HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1969-09-04, Page 14' u
Rifi'H,SIQNALSTAR, THUIISA4iY, SFikTk`M&ER 4, 1969
SLUE 11111UNie
•
?Overty" Is a much
ove'worked. word these days and
"whether -you look east or west,
you will laudably find people
comlplalning of their, poverty or
Of Someone else's pc Verty. It is,
of course, a singularly useful.
word on which to feed a
Political crusade; a handy missile
to. throw at any adniinistration;
superb ammunition for any
"opposition" party; But when
you come to integrate in your
Mind all the reasons, all the '
examples to be found in the
world-wide manifestation of the
alleged or real presence of
'poverty, you cannot but help
arrive at the Conclusion that
poverty is a first cousin -of
happiness. Poverty possesses as
many different facets as the
sands of the seashore. You
discover that one Man's
"poverty" is another man's
"riches." It follows then that the
real criterion of "poverty" is the
answer to the Question: "Is he,
or she, or are they, happy —
content?"
A father of nine children
whose home was recently
inspected by a fact-finding
poverty commission- said: "I
work and support my family and
I am- not on welfare. I don't
want a damn thing they have. I
don't think it was right for them
people to come fo my house and
scare mylwife and children. I am
buying my house and I don't
think anyone has a right to come
and make fun of it."
An African after some time in
this country- says: "I have seen
7111111.1111110114111111111111,1
men here who are poorer than
the poorest manin Africa."
Another writer says:, "I
Would not make a jest of
poverty, but the critics of the
western world, who grossly
exaggerate its incidence there,
are making it appear worse than
ridiculous."
Juvenal who lived A.D. 60 to
130 grappled with this problem
too; "Here. we all live in a state
of ambitious poverty." There
can be no gain saying that.
ambition is an essential
ingredient in every character,
but ambition which exceeds the
powers of performance of the
individual makes for
unhappiness.
As everyone knows, Bob
Hope was- raised in something
very close to poverty, yet he
believes many of the poor are
that way by choice; either
because they don't want to
work, or becausethey have
found satisfaction in their
present status. "We have enough
money to take care of the poor
people," ,he says, "and as far as
that's concerned, poor people
will always be here. They're part
of our economy, and there's -no
way you can decide that there
won't be people who want to be
poor. If they don't want to
work, they're not going to
work."
Why ":does Hope work so
hard? "I .actually enjoy the
challenge of getting new routines
together...That is my therapy."
That is what gives him
happiness. Not his millions.
New educational series
The lens of the television
;camera will probe . the
courtroom, urban problems and ,
life of the Kennedy brothers
during The Ontario Department
of Education's new educational
television series which will offer
almost twice. as many '"programs
next year. 0
Of the several new series, to
be shown, six will deal in. Civics.
Two of these programs, filmed
in courtrooms, are of trials and
ars based on actual cases. A
series o1 eight programs will deal
with urban problems.
A history program titled The.
Four. Brothers will compare the.
fate of the Kennedy brothers
• with that of the Gracchi
brothers of early Rome. The
Gracchis died by assassination.
A total of 809 programs will
-be-sliown during the 19-69-70
season which begins September
15, a month earlier -than last
year. Last year 490 programs
were televised. The schedule will
also be extended two weeks,
finishing on June 15.
Transmission time next
season . will be increased to 101/4
hours per week, an hour more
than last year. Onsome stations
ETVO programs will be seen up
to 17 hours a week. The
programs are broadcast weekday
mornings over a network of
stations across the province.
They are produced as a
supplement for teachers in their
classroom work. '-'The programs
are also seen in •the home and
ETV officials say the home.
audience' is increasing.
The schedule ,includes
programs for all divisions of
elementary and secondary
schools as well as for
professional development. More
WORK
BOOTS
than 15 percent of the programs
are in French.
Ernie's Place, a series of 14
programs on science experiences,
will. highlight broadcasts for
young children. The series will
help children gain an
understanding of shadows, the
laws of balance and other basics
of science.
Also new is the first series of
programs for pre-school age
children. This will be a
40 -program - French language
seriestitled . "Le .Monde des
Petits." The series • deals with
two astronauts on a visit to "the
land of the 'little people" on
another planet.
ow
P:P0r).S
Bereft of his work he might
become the poorest of the poor.
Many will reply unthinkingly
that any multi -millionaire can be
happy, but this is just a measure
Qf their thoughtlessness. Those
in the world with Hope's
sentiments are mercifully
numbered in the millions. They
are not happy because of the
money they make, or have
made. They are happy because
they can honestly say, like the
father of nine children: "I work.
I am not on relief. I don't want a.
damn thing they have." And
who is to say this father and his
family is not, just as happy as
Bob Hope with his huge bank
balance?
Accepting this argument, it
becomes clear that we, who
suffer from bleeding hearts,
must proceed in our mercy
mission with great perspicacity.
For too long we have believed
that (shall we say) India's
problems would melt like snow
before an influx of color TV
sets; .by . concrete floors rather
than mud; by water -borne
sewage; by huge steel making
complexes; whereas in point of
fact what the bulk of the
population of India really needs
is fertilizer and good seed, so
that each may be.self-supporting
in food from his own acre. Thus
we conclude that happiness and
satisfaction with our lot has
nothing to do .with poverty of
possessions, but rather with
poverty of the soul.
There are two classes of
people to be considered. Those
able and willing to work, and
those whose ability has
deteriorated due -to age or poor
health. Many of the former class,
are well organized •to a point at
which they stand above the law
as it applies to those not so
organized. These organizata.ons,
usually called unions, ensure by
a variety of means, ranging from
"bargaining in good faith" to
stark violence, that their wages
shall increase on a progressive
scale which bears no relationship
to the amount they produce.
Since they are not being paid for
what they do not produce, their
product has to ba sold at a
higher price to keep the
company solvent and to pay the
stockholders, who have lent
money to the company. Thus it
comes about that the export
market, which cannot - be
coerced because it is a law unto
itself, is lost. This leaves only the
home market which eonsists of a
considerable proportion of the
second class who are living on
fixed incomes. These cannot
afford to pay the increased
prices, so the market for these
particular goods is -still further
reduced.
It is at this point that nemesis
approaches the class, organized .,
labor. They are due to awake
one day to discover they too,
have priced themselves out of
work; that the $6 per hour won
at the bargaining table has
eluded them, so that they
become beggars for welfare.
They have joined the "poor";
they" have lost their inflated
standard of living; they, together
with those on fixed incomes,'
have become casualties of the
epidemic disease: Inflation.
The words are not "riches" or
"poverty" but rather the
contented, the happy and the
discontented. When men retired
on pension and'br savings, they
found them adequate for their
particular standard of living.
Since everyone's standard differs
from the next man's, not
because he has saved more than
his neighbor, not because he
receives a larger pension than his
friend, but because individuals
differ so much in their tastes; in
their -mode of life and in their
temperament. Some,- considered
well 'off, prefer to live* well
within their incomes and find
happiness in ' this state,
"...looking thewhole world in
the face and not owing any
man." Others find .,they have
either to borrow money, or
lower their • accustomed
standard. Assuming the latter
were content before inflation
struck, they are now forced to
skimp and scrape in the hopeless
effort to maintain their
standd.- They - become
frustrated. They criticize;
rightly, a $75,.0.00 farewell party
for a director of education; they
are appalled.at the salaries doled
out to provincial employees;
they despise the permissiveness
which allows a Scarsdale, N.Y.
High School to, run a summer
course in "revolution," sabotage
and guerilla warfare. "We found
the village is vulnerable to
attack," reports a 34 -year-old
"teacher" • and he calls , it
"academic freedom."
In short, what with provincial
squandermania and the avarice
of organized labor, they can
look forward to an ever lower
standard of existence. The father
of nine, who was content with
his lot yesterday, will sooner or
later have to meet the steady
erosion of hjs pension and
savings, if any, once he retires.
This state of affairs is just one of
the many reasons why the
cliche: "The poor will always be
with us" is undeniable. Inflation
has introduced a new factor into
the lives of all. When prices and„
incomes -were comparatively
stable, a man could retire with
confidence that his standard
would be maintained. Today we
are busy manufacturing poor,-
unhappy,
oor,-
unhappy, discontented,
sub -standard people at an ever
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A Fair to remember! Nine solid fun-packed days of wonder
entertainment and excitement for the whole family!
• This year's Great Western Fair promises more attractions
for everyone to enjoy than Over before: You'J I be dazzled _
from the first. day to the, last for instance, on
September 5, 6, and 7, hear the delightul IRISH ROVERS
creators of the happy hit record, "The Unicorn." Also. '
Mt. GLENN HAYWOO•D, who can start an epidemic of
laughter the moment --he steps on a sta,ge. And
impressionist GEORGE K.IRBY, a mimic without peers,
a big man with a big smile and an infectious personality.
Rounding out the three big opening shows at the
grandstand is the former Miss America winner, VONDA
KAY VAN DYKE. On September 8, 9, and 10 the spotlight
will be on America's greatest trumpet showman AL HIRT,
the really big man with the sweet horn! Also the vivacious
GOLDDIGGERS, the fabulously talented 12 young beauties
who've sung and danced up a storm of popularity on
Dean Martin's television series. The master of ceremonies
will be ROLLY HAMMOND, the hilarious nightclub
erne-rtairrer:-Appt'ring 6n the`s-a`fir e`firog rn is fr
popular DEBBIE LORI KAYE, who wears her heart on her
sleeve for everyone captured by her appealing voice.`
Debbie will be 'accompanied by THE RHYTHM PALS and
AL,CHE.RNY and they will also star in the afternoon
performances September 8, 9, and 10. On the final three
days, September 11, 12, and 13, excitement and thrills take
over with the grandstand appearance of HUBERT
CASTLE'S INTERNATIONAL CIRCUS, returning to amaze
and entertain Great Western Fairgoers three times each
day to wind up nine solid days of great entertainment.
And there's far more, of course — Dad S d Mom
will be royally entertained by the sultry rhythms
of THE REGAL TAHITIANS, featuring the
Moorea Drum Daricers in the Marco Polo
Lounge during the entire nine days
of the Fair. There will be photo, fiddler
and dance competitions, fashion
shows, marching bands, exhibits of
farm, industry and sporting goods,
the popular horse show, flower show,
fine eating in the new "Top of the Fair"
dining lounge in the grandstand, many
new exciting Midway attractions, and
special Kiddieland'features for the
youngsters.
Phis the opportunity to win a new
Chevrolet tar daily!
ission is only $1.25 for
mesad is at all times, and 25 cents
• for children. 'Truly, the
Great Western Fair promises
to be "A family affair"!
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increasing rate and in so .doing
laying up more social trouble
than we have at the moment.
In the result, the only hope
of any retiree to be, is to save
„bile he. is capable of earning
add -invest those savings`rn some
live and growing undertaking.
Not that even" 'these are not
threatened, for their ability to
prosper is based on winding the
continuing fight against the
avarice of labor. This is another
way of saying that unless the
brains hired by industry are
ingenious enough to devise
technical means to reduce the
price of their produce, and thus
stay ahead of the demands of
labor, they will not continue as
firms in which it is advisable to
invest. -
Our worst social enemy is
inflation and it is aimed at every
man, woman and child. Until it
is disposed of, it will ensure that
every one of us will have to
accept a 'lower place on the
poverty scale. Politically it can
be said:'_.`,`What shall it profit the
. individual if 4' the federal
government saves " to beeome
solvent, but the ,provincial
government continues its
"Uncontrollable expenditures?"
Some further interesting
evidence comes to hand from
the U.S. Census Bureau to the
effect that persohs making less
than the official poverty income
of $3,553 per annum have been
reduced to 13 percent of the
population, down from the 22
percent of the 1961 figure. To
what is this success attributed?
Not to the moneys doled out
over the past five years by the
Office of Economic
Opportunity, but to the business
boom of the sixties.
From this it is logical to argue
that as unions continue to price
themselves and their product out
of the home and export markets,
they are also contributing to the
number of those below the
poverty income, who would
work if they could find it. In
shortit is not just the retired
who suffer but those in the
prime of their lives.
When does suicide cease and
sanity return?
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