerves" and taking all kinds of pills from your very well fed doctor, while millions of people in the world have rickets and somebody pounded on your door at 4 p.m. and you shivered with fear, knowing. what was com- ing? When have you last been hit on the head with a club _ for saying "Trudeau is a fink?" Sugar and Spice Dispensed By Smiley Queen every day. Are you worried about whether you should spend $50 or a little more on a wedding present when in most countries most mothers are wondering whether a cow or a bushel of maize is a suitable dowry? And they haven't a cow pr any maize., Tut and tut and tut. We are in an economic depression, many people are unemployed, our government seems to be 1 living in Alice in Wonderland, with its ridiculous six and five h desperate attempt to ap- pear credible. But when have you last missed a meal? When have you been cold, cold, cold? When is the last time some cop stopped you on f the street and asked for identity papers? le When is the last time fa There's lots wrong with this country, but there is a hell of a lot more right with it, when we take a look around. We read about farmers and small businessmen and big companies. going broke. Well, that's the capitalist system; and that's the system we embrace. We don't hear much when the farmers have a bumper crop and spend' the winter driving,south in their Buicks. We seldom hear about the small businessman who's mak- ing a quiet fortune, unless he's suddenly become an entrepreneur and is a BIG businessman. We scarce - y hear a 'word .when a huge company makes a uge profit. But now the tears are flowing, we need a Wailing Wall, located about Win- nipeg, and thousands of paper towels to wipe up he tears. Help from the overnment means help rom you and me. Come on, Canadians, is stop whining. My ther and mother didn't t g Could be there with I mentioned last week about a little '46 Chev truck that my brother and I used to drive around in, pretending that we were at the wheel of some drag racer. Just pretending, mind you. We never real- ly had the desire or the finances to do any racing at the local drag strips. My cousin Johnny though was always crazy about cars and speed. In the sixties and seventies he was constantly tinker- ing with all sorts of fast cars, and eventually started racing at the Cayuga track. For those of you who aren't familiar with drag racing it's not anything like the stock car races that most'people are start to finish. Believe it or familiar with, where the not some of these cars on - Perspectives By Syd Fletcher cars go 'around an oval track at speeds up to and over two hundred miles an hour. In drag -racing the cars (two only) start from a standing stop and race for a quarter mile. Top speed means nothing. You are judged totally on the time which has elapsed from ly take five or\six seconds to go that distance. Now, to put that into proper perspective you should know that by the time they reach the end of the track the cars are travelling at speeds over two hundred miles an hour and sometimes have to have a parachute on the whine during the Big. Depression. They did the - best they could, and desperately tried to avoid going on Relief, now euphemistically called Welfare. Get rid of your boat. Sell your second car. There'is- such a thing as walking. Cut your kid's allowance to zilch, and let them earn it by working. So you like steak? Eat hamburg. Stop buying that crap from California and Florida in the ' winter: lettuce for $1.50, mostly water; grapes, oranges, celery, those little hard bitter tomatoes. Eat spuds and porridge. They're good for you. Dig a root cellar under your patio deck and fill it with carrots and turnips. Get a couple of chickens, and if they don't lay, eat them. Cut out those long- distance calls about nothing, and write a letter. Wear a sweater and keep your thermostat down. We can lick inflation, but not by living the way we do. We can lick unemployment, with some guts. But not government guts. There aren't any. And if you're out of work, take your U.I., but get looking for something else. This country still has limitless opportunities, if you want to work. Ask the immigrants. If you don't, you'll become like those millions in Britain, during the first depression, who just gave up and sat around on the dole, steadi- ly eroding their very souls. End of sermon. But cheer up and forget the headlines. There's a place 'for you, if you have any guts. them back end to stop them. My cousin raced them for quite awhile but decid- ed to turn it over to younger brother. He r mented,: "When you start worrying about the cost of a transmission at a hun- dred miles an hour it's time to get out of the business and let the young guys go at it." He still works in the pit at the track. They race under the name of "Flet- cher Brothers Racing Team." Sounds pretty of- ficial, doesn't it? Just think. If I had kept that lit- tle green truck and souped it up I could be right out there with them. Thanks, but no thanks!