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Zurich Citizens News, 1975-01-09, Page 4PAGE 4 ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 1975 Editorial Comment Recession is depression! Most Canadians won't feel it for a little while yet, but the recession we've talked about in our editorials for three years is now said to be officially upon us. Of course, there are differences of opinion and you have a right to yours. Because recession sounds a little softer than depression it may be best to use the milder term, although the results will still be the same. One authority on the subject stated the recession would be at at least as bad as that of the dirty 30's. Because we are better padded this time, that might not pinch us as badly as it did back there. Olathe other hand, those who went through the hard times of the 30's had no doubt that it was a depression and not just a recession. Headlines id a November 8 paper stated the cost of living has gone up faster in this past year than it has since the Korean War years in the early 50's. The next day's paper stated housing starts in Canada are dropping at a very sharp rate. The same papers tell of the sudden shift from a lumber shortage all over the world to a situation where ther is an excess of lumber and lumber mills are having to shut down the operat- ions and lay off the crews. The stock markets are fluttering up and down like the heart of a dying person on an operating table. Every farmer knows what is happening to the price of farm produce-- or should we more accurately say that nobody knows what is happening to the price of farm produce from day to day. Some of the craziest things have been happening. One union recently got a 65 percent increase in its wages. Many unions have won raises from 15 to 25 percent. In a few weeks or months, these people, as a result of their tremendous demands, may find themselves without employment, partly as a result of their unreasonable demands. The average sale price of houses sold through the Multiple Listing Service in Canada for the first nine months of 1974 was $41, 000. So if you have a house that is paid for you can consider yourself rich; but before you get too happy about the whole tling, consider what it will cost you to buy another ro replace the one you sell. If the building of houses slows up because of the high cost of living and building, that will simply mean that more and more people will be without work so there'll be less money with which to buy the more costly houses made costly be increasing demands for housing. Result? We'll be living two or three families in a house like we did for the three decades from 1930 to 1960. And there's a good chance that no one will be the worse off for it. There's talk of a national sugar policy being proposed to help stabilize consumer prices and support domestic production. The financial wizards of the world have not been able to reach any conclusions that will stabilize the world monetary situation or the oil prices; what makes anyone think the sugar situation would be any sweeter? Whatever it is called, recession or depression, it is bound to come sooner or later. There are things that can be done to help us all roll with the punches and keep ourselves prepared for the inevitable. We propose to lay out a few of these suggestions in more editorials. Meanwhile we suggest you face the facts and keep your cool. The first census! Once upon a time, there was a writer who liked to tell stories. Often he would link up the events in a story with some contemporary happening. The writer was a Doctor named Luke. One of his best known stories was about a pregnant girl at the time of the first Census. It was a peculiar kind of Census. There were no mail -in questionnaires. No Census -takers knocked on your door. As a matter of fact, it was the other way around --you knocked on your door. As a matter of fact, it was the other way around -- you knocked on the door of the Census taker. If you insisted upon doing that today, you would likely scare the government out of its Census. However, the Census takers today have sophisticated methods for collecting data and feeding it into computers along with pension cheques and the time tables of high school students. The government has more reason than ever to be scared out of its Census. The world population is about three billion. Every month, we add another six million. We're pretty good at counting people but we're beginning to get concerned about how we're going to educate, clothe, feed and house them, provide medi- cal care, social security, employment and look after their garbage. In Bethlehem, right in the midst of that first Census, a young couple had a baby. While the whole country thought the important task was to count people, this child came into the world to tell us that people count. ( Rt. Rev. Wilbur K. Howard) ZURICH Citizens NEWS PRINTED BY SOUTH HURON PUBLISHERS LIMITED, ZURICH HERB TURKHEIM, Publisher Second Class Mail Registration Number 13850.`0 e Member: +�0.�w►% CNA1Canadian Weekly. Newspapers AssociationOVUwIR� Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association loolgire Subscription Rates: $5.00 per year in advance in Canada; $6.00 in United States and Foreign; single copies 150 International Scene (by Raymond Cannon)' Time magazine has its "Man of the Year" and not to be out- done, I have mine too. Howev lest I be accused of copying, my selection is not made on th basis of how much influence he had on world affairs in 1974, but rather on the basis of what man I envy least as he goes into 1975. I don't know whether my selections are a political kiss of death or not but one year I selected President Nixon. He responded by immediately gett- ing himself involved in the Watergate scandal and resignin Another of my choices was Prime Minister Heath of Great Britain. He, too, responded by calling an election and getting defeated. Becauseof this, I can just see leaders all over the world shivering for fear that they might be my selection for. 1975. Even Soviet leader Leoni Brezhnev called of a trip to Egypt for the simple reason that the news would break whip he was there. How could he face the Egyptians on equal terms knowing that Ray Canon has just selected him in his column? The loss of face would be unbearable! Comrade Brezhnev need have no fear. He didn't even come close! Not that there weren't plenty of candidates. The world situation being what it is, there are any number of leaders who are in for a rough year in 1975. Anyway, after due reflection I made my choice and here it is-- President Ford of the United States. There are plenty of reasons why I wouldn't want to be in his shoes in 1975. I have noth- °'ing against him as a person; he is a nice fellow and I'm sure he makes good news copy even if it is how many lengths of the pool he can swan or how he makes his breakfast himself. However, I classify him as another General Eisenhower-- a very nice person to have around but hardly the type to provide forceful leadership at a time when it is badly needed. At least Gen. Eisenhower was elected and re-elected whereas Ford was appointed. He was even appointed as Vice -Presid- ent which surely must set some sort of record in American pol- itics. The job of Vice -Presid- ent is to a considerable degree honorific but at least he is elected to the post. Ford was appointed and hardly does he get settled in that office than he finds himself put into the highest office in the land. That should be enough to unsettle anybody. Not only that but, hardly does he move into the White House than the country immed- iately goes into the worst rec- ession it has experienced since the 1930's. It isn't Ford's fault; he just happened to come along at the time. Nevertheless, a recession such as the one the Americans are experiencing right now requires very strong leadership from the White House. Economic decisions, and strong ones at that, have to be made and enforced and frankly I wonder whether Ford has the political courage to make these' decisions. This is not meant to deni- grate his efforts. It's almost like being promoted from Cap- tain to General and then expect- ed to lead an army into battle-- and win at that. The Americans don't like losers, be it athletes or presidents and Ford will be e. e g d e expected to win the battle against inflation. Then there is the problem of the Middle East. The Arneric ans are traditionally on the side of the Israelis but it is the Arabs,that have the oil and how can Ford go on supporting Israel and not offend the Arabs. Luckily he has Henry Kissinger to work with on this matter but, regardless of what Kissinger has accomplished in the past, he is only human and cannot be expected to succeed every time. Kissinger has not ruled oui the use of armed force in the Middle East if the oil situation becomes too tight. Don't for- get that the President is also Cammander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and is he that has to make the decision wheth- er or not to use the military. When backed into a corner, economic or otherwise, nations have traditionally resorted to armed force to achieve their goals and for this reason I don't rule out the use of force to attempt to solve any oil crisis which may arrive. 0 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Annan and family from Ottawa, Mrs. Edith Miller, Hensall, Mrs. Tillie Tetreau, Mrs. Marie Pask, Zurich, Miss Gloria Copeland of Windsor spent Christ mas Day with Mr. and Mrs., Harry McAdams, Zurich.' Banghart, 'Kelly, 'Doig and 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. Longstaff OPTOMETRIST SEAFORTH MEDICAL CENTRE 527.1240 Tyesday, Taursday, Friday, Sat- urday a.m., Thursday evening CLINTON OFFICE 10 Issac Street 432.7010 Monday and Wednesday Call either office for appointment. Norman Martin OPTOMETRIST Office Hours: 9-12 A,M, — 1:3041 P.H. Closed all day Saturday Phone 235.2433 Exeter INSURANCES Robert F. 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