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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1974-10-10, Page 4PAGE 4 : ZURICH CITIZ NS NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1974 A place for Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving Day? Whatever for? Families who shop for groceries and find that twenty-five dollars' worth can be contained in a couple of brown paper bags; who listen, night after night to the regular load of disast- er on the eleven o'clock news, are likely to feel more than a little cynical. Obviously contemporary life is no paradise --but wait; on balance there still is a good deal for which to be grateful. Money may evaporate, but when --until our generation-- has R been accepted that no family's income must be allowed to fall below a certain minimum, not as a hand-out, but as their basic right. Wlien, before now, have all Canadians had access to good medical care, irrespective of financial standing? On a broader canvas, when before in history has the notion that rich nations have a responsibility to share their bounty and their skills, ever been entertained, let alone been acted upon? Surely these are realities for which to be grateful. So is the current concern for the good earth. Parks and green belts within and around our cities are growing; men and women realize their need of contact with basics if they are to be whole. Urban or not, we still depend for physical sustenance on the fruit of soil and water and wind and sun --those marvellous elements our fathers recognized as the gifts of a Creator God. A thankful heart is not outmoded, and a pause to express it. enriches us all. (contributed) Some changes don't happen! Generally speaking, most people are afraid of change. Very often people vote for a change but don't get it. Sometimes they're glad they didn't get it because the change would have been worse than what they had. Very often a change for the better is badly needed and this is the position we are in where governments of this continent are concerned. It becomes in- creasingly more evident however that changing a party in office doesn't make a change of government, The United States has had a change of president. Only time will tell whether there will be a change in the type of govern- ment the people of that country will receive. Some philosophers have observed that in democratic countries the people get the kind of government which they deserve because they are elect- ing by secret ballot those people which the majority desire to have representing them. This was not the case where President Ford is concerned. In a fairly recent election in Canada, the same patty was voted' into a majority position in the federal office. Many ask themselves, would things be different if there had been a change of party in the federal office. We are bold enough to state that it would not have been any different. We might have changed the party in office but the government we received would have been substantially the same. That has been the nature of things for generations in Ottawa. Here, the general desires of the people of Canada do play a large part in determining whether there will be a change in government, regardless of whether there is a change in political parties in office or not. In a democracy, whether the represent- atives in office are honest or dishonest, to grant the people their requests is the politically expedient thing to do if candidates desire to be elected. In this respect we say that the people do have a say in whether there will be changes in the government or not. (The Nanton News) Conflicting goals! Two important projections have come from two most reputable institutions in recent weeks. The United Nations Food and Ag- riculture Organization (FAO) says that within a decade the poorer countries will face anincrease of about $18 billion in their annual food import bill. The increase in the demand for grain in these nations will be more than 900 million tons by 1985. The Brookings Institution came up with a very different fore- cast. Brookings, a very prestigious American organization, predicted in a study that U.S. military spending would reach $142 billion a year by 1980 if it continues rising at the present rate. The United States is not alone in splurging on the military. Most other large powers are equally guilty. The studies may seem unrelated. And yet these two forecasts do highlight for a puzzled world the strangely conflicting goals being pursued by the rich and the mighty nations. They have the affluence to produce all the food their people can eat, and they feel obliged to appease their military commanders, who always want more and better weapons --just in case there is a war. But the wealthy should try to see the global goal more clearly. Today we need tractors instead of tanks, ships that carry grain instead of shells for guns. Perhaps the rich still can afford guns as well as butter. The poor surely can't. The ever-growing military budgets in too many nations mean there will be less funds for irrigation and agriculture, fertilizer and transport. The world already is the home of too many hungry people, and richer nations therefore should not squander their valuable resources on arms. (contributed) ZURICH Citizens NEWS PRINTED BY SOUTH HURON PUBLISHERS LIMITED, ZURICH HERB TURKHEIM, Publisher Second Class Mail Registration Number 1385 {.it a Member: ' Canadian Weekly. Newspapers Association Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association 'Syra43` Subscription Rates: $5.00 per year in advance in Canada; $6.00 in United States and Foreign; single copies 15¢ hit ereational Scene (by Raymond Cannon) THE ELECTION IN GREAT BRITAIN I'll say one thing for the British; when they decide to have a general election, they do it in a hurry. Unlike Canada, the whole thing can be compl- eted in less than a month, and for this reason, there is little chance that the campaign will become boring. To be honest, I heard the same things so many times in our election last July that it just about drove me up the wall. There is just so many ways you can say the semi thing and if you are forced to repeat it ad nauseum, so much the worse. The British will be going to the polls on October 10, which means that the results will be corning in just about the time you read this. It will be the second time that a general ele- ction has been held this year since they had to do the same thing last February with incon- clusive results. That, I believe, to be the main reason why they are at it again. There is one thing that both- ers me about the whole scene in Gt. Britain and that is a gradual polarization of ideas. For reasons which I will explain in a minute, people are taking a more extreme stand on al- most everything with the result that it is becoming more diff- icult to arrive at the traditional British compromise. Politicians are backing themselves into corners from which it is becom- ing increasingly difficult to escape and what is worse, too many people are joining them in these corners. One of the main reasons for these hard stands is economic in nature. At the present time the country is experiencing a 203/0 rate of inflation, a rate that is likely to get worse bef- ore it gets better. As prices go up, several things happen. People such as pensioners who are on fixed or relatively fixed incomes find that what they thought would provide them with a comfortable living isn't adequate any more and they are dependent on the good will of their former employer for any increase in their pens- ion. The trade unions, always anxious to look after their mem• bets, are demanding large wage. increases in order to keep pace with the 20/0 inflation and this, unfortunately, only adds to the inflation. The stock market in London, like the ones in New York and Toronto, and, for that matter anywhere, has been hard hit and those people whose wealth consists of stocks have seen their net worth:drop dramatic- ally. Finally, a great many businesses, unable to borrow money or, if they can, at high interest rates, are finding it extremely difficult to stay in business, The number of bank- ruptcies has increased consider- ably and this does not include only small companies but also industrial giants of the industry. When you economy is ailing, you can generally be expected to consult the economists. However, the economists are not quite certain just what to do. However, in defense of my British colleagues, I might point out that there are a great many things that could be done from an economist's point of view, if only the politicians had enough courage to carry them out. At a time when a great deal. of political courane is needed, the British, and anybody else in the same position, are un- willing to make the sacrifices necessary for economic improve ment. The labor unions, and other organizations in a semi- mono-polistic position, are less willing than ever to give in. Even the Scots have got into the act and the Scottish nationalist parties are expected to double their representation in the election. This is not be- cause things are that much better in Scotland. They are not, at least not for the present, and the truth of the matter is that the Scots don't have too much faith in English politic- ians. In addition, they want to get as big a piece of the action when all that North Sea oil starts flowing in a year or so. Ever since I carne to Canada the first time, I have heard any number of times that, when the chips are down, the British always seem to muddle through. Well, the chips are certainly down, but I'm afraid it will take a little bit more than muddling to see the Brit- ish through this time. 0 Wouldn't it be nice to have an "Operation Cessation" to stop all this verbal nonsense of calling. every project 'Operation, This" and "Operation That"? Banghart, 'Kelly, 'Doig aid Co, Chartered Accountants 268 Main St., Exeter ARTHUR W, READ Resident Partner Bus. 235-0120, Res. 238-8075 Business and Professional Directory OPTOMETRISTS J. E. 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