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Clinton News-Record, 1972-03-02, Page 3After the hoopla is over When the hoopla and fanfare over the visit of United States President Richard Nixon dies down, people will probably catch on to the sobering thought that not all that much has changed in the world, So much was made of the trip by the U,S, press and Nixon himself that one gets the feeling the entire course of world history has changed _Perhaps it has, but more likely although there will be better relations between China and the United States, there will not be a sudden and dramatic change in overall attitudes, Think back to similar events that were supposed to change the world's history. The summit meetings between former U.S. presidents and leaders of Russia didnot stop the Cold War that has raged between the two powers for 25 years. The famous missile crisis in Cuba brought dire warnings of war by alarmists, hut there was none, and the Cold War continued, It will be surprising if the visit of Nixon to China will put an end to the Cold War between these two nations just as it will be surprising if the visit of Nixon to Canada this spring will change the course of shifting relations between our two countries. It takes more than a week-long visit to change attitutudes that have been built up over many years. The usefulness of the Nixon visit to China should not be played down too far, but to keep things in perspective it should be remembered that this is an election year in the United States and Nixon is out to get all the favourable publicity he can get. Appearing to be the saviour of the world isn't going to hurt his chances of being re-elected. On fanning the flames of bigotry Nothing illustrates better the crisis that faces Northern Ireland than the reaction to an editorial that appeared in this newspaper last week entitled "The double standard of terrorism". It proves that in situations in which, emotions are involved as deeply as in this one, people hear what they want to' hear and see what they want to see. Carefully re-reading the editorial after receiving letters which called its author a fanner of hatred and bigotry, we found that the editorial says just what it meant: that it is hypocritical to support terrorist tactics on one side but condemn them when they are used by the other side. The editorial made no mention of the rights or wrongs of either side. It did not refer to the basic problems that are behind the upheaval in that land. Such a probing editorial would take much more than the 25o words used in the editorial. This newspaper does not argue that there is no cause for protesting on the part of the Northern Irish Catholics. They have been discriminated against under the Iaw, in housing and in more ways than most of us can imagine. On the other side, the Protestants have been led by such bigots as Rev. Ian Paisley and have done everything possible to ensure that they will remain in full control of the government and the land. There is no doubt that the general, Catholic population has been more sinned against than sinning. However, this does not change the point made by the editorial, that one side cannot pretend everything it does is sanctioned by God and everything the other side does is the work of the devil. If thousands of people had marched in the Bogside area to protest the bombing at Aldershot which killed innocent civilians last week, it would be much easier to judge the protestors of Bloody Sunday as just. But to sit in silence while the IRA sets bombs in Aldershot, blows up shopping plazas while they are filled with shoppers and murders bus drivers, then mount a giant protest when the shoe is on the other foot and members of their own side are killed, seems more than a little hypocritical. To quote one of our letters to the editor "Sir, Murder is an heinous crime no matter who commits it..." We saw a similar situation in our own country when Robert Lemieux, the Montreal lawyer who defended members of the FLQ, accused the 'police of using terrorist tactics against the terrorists. The Northern Irish Catholics, being a minority in that country, feel they need public support for their cause around the world if they are to right the injustices perpetrated against them. Yet people in Canada and elsewhere, do not see the basic problems in the land; they see only the outward result, the • murders, bombings and face-to-face confrontations. When Ian Paisley was mouthing his obscenities even Protestants around the world were in support of minority cause. After Bloody Sunday the support for the Northern Catholics was again high. Yet this support will not be maintained if the Catholic minority supports the IRA in its murder and terrorism but condemns the same tactics by the other side. If you want to convince people your cause is just, you must be just yourself. Letter to the Editor "My husband's either on strike or unemployed — 1 haven't quite figured out which!" oak The law that works ''"ameellnekItA Sts Verdict in: Jalna's a mess THE CLINTON NEW ERA Amalgamated THE HURON NEWS-RECORD Established 1865 1824 Established 1881 Clinton News-Record • A member of the Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association , Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association and the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) every Thursday at of Huron County' Clinton, Ontarlia Pbpulation 3,475 TIM HOME - OF RADAR IN CANADA KEITH W. ROMS-MN — Editor J. HOWARD AITKEN * General Manager Published Second class mail the heart registration number — 0817 :SUliSCRiPTION RATES: (in advances tariada, $8,00 per year; U.S.A., $9.50 Clinton News-Fieoords Thursday, March 2,197.2,3 The editor, What Ireland does NOT need at present is the editor of the Clinton News-Record (or any other editor, for that matter) fanning the flames of hatred, bigotry and prejudice prevalent in that country today, with an editorial such as appeared in your last Well, what do you think of the CBC's widely-touted Jalna series? Please don't answer that aloud, There are ladies, present, Ah, with what hopes we looked forward to a truly brilliant, all- Canadian grand slam in the world of television. All-Canadian cast, all-Canadian material, and a decent budget. It would astonish the world, dazzle the screen, and all of the world's great networks would beat a path to the CBC door, clutching millions of pounds, francs, dollars and lira, begging and pleading for the right to reproduce it. So much for hopes. The result merely shows that you can have on hand champagne, caviar and filet mignon, but if the cook doesn't know what he's doing, it ends up as watery, limp and lukewarm hash. We have the champagne in the shape of gorgeous sets, We have the caviar in a collection of first- rate actors. And we have the filet in the rare beef of the original Jain' novels, But what emerges on the screen is the most ham-fisted, club- footed, distorted, downright dog of a series anyone could dream up. Or nightmare up, The champagne has been edition. I am enclosing "The Catholic and Protestant Side of N. Ireland's Troubles" by Carolyn Purden who is on the staff of the Canadian Churchman, the national publication of the Anglican Church of Canada. Miss Purden periodically writes for the Canadian Register. At least be watered, the caviar has been fired from a shot-gun, and the rare beef has been minced into hamburg. I warned the CBC, before the series began, that Iwould roast it if it weren't at least reasonably good. It's not even reasonably bad. Can you roast hash? I watched the first episode with a mixture of disbelief and horror. The second was a little better, and hope sprang eternal, The flame was quickly smothered by the succeeding wet blankets. I thought I knew the Jalna novels inside out, But the series is so baffling that, were it not for the names of the characters, I'd be willing to admit that it was the BobbSey Twins serieS I was thinking of. The most coherent parts of the Sunday night show are the commercials. But even here you're not quite sure they aren't part of the plot, so dense and unwieldy is the latter. Those Saint screams you hear from your set are not statie. They are Miss Mao de la Roche, author of the novels, shrieking epithets at the CBC, the director, and eVeryOne else connected with the mutilation of her manuscripts. Perhaps the most appalling aspect of the whole dreary fair and study both sides. Eileen Palmer, Goderich, Ont. ED. Note: After reading the articles proferred by our reader, we find nothing to change the original point of the editorial. Please see the editorial "On Fanning the Flames of Bigotry." business is that the CBC has actually sold the series to some retarded British network, on the understanding that it (the CBC) will produce another 13 episodes in the series. This is not just flogging a dead horse, It is giving castor oil to someone who is dying of dysentery. You may have picked up the misconception that I don't like the Jalna series, Quite wrong. I love it. It's the best comedy-mystery hour on the air. Mind you, the comedy is of the black variety. It's rather like making jokes as the British Empire, on which the sun never set, sinks slowly into the sunset, But the mystery, though there is obviously no solution, is fascinating. Sorting out the characters alone is more fun than reading a Russian novel, Who is Married to whom? Why? When? Which are brothers, which cousins? Is Bennie's second wife Eden's first mistress? When is Rennie going to get a new nightie- gown? The ramifications are endless, And hopeless. It's a soap opera With a schizophrenic at the helm, I wish they'd sell the dam' estate and put Gran in a nursing home, and give Ed Sullivan a ring, The world is such a very interesting place, especially if you happen to he 15 years of age. "The amazing thing," said Judy, my favorite 15-year-old, "is that everything gets sorted out SO well. Two billion people! And nearly all of them find places to live and a' job or something to do." -Well." I said, in my best Uncle Jack style, ''it's a pretty big place. the world." -It isn't really. Not when you think of it as mostly water. Did you know that if all the continents of the world were placed in the Pacific Ocean there'd still be 18 million square miles of Pacific Ocean left over'r **I didn't. But what do you mean. 'sorted out so well'? Look at India. for example, where peoplp are so crowded together. Thars not very neat." -No," Judy said. "but I was thinking more of individuals. people one at a time, I've been reading this book, 'Children of all Lands.' It's surprising how their lives are so much alike. Oh. they eat different foods and wear different kinds of clothes. but TEN YEARS AGO Thursday, March 1, 1962 "When opened in July or August, the staff at the Ontario Hospital - near Goderich, addition to supervisory and certain executive personnel, will number about 175," Mr. MacNaughton declared (MPP- Huron). "At the moment, the establishment has not been completely set up although the chief engineer has been engaged and will commence his duties tomorrow," said Mr. MacNaughton. The new chief engineer is Alvin Lobb, Clinton. Lavis Brothers, Clinton. are awaiting' approval from the Treasury Board of the Province of Ontario, for leasing' arrangements on a proposed new office building in Clinton, a good part of which will be occupied by the Ontario Department of Agriculture. District sports enthusiasts were told they were missing the ' •gravytrain" Monday night by not having a recreation commission in Clinton. "The promise gives financial and manpower aid to municipal recreation associations," declared L. E, Stanbridge of the department of education, community programs branch. Hanover, when he,addressed the Clinton District Athletic Association in the collegiate. 15 YEARS AGO February 28, 1957 Jim Cooper, a part-time Clinton resident and pioneer transmitter' operator for CFRB radio station, Toronto, was guest speaker at Clinton Lions Club Tuesday evening, Mr. Cooper was an instructor at RCAF Station for Sometime clueing World War II. Previous to that be served with the Air Force in England and Northern Ireland, installing radar equipment, Previous to Joining MB in 1930, he had many jobs all in wireless and radio work in Northern Ontario and on the coast, People must like dial phones they're taught the same way. They are taught that certain things are right and certain things are wrong. This is the same everywhere." "That is a good thought, That helps to sort things out, as you s y. - "The only trouble is." Judy said, frowning, "the only trouble is that it all depends on the law of averages," **The law of averages?" ''We've been going* into this at school," Judy said. -It's a little frightening. lithe law of averages should stop working the world would be in an awful mess," "Tell me more." •*Children, for instance. Supposing the law of averages broke down completely and every Child horn in the next five years was a girl." • • "Ghastly thought." "Or there's also the matter of aptitudes. You see, the law of averages decides that one person will be suited for work with his hands, another person will have an aptitude for mental work. One person will be a natural-born quite a bit better than the old-style machines. At any rate. in 1956, Clinton subscribers added 106 more telephones, and there were 1609 in use at the end o f December. The Bell Telephone Company's new dial exchange in April. W. W. Haysom, Goderich, is Bell manager for' this region. 25 YEARS AGO Thursday, March 6, 1947 Under the auspices of Clinton. Lions Club the annual oratorical contest was held in Clinton Collegiate Institute Auditorium Monday afternoon. Miss Margaret Colquhoun who came second last year, finished first this year, with Fred Kirby second. Clinton and citizens of the town of Clinton were hosts in the Town Hall, Thursday evening last at a "Welcome Home" party to ex- service personnel. A similar' event had been held more than 'a year ago before all the boys and girls were home, Each was presented with a pair of beautiful bookends in behalf of the town. Clinton Lions Arena was the scene of tire big carnival sponsored by tire Clinton Lions Club and Clinton Teen Town. The highlight of the evening came when tire Carnival Queen was chosen, This proved extremely scientist, the next will be a craftsman and so on." "True, And all these, working together, make our society." "Now, Imagine that the law of averages stop working," Judy said gravely, "and that suddenly every child has an aptitude only for ballroom dancing or painting pictures or any one thing. The whole balance of the world would he upset." *1 doubt it," I said. "The needs of the populace determine the work people will do, not the individual aptitude." ''Yes, but the needs would be altogether different if the law of averages wasn't working. I mean, if every child born in the next five years was a girl then there'd he no need for making boys' bicycles or boys' shoes or boys' anything. Would there'?" "I concede the point." ''This law of averages works so well, our teacher says, that it practically runs a city," Judy carried on. ''Like the bus people, They know that at a certain time of the day there will be a certain number of people waiting for hilarious when the white clad Queen really should have been a King. The winner was none other than Bill Chowen. 40 YEARS AGO Thursday, March 3, 1932 W. U. Latornell. formerly of Clinton, for many years manager of the Bank of Montreal in St. Thomas, was honoured by his former associates in the hank, being presented with a handsome golf hag. Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Cross, Toronto, were in town over the weekend. Mn', and Mrs. Bert Beacom. Sydney Lee. M, Radford, and Marry Caldwell left for Orval in the Parry Sound district where they expect to remain some time to be engaged in making maple syrup. Mr. Baeckler has trucks employed this past week hauling logs to his saw mill in Goderi eh, which he purchased from Messrs. Colins and Falconer. 55 YEARS AGO Thursday, March 1, 1917 Rev. J. E. Hogg, the new pastor of Willis Church, will be inducted at a public meeting in the church on Friday. T, W. Holloway. baggageman at the depot. signed up with Lieut, A, buses at certain places. If the law of averages went crazy and everyone decided one day at three in the afternoon to take a bus the whole system would breakdown." "So it would." 'Or hospitals. The hospital people know that there'll he an average of so many ambulance calls and so many' emergency cases. They have just the right number of people to handle them. But supposing a whole year of accidents were to happen--bang;-- in one hour!" "Chaos. Pure chaos," "What 'can't figure out," said Judy, "is whether everything works out so well because of the law of averages or just because we understand the law of averlger and adjust to it," "The latter, I think, but it seems an odd thing to worry about. I, personally, would much rather worry about what would happen if all the continents of the world were placed in the Pacific Ocean," "It's just that the world is so interesting." said Judy, ''Oh, it's that," I said. "It's really that," J. Grigg for tine '22nd Forestry Battalion on Saturday last. R. Fitzsimons and Son paid $14.10 per cwt. for hogs last Saturday. This is the highest ever' paid in Clinton, James Cornish has purchased the residence of William Harland on Rattenbury St. Mr. Harland will move to his other residence on Princess St. 75 YEARS AGO March 5, 1897 The social entertainment given by the ladies of St. Peter's Church,Summerhill, on Tuesday evening, was pleasing, profitable and successful. The comfortable residence of Mr. and Mrs. George Hill, kindly placed at the service of the committee, was well filled. The refreshments were very inviting and received due attention, after which Rev, Mr. Stout took charge of a program of music and literature, rendered by local talent, to the pleasure of the audience. The proceeds were $12,75, Those who did not go to Madame Wall's concert Tuesday evening, missed a rich treat, and the good audience present enjoyed fully the excellent program. Mrs. Wall. in her pleasing style, gave three admirable solos, her rendering of the Holy City being simply grand. The editor: Re: your editorial, "The Double Standard of Terrorism". I am a Northern. Irish Catholic; to be oact, l am a Northern Irish Catholic from Derry City, the scene of Northern Ireland's "Bloody Sunday", In your opening sentence you referred to Ireland as "a place that doesn't make much sense anyway these days..." Places never make sense, they are only discernible works of art created by God to appease the eye of the beholder. You thee continue this rather sweeping statement, by referring to the lack of "logic involved in the protestations over the killing of 13 civilians..," Surely you should have investigated the logic behind the killings, since the logic behind the protestations of the killings is quite clear. The people of Derry used logic and restraint by the form of protest they followed after "Bloody Sunday". They could have taken to the streets in search of revenge and made Monday for the British army the most bloody in the history of British rule in any of her colonies. This is where ! disagree with you, logic was quite evident in the protestations. You have stated that it was 13 civilians who died that Sunday, on this point we agree, I would add though that they were not I.R.A. men. Again, you state "It has yet to beproven that the troops involved in "Bloody Sunday" actually fired before they were fired upon..." Let me suggest to you since you are so fond of assumptions that the result of the "impartial" one- man inquiry being conducted by Lord Chief Justice Widgery, will be returned as an open verdict. It's like "trying the devil in the court of hell". The Lord Chief Justice's previous titles were Lt, Col. in the British army and Commander in Chief of the Territorial army. On what do I base MY assumption'? I base my assumption on results of previous inquiries by "impartial" groups into the former killings of civilians in my native city and other areas in the Six Counties of Northern Ireland, Of the 30,000 demonstrators marehing_ on `1,131,ogdy, Airaday some' 2N-"hard to tollie rrrek ing-pffc d'' w lie public speeches were to be delivered. Thirteen of the remaining marchers were shot down, In the name of God and all that's honest, how can you possibly rationalize that the Paratroops made a mistake because they were "edgy". They made a mistake alright, because in that horrible half-hour of bloodshed, they turned the complete Catholic population of Derry City into I.R.A. sympathizers. You might ask how I justify this, simply, that the British tropps have shown to the suppressed peoples of Derry, whether they be Catholic or Protestant, (oh yes, that is littly something else you Are probably unaware of—some protestants are also suppressed by the Jack-booted Government of Mr. Falkner.) that this "peace keeping" force is not impartial. Let me ask you a question, Sir, Have you thought to ask yourself why the man who started the dissent and renewed the bigotry within his' own people is not in jail? If you have, then you probably rationalized that this man has never used a gun, nor has he killed anyone. Technically you are correct, but there are thousands of people walking around in Northern Ireland today, who have been murdered, murdered mentally by this man. He has diseased their minds and more than all the I.R.A. efforts put together, he has planned and is effecting the overthrow of the Unionist Regime in Northern Ireland. This man's name is Ian Paisley. To go into the history of the conception of North Ireland would mean the use of a complete edition of your paper, but if you followed any of the guidelines which an editor should, then you would have researched your topic to a greater extent on such a delicate matter, and not have subjected yourself to criticism of the warped view your editorial suggests. Here is only one of the facts you could have uncovered. The cause of the protest march in Derry City—"The Special Powers Act", The authorities are etnpoWered to: 1, Arrest without warrant; 2, Imprison without charge or trial and deny recourse to habeus corpus or a Court of law; 3, Enter and Search homes without warrant, and with force, at any hour of the day or night; 4. Declare a curfew and prohibit meetings, assemblies (including fairs a nd markets) and processions,, Please turn to Page 8 Letter to the Editor*