Zurich Citizens News, 1975-08-28, Page 4Page 4 - Zurich Citizens News, August 28, 1975
Greatness in small things!
We like to think that we live in the era of the common
man, that all persons are worthy of equal respect-- and
equal disrespect. But we also live in a time of excessive
adultation of certain types of persons --or personalit-
ies, with a capital "P", as it is now fashionable to call
them.
Many .of those who receive this adulation are, of
course, persons of authentic distinction. But some are
of questionable distinction. Not all the stars of entert-
ainment and sport are cast in heroic moulds. We some-
times let ourselves be excessively impressed by cel-
ebrities who seem to be well-known mainly for being
well-known. And there are those big -shots among us
whose big-shottery is, by the skills of the com-
munications experts, magnified all out of proportion.
Our adultations, quite silly though some of them are,
tend to engender in many of us feelings of inadeq-
uacy and even of failure. Very few of us play starring
roles in life. Eminence and greatness --as we generally
judge such things --evade all but a handful of us. We
find that life's selection processes are often capricious
and sometimes cruel.
When Bernard Shaw was a drama critic he was imp-
ressed by an actor playing a minor role in one act of a
play. In his review Shaw described this actor as "a
great artist in small things." The best that most
of us can hope for is that we may be great artists in
small things --and that can be a very good best.
Let us rejoice in the achievements of those who
"make it big" in the things that make life better for
all of us. But let us remember that personal greatness
is not limited to those who do the big things and get
the applause and the admiration of the many. Great-
ness can also be a quality of those who do unexciting
things, routine things, small things which contribute
to the'good life for all. (contributed)
Wisdom from the young!
In early August a teen-ager was asked to record what
he would remember most about his summer camp
experience. His comment was arresting: "I learned,"
he said, "that justice doesn't mean 'just us."
Those are good words to remember on Labour Day.
Nobody likes strikes; they are disruptive and frustrat-
ing to everyone, but every purchaser of groceries for a
growing family feels the impact of inflation where it
hurts. The postman or factory worker has to feed his
'children just as the banker or civil servant, and a dollar
will stretch only so far, whatever our stations.
There are 5 million people in Canada today living
below the poverty level and 2/3 rds of them are the
working poor. A good deal of talk and experiment-
ation with the concept of a guaranteed annual income is
going on --a scheme that would help these minimum
wage earners enormously. It's worth examining, rather
'Ilan hotly rejecting it out of hand.
While it's true that pensioners and others on fixed
incomes from investment are also caught in the ever -
escalating squeeze, not many scream when interest
rates rise and owned houses double in value.
In short, we are all in this financial spiral together
and until someone, somewhere finds a way out of the
frightening maze, patience and a willingness to exam-
ine facts are something each of us can contribute to an
admittedly frightening economy. The youngster' s
comment is pertinent. Justice is not 'just us'.
(contributed)
ZURICH Citizens NEWS
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The international Scene
(by Raymond Canon)
.r....10 a. as .a.• s o .v sW t
i
WHAT PROGRESS
Prime Minister Trudeau
has been off an another of his
foreign trips, this time to take
part in the much heralded con-
ference which was recently
held in Helsinki, the capital
of Finland. It was a sort of
summit conference which was
comparable, in the minds of
some people to the 19th
century Congress of Vienna
held in 1815 to put things
back into a certain order in
Europe after Napoleon
had been removed from the
scene.
I'm afraid that I can't go
quite that far, nor can I share
Mr. Trudeau's enthusiasm
for what he believes was
accomplished there. True,
there were a great many
fine words and lofty ideals
expressed but I have the feel-
ing that if anybody is satisfied
these days, it must be Soviet
leader Leonid Brezhnev.
After ail, it was really Mr.
Brezhnev that wanted the
conference as a means to
displaying to those who count
back home just what he had
accomplished since he got
rid of the unreliable Nikita
Krushchev. Mr. Brezhnev
is not too well these days and
what better way to end a
political career of a super
power than to have a super
conference, attended by
everybody who'is anybody and
to sign a great deal of fine
sounding language. •
I am not suggesting that the
conference should not have
been held
only that the cheering should
be restrained until we see how
the Kremlin chooses to inter-
pret some of the clauses in
the lengthy document. I
select one statement by Mr.
Brezhnev as an -. example.
"Nobody should try to dict-
ate to other people," said the
Soviet Leader," on the basis
of foreign policy considerat-
ions of one kind or another,
the manner in which they
ought to manage their intern-
al affairs." Was Mr. Brezhnev
saying that his country would
not resort to any more hung-
arys (1955) or Czechoslovak-
ias (1968) at which time the
Soviet army moved in to stop
liberalization movemerits
or was he saying that what
we in the West consider to
bebasic human rights would
find no place in eastern
Europe?
I have the uncomfortable
feeling that we are going to
find that the second assumpt-
ion is the more probable of
the two. When Mr. Brezhnev
talks about "foreign policy
considerations" that seems
to mean that the Soviet
Union could, in effect, claim
it was only responding to local
requests for help if it were
to move into, say, Poland,
Bulgaria, Eastern Germany
or even Czechoslovakia again.
A friend of mine has just
come back from his first
visit to Poland, the country
in which he was born. He has
assured me that it will be his
last for the feeling he got
was one of constant oppres-
sion. Not in any physical way,
just in so many intangibles
of everyday life. What he tells
me does not differ too much
from my own experiences
there and I just cannot see the
Russians relaxing too much,
or allowing any other of their
satelite countries to do
the same. It just runs counter
to communist nature.
I am endebted to the
English News weekly, the
Economist, which I hold in
the highest regard, for det-
ails of what it is like to be
a journalist living in Russia.
By this, I mean a foreign
journalist. They are all forced
to live in the same sections of
the city, their comings and
goings are watched over by a
so-called policeman (for
policeman read KGB, the Rus-
sian secret police). Their
telephones are bugged, their
servants are provided by a
branch of the KGB. Not
only the telephones but the
apartments are bugged as
well and Ione example is
given of a flat taken over
from Reuters News Agency
by Swissair. No less than 25 The Councils noted that
bugs were found and there is people in wheelchairs and the
no guarantee that Swissair elderly could experience diff -
found them all. iculties at some polling
According to the Helsinki booths on election day (Thurs-
agreement, all this has to be day, September 18) because
changed and I think it will be some polis are located in
a good test of the Russians' basements or second storeys.
real intentions as to what they
do about all this. The same
thing could be applied to the
reasons why Mr. Trudeau
things he has the right to
smile when thinking about
Hensinki. I, for one person,
sincerely hope he is smiling
a year from now.
Urged
to vote
The Ontario Advisory
Councils on the Physically
Handicapped and Senior
Citizens jointly urged handi-
capped and senior citizens
to vote at advance polls of
the September general elect-
ion in Ontario.
Advance Polling Booths
which will operate ,on Friday,
September 12; Saturday, Sept-
ember 13; and Monday,
September 15., shall be,under
the Elections Act, located with
as easy access as reasonably
possible to those in wheel-
chairs as well as the aged and
infirm.
Whether la man ends up with a
nest egg or a goose egg, depends
on the kind of chick he marries.
Hope Holmsted, Chairman
of the Ontario Advisory Coun-
cil on Senior Citizens, and
Edward Dunlop, Chairman of
the Ontario Advisory Council
on the Physically Handicap-
ped, said some elderly and
handicapped persons are not
aware that they can vote at
the Advance Polls if they feel
they would experience diffic-
ulty at the polling booths on
election day.
TODAY'S CHILD
BY HELEN ALLEN
Jerry is seven, a lively, energetic fellow with light -brown hair,
dark eyes, and, as you see, an enchanting smile. Basically he is
a happy child but because of rejections in his past he is cautious
about trusting people, and he needs a lot of reassurance that he
is really liked.
Jerry will enter grade one in September. He is behind his age
group and for a time will need a structured special class.
Though now considered low average in ability, he is felt to have
average potential. He likes school, is eager to learn and will
undoubtedly benefit from being settled in a home of his own.
Jerry loves the outdoors and is beginning to be interested in
sports. He is proud to be a member of a baseball -team.
He will be a fine son for parents who can help him believe he is
really wanted and loved.
To inquire about adopting Jerry, please write to Today's
Child. Ministry of Community and Social Services, Box 888,
Station K, Toronto M4P 2H2. In your letter please tell something
of your present family and your way of life.
For general information, consult your local Children's Aid
Society.
HE'S EAGER TO LEARN