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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1943-03-04, Page 6WRITTEN SPECIALLY FOR THE 4WEEKLYNEWSPAPERS OF CANADA 'JIM BREENBLAT, Editor of the SUN SWIFT CURR$NT SASKATCHEWAN FARM MACHINERY Even the person living in a city apartment is indirectly interested h the fact that it takes farm machinery to produce the necessities of life. Administrator H; H. Bloom had some of the answers for me in Tor- onto. First let me pass. on the infor- mation that our tentative allocation for 1943 is 25 per cent, of the 1940 tonnage of farm machinery and 150 per cent. for repairs. That's not as bad as it sounds when one considers that the Russians found it possible to produce materials in factories six months after they had been blasted to rubble by the Nazis, and retaken. That takes ingenuity and improvisa- tion. The Canadian farmer can do that too. Why is 1940 taken as the basis? Because that was the last normal year in the implement business, and the period used by the United States also, from whence we have some de- pendence for materials. Things were not so serious in this lure in 1942, for when the smoke had cleared away a healthy business shows a statistical reality. Between implem- ents and repairs we had a 96 per cent. overall tonnage manufactured or imported. Why Materials Are Scarce But there's a different picture for 1943: shelves are bare and no in- ventory to speak of. You on the farm, we in the towns have got to get it into our noodles that materials which go into farm machinery also go into the machinery for killing the' Nazis and Japs. As the administrator explained it, and it sounded reasonable, it would have been simple to make an order stopping importation of not more than 25 per cent. gross weight. But there were other considerations. For one thing they curtailed exports drastically.Yes, they have to export a certain amount yet—to New Zeal- and and Australia, who have some basis of argument that they are de- pendent on us in that they also have to produce the food to keepthem alive. Just like our own city apart- ment dweller, they are interested in machinery. Then the administration made a survey clear across Canada, discuss- ing the situation with deputy minis- ters of agriculture, experimental station superintendents, the supply board and others to see what types and varieties were most essential. That's a good approach, isn't it? In Western Canada, for instance, l they found they could do without) threshers more, and wanted combines increased; they could cut out drag harrows for a year but wanted one- way discs. As a result they were able to order varieties eliminated in the west from 473 to 73; from that many to 117 in Eastern Canada. Walking plows, as an example, will come in only five kinds as compared to 52. 1943 Compared to 1940' And here is another practical ap- plication of the survey. They will al- low manufacture of 75 per cent. of 1940 output of cream separators, with combines down to 33 per cent, but still, like the Russian simile quot- ed above, satisfactory. Grain drills for the West will be on the basis of 15 per cent of 1940 but 30 per cent. for Eastern Canada; the West will get 33 1-3 in one-way disc seeders and Eastern Canada nil. The tonnage was computed Separately for East and West as essentially required. The administration knows there will be a bigger demand for farm machinery this year because gener- ally speaking there was a better in- come in 1942 and farmers will want increased and better plant facilities. Labor will be scarce. So then, what better than a rationing system? "We studied the British system and that of the TJnited States to guide us if possible," said Mr. Bloom. Out of the cumulative study and re- search they evolved what they con- sider the most simple and least ex- pensive way to work out the farm machinery and equipment problem which. is nationally important in scope. Here it is in a nutshell, just as easy for the city slicker to under- stand as for the farmer, In the re- gional hoards across Canada, four- teen machinery rationing officers have been appointed. Acting as a consultant in each case without ad- ditional remuneration is an A:gricul- tural Representative. He night be the superintendent of an experimen- tal station or one .qualified and dele- gated by him to assist. As a further consultant to the rationing officer, some prominent farmer of the region is chosen: who has the confidence and respect of the others. His judgment is used in dealing with ''border line" eases because—as we neglected to mention earlier—the individual far- mer can make application to the ra-. Coning officer for farm machinery he thinks he essentially requires, The mechanism for appeals is also pro- vided for, Problems Well Understood. Well, that's the story I got from the boss of farm machinery, boiled down to the space available. They realize the labor shortage presents difficulties, They are sympathetic to the fact that a farmer can't get ev- erything he wants for replacement or new equipment. But they're making every effort to be fair and equitable to all with the .amount at disposal of the country as a whole. That means harder work, taking care of present equipment to make it last longer. The farmer likes to grouse just .SIS the soldier does, but they both give when it's needed. Because there's a serious war going on the farmer, will, we think, without hesitation, do the best he can to make machinery go 'round to the best advantage. The comparative rationing has been set up because there is a scarcity of ma- terials and the necessities of war production, We've just got to like it and make what we've got last longer. CANADIAN RED CROSS HEADQUARTERS IN LONDON By Walter R. Legge. There is a large building in the heart of London in which a band of busy workers, many of them volun- teer, do their utmost to help alleviate the miseries caused by the war. It is Canadiau Red Cross Head- quarters. Last August the Canadian editors went there and were shown some of the work in progress. These Headquarters occupy five stories of a building loaned to the Red Cross by Lord Crichley. The of- fices overlook Berkeley Square, a spot made famous in song and drama, which would scarcely be recognized by those who knew it in peace time. The iron railing around the square has been made into munitions. This railing was a famous Georgian relic over three hundred years old. The grass has alI been trampled down and trenches have been added to the scene of desolation. Several buildings in the immediate vicinity have been struck. Lady Will- ingdon's house on one corner of the square has suffered a direct hit. Inside the Red Cross Building, how- ever, everything is clean and well ordered and the work goes on with quiet efficiency. Crates of supplies are being un- loaded, sorted, listed, and stored away in their proper places, or made into shipments to fill requisitions. Few people realize the amount of work accomplished by the Red Cross, not only in quantity, but in variety. We saw them making up special par- cels for prisoners of war, supplies for hospitals and for sick and 'wounded, articles for bbaies of men on active service, replacements of articles lost by men who had been shot down, tor- pedoed or bombed, and many other urgent needs. It is possible in some eases, that the very lives of prisoners of war in enemy hands has depended upon the parcels supplied by the Red Cross. Each prisoner is allowed one parcel of ,food weekly. 'These parcels sup- plied by the Red Cross weigh ap- proximately eleven pounds. In addi- tion, the prisoners are allowed a quarterly parcel from the next-of-kin. They told us that parcels to pris- oners in Germany are getting through to them fairly well and that they nre'now getting through to prisoners In Italy much better than they were previously. The Red Cross received many re- quests for special articles. Every ef- ofir is made to supply them if poss- ible and if they are allowed to ' be sent, We were shown one letter re- ceived from Flying . Officer Bruce Dawson Campbell, son of. Mr. and Mts. R, D. Campbell, of Pointe Claire, Clue„ asking for elementary and ad- vanced textbooks on algebra and tri- gonometry, This shows that many prisoners are anxious to put their en- forced idleness to as good use as possible, Those at work in the Red Cross Headquarters went to great pains to show es around and answer our TIM $EAFORTH N.BW$ questions. One of them was Indy El lison, who is doing work in 'the pri sonera' departnlent. She did simila work during the last war. While looking at the boxes of gond sent over from Meal Red, Cros groups In Canada, we were told the soldiers' have an aversion to mitts and usually will not wear them, As result those sent over from Canada have to be made over into gloves. The great need was stressed fol turtle neck sweaters, gloves and sea men's socks. Lest named are als Used by airmen. On some shelve's were more un usual items, such as maple sugar and other supplies made in Canada Some supplies were being assemble to replace kits lost by soldiers a Dieppe. A constant supply of comforts to all service's of the Canadian Forces is being delivered. Every weeks on a regular delivery basis by Red Cross transport, end thence through the usual channels of supply, thousands of woollen comforts are being issued to the troops. Every week, invalid delicacies, hospital supplies, cigar- ettes, chewing gum..pipes, etc., are being sent to the general hospitals, casualty clearing stations, field am- bulances, and to R. A. F. and civilian hospitals where Canadian patients may be. A huge visitors' service is main- tained throughout England and Scot- land, Canadian Red Cross visitors (all voluntary) maintain daily contact with Canadian patients in Canadian Army, and British and Scottish hospi- tals, see that they get needed sup- plies, shop for them, and sometimes even write letters fol• them. Visitors' reports, in detail, are sent weekly to Berkeley Square, where information is collet& and, when necessary, let- ters are written to next-of-kin in Canada. In This Our Strength r. s a t a 0 a From an address by Sir Stafford Cripps at a meeting in Albert Hall, London, in Semptember, 1942, Vre, as Christians, reject complete- ly and absolutely the Nazi material- istic conception of society, the right to dictate by brutality, the turning of a human individual into nothing more than one of the millions of cogs 'in a machine of material efficiency, and the unlimited persecution and enslavement of all by a self -chosen class and race. As a. positive alternative, we insist on the dignity o fhuman life andthe right of all persons, whatever ,,*heir class, creed or color, to contribute equally to the ordering of their own civilization. This must follow from the basic Christian teaching of the brotherhood of all peoples. But, at the same time, we realize very fully how hard is the task of defeating evil and establishing good — a task that will not be over when we have de- stroyed Nazism and its cruel power. We shall encounter many other evil tortes and other enemies to 'our Christian objectives: Indeed, the call for Christian self- sacritice may well be greater, and will certainly be no' less, when the was ends, than itis today. We shall then have to devote otti'- selves to the establishment of social justiceas strenuously and whole heartedly as we now strive, to win the war. There must be no let-up until we have won the peace, and I warn you that the struggle for social just- ice will be a long and arduous one. Next, we declare' for the democratic way of life because thus alone can we give value to Christian brotherhood. in our. national life. The very idea of dictatorship is wholly contrary to that equality, which brotherhood im- plies. We can, moreover, acknowledge no human being as supreme or fit to control and order th,e destinies of. others, whether in the political, soc- ial or economic sphere of our life. The precise form of our democracy — save that it must enshrine real, equality of opportunity and effort throughout every field of human acts- vitt' — is a matter for technical ex- perts and not for us as Christians. We make the demand and must per- sist in it until we are satisfied. But beyond these broad principles, we must indicate practical, immedi- ate objectives in the field of social and economic justice. I emphasize the word "practical" because we must realize that there is a limit to the speed with which' change can be carried through — sltort of an overturning by violent revolution, — though that limit is not nearly so low as some would have us believe, We might as well adopt as our Christian objectives the list of the five simple desires of the people as expressed by Roosevelt — One, equal- ity of opportunity for youth and others; Two, jobs for those who can work; Three, security for those who need it; Four, the ending of all pri- vileges for the few; Five, preserva- tion of civil liberties for all, Certainly none of us would deny that these five requisites are based on the elementary principles of Christ- ian justice, I gladly pledge myself, as I would ask you to pledge yourselves; for at least this measure of social justice. ' If jobs are to be provided for all who can work, great changes will be needed in the planning and organize - tion of production, for such things have never been possible in the past since industry was mechanized. It privilege is to be ended, then we must be prepared to give up our privileges with the rest. If there is to be equality of oppor- tunity for youth, then our children must share in a common system, of education with those of all others. If security is to be given to all who need it, we may hay eto forgo many things in order to provide with cer- tainty the neceseas'ies which others require, The hardest part of our teak will be to convince the world that no pri- vate or:selfish interesta should be al- lowed to, stand is the way` of the full application of the principles in which we believe, These principles must he given preference over material gain and advantage, But we must first show the strength and power of our Pettit by our awn example, People speak today of frustration, of life without a purpose, but here in tarrying out our Christian duty lies the greatest of all purposes and the' fulfillment of God's intention, and, through that fulfillment, the creation: of happiness and joy in the world, At no time lute the rha•Ileuge to our personal faith been more insist- ent that it is today. The world is reeling under the blows of brutal, materialists aggression. We shall not succeed by outdoing the brutality and materialism of the evil forces against us, Our strength must be pased upon our faith in God and hu- manity, It is tragic for the world that this great moral power and dynamic for victory. over evil should remain looked iu our hearts and pe of little or no avail in the struggle, If and when these doors can be opened, it will not be 'to show us an, easy, pleasant path to our objective, but a hard, difficult way, fraught with danger. At the end of that road, we shall, however, discern our goal, the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth, the social salvation of our people and of the world. We shall eb embarked upon the most glorious adventure, from which none of us must look back. Want and For Sale Ads, 3 weeks 60c. THVRS.OAY, MARCH 4, 1843 AUBURN Mr. and Mrs, Gordon Jefferson of Hope, North Dakota, recently, celeb- rated their golden wedding, Gordon •. Jefferson and Miss Annie Dorr'ance were both born in Canada andwent to North Dakota in the '80s,, Mr, Jefferson homesteaded near Colgate and Miss Dorranee kept house for her brothers who also had located 'nearby. They were married at Sea - forth, Ont., on February, 8, 1893. Af- ter spending a number of years on the homestead they moved to Hope, N.D., in 1902, Mr. Jefferson was engaged in a mercantile business. After selling out he then devoted his attention to real estate and of late years' has supervised operations for absentee fanners. He was born at Donnybrook. Three children, two sons and a daughter were born to Mr. and Mrs, Jefferson, Their eldest son, Earl V., was killed in France in 1918. Their daughter, Mrs. Fred Fredrickson, lives at Valley City and Wesley, at home. Sonie 200 friends gathered at the. Hope auditorium to honor them. -The celebration was sponsored by the members of the Congregational La- dies' Aid, AUCTIONEER ir, W. AHRENS, Licensed Auction 'sir Inc Perth and Huron Counties s'arm Stock, chattels and real estat0. tales Solicited. Terms on Application. orope"ty. R. R. No. 4. Mitchell. 'Thrum 534 r R Apply at this office HAROLD JACKSON Licensed in Huron and Perth come ties. Prices reasonable; satisfaction guaranteed. For information, write, or phone Harold Jacicson,,pbone 14 on 661; R. R. 4, Seaforth, POPULAR PATRICIA A programme that won popular favour two seasons ago is back on the network again and so is lovely Patricia Bailey. She is singing star of "Time On. My Rands," which resolves into a most attractive ensemble of strings and woodwind and vocal highlights, under the suave and experienced baton of Eric Wild. The whole programme is specially arranged and comes to CBC Southern Ontario listeners Mondays at 8.05 p.m. ;l;x�.`�.^"I ata�,a ';i r;sir rNuyt ti uouni'er Check Book • We ?ire Selling Quality Books Books are Well Made, Carbon is Clean and Copies Readily. All styles, Carbon Leaf and Black Back. Prices as Low as You Can Get Anywhere. Get our Quotation on Your Next Order. The Seaforth News SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, e