Loading...
Clinton News-Record, 1978-02-02, Page 4PAGE 4—CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1978 What we think IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIi11QIIIII1l IIII II1il1II111111I1II11111111Ii1II11I111111I11I11.111111111IIIIIIIII Stamp out postal strikes It staggers between a national disgrace and a national joke. If it weren't so utterly preposterous, it could make strong men weep. Whatever printable — or unprintable —names one calls the Canadian Postal Service it is a national scandal, which our government resolutely refuses to do anything about and, indeed, which it exacerbates, suggests the United Church. This mish-mash of half baked, juvenile negotiation procedures must end. In Toronto and Montreal, and one or two other centres, small groups of people who laughingly call themselves socialists, regularly disrupt service. No self-respecting champion of the working class would do what these hoodlums do prevent working people from earning a just living. They have cost the Canadian economy incredible.amounts of money in direct-mail, magazines, greeting cards, mail order and small businesses which results in the layoff of thousands of workers. In 1975 alone, business lost more than $350 million and some 3,420 employees were laid off. This says nothing about the human frustration, disruption and tragedy caused to many Canadians by these wildcat walkouts, to say nothing of the legal strikes. The Christmas season caper in Toronto this year over the hiring of part time workers — in a time o_f record unemployment — is simply another in the endless list of irresponsible acts. Those of us who cherish and support the collective bargaining rights of Canadian labour can no longer justify the cruel and senseless acts of these dissident elements in the post office work force. We hasten to point out, that a mere handful are spoiling the reputation of thousands of dedicated postal workers. The union seems to encourage these illegal acts. The government and its rule -bound supervisory personnel seem incapable of doing anything but promoting confrontation. A Crown corporation may not be the answer. The post office may' have to be sold and a proper contract worked out with a 'private mailing firm which would guarantee full service in un- profitable and outlying areas. It is the obligation of the Federal Government to put the people of Canada first and to call immediately for a radically new way of moving the mail. The real winter blues W.O. Mitchell, well-known and respected Canadian writer came out with something on a national TV interview with which I wholeheartedly concur. He suggested, more or less, that everything that is wrong with the Canadian -character can be blamed on our Canadian winters. After a couple of months of winter, we feel harassed, persecuted, and vaguely wronged. We become insular, grumpy, gloomy and generally unfit to live with. When it has snowed and blowed for a couple of week's on end, or a couple of months on end, as it has around our place, you are ready to kick the cat, complain about the cooking, snarl at your children, or quietly climb into the bathtub and open your wrists. I haven't any figures, but I'll het our suicide rate soars after the holiday season, when we face three months .ot being cold and being broke. (I wouldn't insult anybody by making this bet in Canadian dollars. Make it yen or marks or francs.) I would like to expand on this and make the bet on divorces and deaths. People get to the point, about the end of January, where they can't stand themselves, let alone their spouses, so they split up. Old people and sick people, huddled at home or in hospital, get so sick of living that they just up and die. You will retort that a lot of affairs begin in mid -winter. This is true. But it's not love. Most of them are among the apres-ski crowd, and it's sex or a desperate measure to keep warm. I can't imagine anyone falling in love while whizzing through farmers' fences on a snowmobile or shoving a car out of a snow -bank. What I can imagine is a sober, decent citizen, perhaps a kindly retired clergyman, committing murder with a shovel after the town plow has refilled his driveway for the fourth tinle� in_24 hours. •I can contemplate, with shine the ordinarily happy housewife and loving mother being hauled into court for child• battering just after her kids, with friends, have trooped in with half a ton of snow and slush on their boots and marched across the kitchen floor she has scrubbed three days in a row. You may think I exaggerate. I do not. I, one of the mildest, sweetest chaps you'd ever encounter, have seriously considered mayhem when some turkey with bald tires starts up an icy hill ahead of me, skids sideways across the road and leaves me there with my wheels spinning and smoke coming out my ears. I'm not against winter in principle. I'm just against winter in Canada. They can have all the winter they like in principle. Nor am I unaware that there is a tiny, benighted portion of our populace that thoroughly enjoys winter. Children, on the whole, love it. Instead of going through red lights on their bicycles and being killed by cars, they can dart out from between two snow banks into the path of a car that is sashaying along on glare ice. Teenagers, another notoriously unstable group, also seem to like winter. Instead of breaking their legs on riding motorbikes, or their necks in speedboats, they can break their legs riding snowmobiles and their necks on a ski hill. At any given time in any given winter, half a dozen ski bums are clumping around in the average high school with casts on their legs. Curlers, too, don't seem to mind the winter. They drive in a heated car to a heated and often luxurious curling club, where they can run up and down the ice for two hours in their beautiful tight pants, and then sit around drinking and discussing every rock thrown ad nauseam. The only thing more boring is a golf foursome going over every shot in the bar. But at least they have the sense to do it in summer. One other segment that professes to love winter is the swinging singles. Every weekend they pile out of the city in their thousands, heading for the ski hills. And the chalets. And the big drinking sessions. And the chance of meeting Mr. Big or Ms. Boobs. And on Sunday night, after spending perhaps two hours skiing, often none, they pile hack in their fast cars and head for home, a menace to everything on the road. They're in the came category as the same singles who do the same thing in summer, except that the ski mob, the city slickers, don't know how to drive in snow. But ask anybody sensible if he loves winter. Ask a hydro lineman. Ask a snowplow operator who has to work a double shift. Ask a cop. It's not necessary, I believe, to ask a guy who has a fuel oil franch ise. Aside from the sights of winter — red, runny noses, slush and salt all over your front lawn, 800 pounds of icicles hanging from your eaves — there are the sounds. - Hacking coughs on every side. The clunk and rattle and slam of the snow -plow under your window at 4 a.m. The sweet howl of the wind about your windows. The crash of falling ice. The thump and gulp of the furnace sucking its life blood. d . My solution? Either give it back to the 'Indians, poor devils, or send everybody over 40 south for six months, and let the other idiots revel in it. And pay the bills. The Clinton NewsRecordIs published each Thursday at P.O. Row 39, Clinton, Ontario, Canada, NOM 1LO. Member, Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association It Is registered as second class mall by the post office under the permit number 0517. The News -Record incorporated In 1924 the Huron News -Record, founded In 1551, and Tho Clinton Now Era, founded In 1E65. Total press run 3,300. Clinton NewsRecoi'd CRNA Member Canadian Community Newspaper Association Display advertising rates available on request. As for Rate Carrel No. 5 effective Oct. 1, 1477. General Manager • J. Howard Aitken Editor • James E. Fltrgerbld Advertising Director • Gary L. Hoist News editor - Shelley McPhee Office Manager • Margaret Gibb Cijtulallon • Freda McLeod counting • Marlon Willson Subscription Rate: Canada . '13 per year U.S.A. •'17.00 Other • '20.00 z "He was recovering fine 'til compensation set in." Odds 'n' ends. - by Elaine Townshend The ground hogs nuts I hate to sound like a cynic. But what ground hog in his right mind is going to set his alarm clock for February 2 just so he can check his shadow? Think about it. Last summer he spent weeks excavating a ten -foot tunnel under the ground. At the end of the tunnel, he hollowed out a large chamber that seemed relatively safe from his enemies - the two and four -footed kinds as well as the cold weather. After all that digging, he probably had blisters on his paws. Then he searched for dry grass with which to line his bedroom to make it cozy and comfortable, and you know how difficult it was to find anything that was dry last fall. Next came his food foray: he had to gorge himself, because hiis body "• ould absorb a lot of fat during the winter. His body grew bulkier and bulkier, and it became increasingly difficult for him to drag himself around. Finally he lum- bered into his hole for his winter's nap. I've read that, if we dug up his tunnel, we would findim curled up on the grass showing no signs of life. If we placed a stethoscope on his chest, we would detect only 14 or 15 heartbeats a minute instead of almost one hundred. There would not be a. single respiration for about ten minutes, and it would be followed by ten or fifteen breaths., He would sleep until spring and never know we had invaded his bedroom . It's called o hibernation, and it's Nature's most effective way of caring for her own during the winter whentfood is scarce. Some days I'm tempted to try it myself. • For a woodchuck to purposely in- terrupt his deep sleep just to look for his shadow sounds like an insane idea to me, and I, for one, am not going to pin my spring hopes on a nutty groundhog. Whether or not he sees his shadow is immaterial. Superstition or no super- stition, it's going to be cold out there on February 2, especially for a ground hog who's been sleeping for three months. In some parts of the country, he might be tempted to stay awake, but not here. I have resigned myself to the certainty that winter will be with us until at least the end of March, whether I like it or not. I've survived the other winters with my usual complaining and gritting of teeth, and I'll probably withstand this one, too. What keeps me going is the vision of sunshine, green grass and budding trees. Strangely, though, the winters seem to drag on longer each year, and some people say it's the coming trend. They claim we're moving through a cycle and we're just returning to the way things used to be. If that's true, I am not cheered by the recollections of some of my family. Mom remembers that not too many years ago her flowers were nipped by frost in mid June. My uncle recalls more than one year in which frost made an appearance in every month, and my grandfather says his grandfather told him that he 'once saw, five weeks sleighing in June. You see, a skiff of snow fell one day in June, enough to run a sleigh on, and there was this family of five named Weeks... From. our -early files . • • • 5 YEARS AGO February 1, 1973 Nearly 250 Optimists and guests from a dozen Ontario clubs were present last Saturday night as the Optimist Club of Vanastra, Clinton received its charter at a banquet held in the former officers mess at Vanastra. About 60 residents of Vanastra (the former CFB Clinton) were told last week that they had nothing to worry about and to hold tight for a few months and their deeds would be through. Fred Ginn, a partner in Rodoma, which bought the former base from Crown Assets and disposal a year ago, told the meeting that Rodoma had met with many unfortunate dif- ficulties that had delayed the issuing of deeds to 'people who had purchased property or houses at Vanastra. The long wait is over. The by- election for' Huron County has been called for March 15 and a successor willbe named for C.S. MacNaughton, the Exeter man who retired from politics to spend more time with his family. Goderich will field three candidates in the upcoming nomination meetings. They are Bert Such for the Progressive Conservatives; John Lyndon for the Liberals;Paul Carroll for the New Democrats. Ed Bain, Independent Socialist says he's' "interested" but was not ready at presstime to iskue a statement. Fun and Fellowship night turned into "Surprise Night" for Dr. and Mrs. Andrew Mowatt at Wesley Willis Church last Sunday evening. Weeks of planning and preparations by many meet bers of the church culminated in an evening of humorous skits, bands, songs and presentations. Master of ceremonies, Garnett Harlarftl "surprised" the Mowatts by welcoming them to an evening in their honor; Laureen Craig and Randy Keyes presented them with corsages. 10 YEARS AGO February 1, 1968 Minor hockey players and supporters took over Clinton last weekend when wee wees, squirts, bantams and pee wees warred for two days on Centennial Arena ice. To kick off minor hockey weekend activities, Mayor Don Symons welcomed visiting players from Dearborn, Michigan and Clinton, N.Y. On both days 800 fans showed up to cheer young players. One of Clinton's most distinguished citizens has been honored for his valuable service to Canada. Adam James McMurray, 90, seven times mayor of Clinton was awarded the Centennial Medal by the federal government. Mary Wilson, 25, also known as Sister Marion was sentenced to a two-month jail term last week in Huron County magistrate's court for stealing $50. Earlier this month in Wood- stock, she and a man, John Wilson, 29, also known as Most Rev. J.W. Fredrick, were committed for trial on a fraud. charge after a preliminary hearing. The woman was arrested on the theft charge in November on a Seaforth stree'i 'shortly after $50 was stolen from a town bakery. Seventy farmers from Huron and Bruce Countries spent two days in Toronto touring the Canada Packers Limited plant. They also took part in discussions on recent developments and current problems in the livestock industry. In the group were Ralph Stevenson of Varna, Cliff Henderson of Brucefield, Percy Dalton and George Cantelon, both of Seaforth. 25 YEARS AGO February 5, 1953 Speaking to a capacity audience of over 1,000 persons in Clinton Lions Arena, Mayor W.J. Milier, with other officials voted his praise of the artificial ice program which culminated on the official opening last Wed- nesday night. Members and guests attending the first annual meeting of the Clinton Credit Union in St. Paul's Parish Hall on Thursday,' January 29, heard an address by the secretary -manager of one of the oldest and most successful credit unions in Western Ontario, Ed O'Dell, Corunna Credit Union, Lambton County. Heartiest congratulations to Bayfield's grand old couple Mr. and Mrs. George King who on Wednesday, February 4 marked their 62nd wedding anniversary. in their home yesterday af- 'ternoon they enjoyed greeting friends and relatives who called to offer congratulations. Mrs. King had a cut of tea and dainty refreshments for her caller§. She ‘Na',;Is'civ1e,1 by Mrs Flnyd Scotchmer, Mrs. J.B. Higgins, and Mrs.. R.J. Watson. Mrs. King had baked a batch of cookies for the occasion and then too, there was delicious Christmas cake in the making of which they'd both had a hand. The Kings have two daughters: Mrs. Fred (Lulu) Ritchie of Elmvale and Mrs. Muriel C. Hart of Toronto. Mr. and Mrs. Maynard Corrie, David and Martha spent a weekend recently in Marine City, Michigan. - 50 years ago February 2, 1928 For the first time in the history of Clinton, probably the county, or even a much larger area, a woman was given a semi - military funeral, when, with a flag -draped casket the remains of Nursing Sister Clara Ferguson were solemnly cePrried to this last resting place iri the Clinton Cemetery on Tuesday afternoon. After suffering ill health ever since she returned from service in France with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces, Nursing Sister Clara Ferguson died at the Christie Street Hospital, Toronto, late Saturday night. Born in Clinton Miss Ferguson was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. James Ferguson. Clinton is a progressive town in some -ways but it is very much behind times in. that it does not possess a town flag, or at least cannot fly one. On more than. one occasion on special holidays the News - Record has called attention to the fact that the ,town flag was not flown, only to he told by Chief Strong that the flag could not be flown owing to some defect in the pole. This has been going on for some time, a couple of years anyways, perhaps more. The town council has spent money for numerous things as the years have come and gone, why have they not supplied the town with a flag and'a pole on which it can be flown when occasion presents itself? The inspector of Kitchener Public Schools recently reporting on the work of Miss Eve Carter who is a memher.pf staff said, "Sh,e.. is new here, very pro`mnising, doing excellent work." Thus Clinton girls make good when they go out into the world. Stratford and Clinton Junior Hockey teams will play-off in Clinton tonight for group honors. 75 YEARS AGO February 5, 1903 In the New York Sunday World appeared among a group of leading "shooters," a photogravure of Mr. J.E. Can - telon of Clinton, who is regarded by experts as one of the best trap shots on this or the other side of the border. The opening chapters of the serial "The Golden Heart" are given in this issue of the News - Record. It is one of the best stories we have yet published. We understand that Mr. T. McAsh is about to open a large grocery, flour and feed store in Varna in connection with the post office. As he is a man of great push and energy- he will, no doubt, win a large custom, especially as Varna is fast becoming a great business centre. All we want now to make the town complete is a good shoemaker,, a tinsmith, a flour mill, an electric railway, a telephone and electric light system and a branch of a char- tered bank. Some of these things at least we look for in the near future. While shooting sparrows, a hired man on the farm of Mr. James Hamilton of Hullett Township shot a valuable colt. The animal came running past the corner of the barn just as he was in the act of shooting, hence the acciant. Dame Rumor says a young man will arrive shortly from the Northwest to take away one of our fair ladies, say from the 11th concession of Hullett Township. Particulars later. 100 YEARS AGO February 7, 1878 Clinton has 17 places in which steam is the motive power used in driving Machinery. The latest slang phrase is "you don't have to." . We hear a good many reports about gambling being carried out in several places in the town and in one place in particular it has become notorious as a resort for a number of youths whose parents, we are sure, would feel very much displeased were they aware of what was going on. We advise tramps to give this town wide berth, as we - un- derstand our authorities are determined to deal with them in a sharp summary manner. James L. Sheppard was re- appOinted bell ringer, salary, $70 a year. We are pleased to know that the family of Mr. John Brunsdon of Londesboro, lately afflicted with typhoid fever, are recovering. In Goderich Township, `the return for 1877 shows that there have been 50 births, 20 marriages and 20 deaths. What you think 114 I I I111 N I I I I I I I I I I 11111111111111111 1111111 I I I 111 i 111 1111 11111 11 I Conscience Dear Editor I•n the contributed editorial of January 26 Mr. MacDonald referred to the "respon- sibility of the Christian conscience" and concluded with: "Every citizen should make sure that the voice of conscience is heard in parliament and legislative assemblies." Christian conscience?? Twenty four of the 28 par- ticipants in World War I claimed to he Christian nations. The churches of Christendom had taken no courageous steps to prevent World War I. When the war ended November 11, 1918, victorious Great Britain ancher allies were interested in establishing . a peace arrangement with the conquered nations, besides dealing with the newly arisen Communist State in Russia. The end of the war found the churches disunited, needing to get reconciled and to become religious friends again; they had split into two great camps over the nationalistic war issues. According to the Treaty of London that had been signed on May 9, 1915, by Italy, Great Britain, France and Russia, "the Holy See was not to be permitted to intervene by diplomatic action in regard to peace or questions arising from the war." (Encyclopedia Americana, Vol. 17, 1928, p.633) The Treaty of- Versailles was ratified by the required national governments. in- volved October 13, 1919.- The Covenant of the League of Nations was made a part of that peace treaty. The churches of Christendom who had ac- tively backed that war in which church member fought against church member came out in favor of the proposed r eague ,of Nations. The Church " of England supported • the. League of, Nations inasmuch as its religious head was the King of Great Britain. the proposer and chief backer of the League of Nations. The churches of Canada, which held vows of alleg:ance to the Sovereign of Great Britain, also favored the. League. In the allied 'country of the United States of America there was the Federal Council' of the Churches of Christ in America. On November 18, 1918, it sent its adopted Declaration to the American president and urged him to work . for the League. The Declaration said, in part: "Such a League is not a mere political expedient: it is rather the political ex- pression of the Kingdom of God on earth. . . The Church can give a spirit of goodwill, without which no League of Nations can endure. . . Like the Gospel, its objective is "peace on earth. good will toward men." In recommending and supporting the League of Nations as "the political expression of the Kingdom of God on earth" where was their "Christian con- science"? When on trial for his life before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, in 33, Jesus said: "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If it did, my followers would be fighting to save me from arrest by the Jews My kingly authority comes from elsewhere." (John 18:36 New English Bible) When religious leaders condone homosexuality, extramarital relations, "the new morality" etc.. can the "Christian conscience" they advocate be depended upon as a safe guide: since the "political expression of the Kingdom of God on earth" went into the "abyss" in 1939? My Bible educated con- science says: NO. Sincerely yours C.F. Barney, Clinton News -Record readers are en- couraged to express their opinions in letters to the editor, however, such opinions do not necessarily represent the opinions of the News - Record. Pseudonyms may be used by' letter writers, but no letter will be published unless it can be verified by phone.