The Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-04-22, Page 5GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, APRIL, 22, 1987 PAGE'. 5
Docto spe
Dear Editor,
At a recent dinner of the Huron County
Medical. Society, the guest speaker, Dr.
John Thompson of London outlined some
startling facts about nuclear weapons. I
would like to share some of them with your
readers.
There are enough nuclear weapons in
storage today to create an explosion like
that at Hiroshima every minute for the next
five years; these weapons contain explosive
power equivalent to four tons of TNT for
every human being on earth.
Every North American city with a popula-
tior over 50,000 is targeted.
Although the United States, and the Soviet
Union both claim that they would not be the
first to use nuclear weapons, an "acciden-
tal" nuclear war is still very possible. The
tense •Soviet -American relationship
creates mutual suspicion. A misinterpreta-
tion of events or a computer error eould lead
to a nuclear disaster.
The destructive power of a nuclear
weapon is awesome.. Fifty percent of its
energy iS in the form of a blast approx-
imating 20 pounds per square inch, powerful
enough to crush steel reinforceddeebjects. A
dynamic blast force generating winds up to
160 miles per hour (255 km per hour) accom-
panies this reaction. Thirty percent of the
energy is thermal. The temperature at the
center of the explosion can be up to 50
million degrees Celsius, while on the surface
of the ball of fire the temperature is five
thousand degrees. The remaining harmful
energy, is in the form of radiation. I.f one is
exposed to very high levels of radiation,
death occurs within hours: Weaker doses of
radiation cause various forms of health
ks out a ei:T st ms
LETTERS
problems.
The explosion of a one megaton bomb is
sufficient to cause death in 98 percent of the
population within a one -mile radius. All
.buildings in this area would be levelled.
Within a radius of three miles, 50 percent of
the population would die instantly and the
remainder would suffer severe injuries
causing death to many within a few weeks.
All buildings, except steel reinforced ones,
would be destroyed. In a five to ten mile
radius a smaller percentage would die but
most people would suffer serious injuries.
Ninety percent of frame houses would be
flattened.
Radiation fallout would affect areas far-
ther away.
Dust and smoke from nuclear explosions
could result in a climatic change called
"nuclear winter". Most of the s.un's rays
would be blocked leading to a drop in
temperature, sufficient to cause, among
other problems, elimination of all grain
crops in Canada.
Following an atomic war, there would
really be very little medical help because
there would probably be very few doctors,
nurses and hospitals. There would be no
water., no electricity, no communication and
no transportation facilities.
From the viewpoint of physicians, nuclear
weapons pose a great health hazard today.
Nuclear weapon testing accounts for 85-90
percent of all.the nuclear wastes while the
peaceful use of -nuclear power produces
Awards banquet to honor
extraordinary c u n
Extraordinary people - that is who will Twenty•Ttfiree students were presented
be honoured at the Second Annual Ex- with framed certificates and Excellence in
cellence in Education Awards Banquet at Education pens before their parents and'
the Goderich Township Hall on April 29. the community. Eleven teachers from. the
•six secondary schools were honoured for
The Awards evening is .co-sponsored by their contributions to the school eriviron-
the Huron County .Board.of Education and ment beyond the. classroom ° and for
District 45 of the Ontario Secondary School Federation and community involvement.
Teacher's Federation. Students, teachers Finally, six 'community representatives
and community representatives who have were recognized for their contributions,
been nominated for their special contri•bu- , which ranged from donating' many
tions to each of the -secondary schools in . volumes for a.'school's library to. assisting
1-luron County will be recognized. , in music programs.
The idea of acknowledging individuals Members of the public, are invited to at-
for their contribution to the excellence ,in tend this year's awards banquet. Tickets
education began at last year's banquet. may be purchased at your local high
About 200 people were in attendance. school from the principal for $10,00 each.
1s4 Ah91VU L 9(irJSMEPJ.
Sportsman
Dinner
Tuesday, May 12, 1987
'Goderich Arena at 5:30 p.m.
Tentative Guests
Marty Springstead American League Umpire in Chief
Leo Loucks - Professional Kick `» oxer
"ice Cube" McNeil - Cleveland Browns
Dave Wall - Ontario Harness Driver
plus many more.
Tickets Available
from any Kinsmen Member.
THE ALL NEW MAZDA SE -5
IT G YOU
TTHE OFHERS
YOU PAY FOR.
Here's a truck that's an amazing combination of sporty good looks and
outstanding value It comes equipped with While Raised Lettered Radials
on White Spoke Wheels, Sport Stripping. Rear Step Bumper, Cloth Seats
and Oversized Dual Sport Mirrors All standard features at a phce that's
close to what you pay for the com-
petitor's base model You also get
• 1,400 lbs Payload, Power
Assisted Brakes and the Best War-
ranty in the Business it's lust
about the best truck value -you'll
find but quantities are limited Call
today'
$9,39
•wnnamm-t,,ervn, man rare, gra p...wa an Ireng nngb. fob" ,ret pew mat,
rtpir am ,_ kAv/tn r 1 WNW., man may WA b. ,•,a rvm IIn m q
rnvq•.nmr.n'M.••,mnmsmt11me‘a47....d On," .waw
PrMkMa nhw•rt,nm
M W M TORS LTD.
184 EAST STmr GOUE*ICH 5244113
sera, Servlce, Pmts, Le FttJ
10-15 percent. Fear of nuclear war can cause
a deterioration in one's mental. health
especially among high school students.
Theylanhfear of nuclear war as one of their
top concerns, second only to the well-being
of their parents. Money spent on arms race
in one hour is sufficient to eradicate
smallpox from this earth in a ten-year
period. Four days of spending on arms will
control malaria world-wide.
An increasing number of Canadian doc-
tors are joining a nation-wide organization
called Canadian Physician for the Preven-
tion of Nuclear War. This organization is a
part of a world-wide body called Interna-
tional Physicians fOr the Prevention of
Nuclear War, which now has some 150,000
members from 49 countries.
We can all help to increase public
awareness of the horrors of nuclear
weapons. Concerned individuals and institu-
tions have to speak out. The public should
exert strong and continuous pressure on
their politicians to negotiate an agreement
to end the build-up of nuclear arms. The
Western leaders need to be encouraged to
match the Soviet example of a moratorium.
on nuclear weapon testing.
• One way the concerned citizen can help is
to write their MP or the Prime Minister, c/o
Parliament Hill, Ottawa. (no postage need-
ed). Another way iS to join a group devoted
to the peace process. Two such organiza-
tions are Project Ploughshare and operation
Dismantle, but there are many more. If
enough concerned citizens speak out, I
believe we can make a difference.
Sincerely
Charlton Chan M.D.
Wants to locate
war memorials
Dear Editor:
I am writing your newspaper to ask your
readers for help in locating and identifying
war memorialsin the Southwestern Ontario
region.
In the category of war memorials I am in-
cluding, monuments,' plaques, parks, honor
rolls and anything related to the military
history of our country. I plan to compile this
information into an index of monuments for
our area, with the intention of publishing'
this information.
Any one having information which could
help me in my task is asked to write to the
'1st Hussars Museum, 399 Ridout St. N., Lon-
don, Ontario,N6A 2P1. '
Yours truly,
Alastair L. N
Can
7
sho
a p hey.f
Dear Editor:
I 'cannot agree with recent flowery
statements marking the 70th anniversary of
Vimy,Ridge which attribute our "coming of
age" and "emergence as a nation" with this
battle. I prefer to think we could have
achieved our nationhood without the
senseless slaughter of 3,200 young
Canadians.
By WWI standards,, Vimy Ridge was a
minor skirmish. Verdun and 'The Somme
chalked up a total of over 2,100,000
casualties. On opening day of The Somme,
65,000 British soldiers were killed.
This rhetoric and bombast brings to mind
the glorification of war my generation was
exposed to during high school and cadet
corps days of the 30's. True casualty figures
from the recent massacre were just starting
'to filter through (8,418,000 military deaths
plus 1,300,000 civilian casualties) and many'
of us. were beginning to question, the myth of
British imperialism, the fable that the war
had been fought to end all wars and to make
the world safe for democracy, and that God,
of course, .was on our. side. I recall one
esteemed history professor,.a survivor of
the Somme, calling the war "just another
European power struggle - the brawling of
demented apes that religious and political
progaganda had crazed by working on their
intolerable guilt."
• Soldiers fight and die because they are
there. Firing squads and court martials help
persuade the hesitant to go "over the top".
Extra rum -rations and the high -blown
oratory troops were exposed to just before
battle undoubtedly helped. One speech by
,Sir Arthur Currie, C. in C. of Canadian
Forces, should surfice: "Where Canadian •
r
pt
ity
LETTERS
forces are engaged there can be no giving
way. Under orders of your beloved officers
in the corning battle you will advance or fall
where you stand, facing the enemy. 'I'o those
who fall I say you will not die but pass into
.immortality. Your mothers will not lament
your fate but will be proud to have born such
sons. Your names will be revered forever by
your grateful country and God will take you
onto himself. t Politicians and the War 1914 -
'15 Lord Beverbrook) .. I doubt if even
Ronald Reagan has e.ver soared to such
heights on wings of purple prose' .
Germany, widely and erroneously thought
to be the instigator of WW I, was directly
responsible for WW II. Her growing
militarism should and could have' been
halted in the 30's by world opinion and..a
strong League of Nations.
Today we. see a chilling similarity as a
U.S. president 'squanders billions on an in:
sane and provacative "Star Wars" project
while selling his "winable limited nuclear
war" and "first strike" philosophy to a
gullible and• gungho nation that 'elected hint
with a record majority.
To salvage any respect we may have with
the rest of the world, Canada must divorce
herself .from Reagan's madness, get dut of
NATO and Norad-type alliances, adopt and
maintain a Swiss or Swedish policy of strict
neutrality.
• Signed:
1.1.C. Hindmarsh) • '
Man searches for former
NHL ..layer from oderi
Dear Editor: 1926 and may still have some family or
I am writing with the hope You .will .be able --.friends i,n the Goderich area who may, know
to assist me with my hockey project and in where'`he is now living.' I would like to write
this search. For some years now, I have to him and ask for his' autograph for my
been sending out letters in trying to obtain sons, Danny and Allan. .
the signatures of hockey ' players of years Any assistance •you or your readers could
gone by: give me in this matter would be deeply
• The signatures that I recei,e are then appreciated. '
entered into albums along with` the photo Sincerely
and any available statistics on each in- ...Roger J. Proulx
dividual that' I could reach. 655 Annette St,.
The man I am trying to locate, or his fami Toronto, Ontario
ly, is Albert Desbury, who was born April 12, M6S 2C7
•
Look for this tag on
Specially Marked Trees
and you could receive
savings 50
up % Off
to...
Regular
Price
Mint Julep Junipers
Old Gold Junipers
Skyrocket Junipers
Mugho Pine
Emerald Cedar
Euonomous-
Tam Junipers
10.00 ALSO.,.
10.00 Hanging Baskets..........10.00
10.00 Golden Mock Orange....10.00
10.00 American Cranberry 10.00
10.00 Serviceberry 10.00
10.00 Yellow Twigged Dogwood 10.00
10.00 Also, Other Selected Trees10.00
160
PnODUCE: FRESH ASPARAGUS & RHUBARB WOW BEING_P_IOXC_
Hwy. 8, IA mile East of Benmlller Rd.
Please phone 524-6363
Lesley Zoiob, Manager
-Js - -
N4 -}
4