Loading...
The Brussels Post, 1950-2-1, Page 7,. l�sa`s''i5i: Upstream filemesis By Richard dill Wilkinson John was only 29 and already life was bitter. Today, with the rain lasting hi his face, weft'.,, the newspapers before he could pass them to customers from beneath the oil skin covering, chilled to .hg, bone, envying those who filed into the subway entrance with their sleek, contented, well fed looks, he hated life, He hated people; hated the world, "Payparel Pas pare! Weathy society woman slays bus• band and runs off with suitor! W urtra l" I ' had been unkind to him. Life hadn't biven him the breaks, '!'hat's it. It was life's fault. Either you were born into the easy way, or you didn't have a chance. This stuff ' about fighting your way to the top, overcoming obstacles, being whooping, self-made success—Nutnt You can't fight when life is against you, when the crowd is way 1 ahead and throwing dust into r face. "Rich society woman knocks off her spouse! Buy a paypare, sit;" A thousand smackers! Hal Fat ohencel Not when the breaks were against you. A man was, a fool to try and buck the crowds when they were against him. Like that guy in the green hat, Look at him, trying to fight his way up those stairs, Didn't the dutubhead know that it was just after 5 o'clock and hun- dreds of people would be coining down the stairs on their way hems? "Hey, gimme a News," There was a man at John's elbow, looking im- patient and irritated. John jerked himself back to earth. "Sure. Evening News. Here you are, mister. Thanks, Papyarel Wux- tral Wux—" "Hi, Johnny! Look, you must have seen who did it, standing here like that. You had a view." Joint stopped abruptly. A shot had sounded above. the pounding of rasp and the' rumble of traffic. It came from the direction of the stairs. There was a stir, a wild scrambling, shrieks, curses. The sea of humanity eanle tumbling down, pausing, shrinking way, hor- rified, staring at something on the ground. John glimpsed the figure lying there, grotesquely sprawled across the steps. He heard the name of Silas Berry mentioned. Judge Silas Berry. "Hey, Newsy, how about a pa- per?" John turned. It was the man in the green hat. John felt his heart pound, then stand still, "Nice stand you got here, sonny. Must make a lot of dough. Must see at lot that happens, facing upstream like that, -Didn't happen to see what occurted just now at the elevator steps did you?" John gulped, "I heard a shot, What happened? Was somebody kilted? I didn't see a thing. I was selling a paper. Who do yuh sup- pose done it?" The cold light dimmed in the eyes of the loan with the green hat, He smiled, A siren sotutded, The crowd scattered. John saw Officer Mike Clancey elbowing his way towards him. "1Ti, Johnny! Look, you must have seen who did it, standing here like that, You had a view. You were the only one who did, facing up- stream like that, See who done it, Johnny?" Johnny glanced at the man in the green hat, The man's hand was in.' side his coat, "Sure," he said, "Sure, l slaw it all, It was that guy there," Then he jumped, He heard the muffled explosion of a revolver, saw Clancey leap, heard shouts end awa'uriug tool knew that other cops wcr, coming, Titen he heard more shots, Ile felt a stinging pain in his arm, .lie felt something hot running down inside his sleeve, Thine be- gan to r'eei, He knew he was faint- ing, Oificer Clancey was bending over „ bin, when be cane to, "You're alt right, !cid Jtist a scratch. And what a break. That was Moo Consoletti, He had threetened to get Old Silas, They're both dead, And you get the reward, kid, One thousand smack- ers! Js that a break or is that a brealri" "There are sways plenty of nice thing you could say about the nelghbonrs--hut the others arc more interesting. Gym Gems—Getting in shape for the "Miss Photoflash of 1950" contest are beauties Martha Lou Edwards, - swinging Indian clubs; Peggy Smith, on the retwing machine, and Jean Brooks, on bicycle. George Cooper, The Creator Spent 40 Years Building, Fixing In a wing of University College, close by the Soldiers' Tower and looking out on the Hoskin Avenue playing field, Is a quiet old-fashioned workshop. In the workshop for 30 years (and on the staff of the Uni- verslty of Toronto for 41) was quiet, competent George C. Cooper. George Cooper spent hie entire time buildingor fixing up different kinds of apparatus, He put together from scratch such varied items as snowplows and rat mazes. He made twenty electric clocks, before such were on the market. George Cooper's official titale was /technician," The words "technician" and "mechanician" are used inter- changeably to apply to men whose job it is to turn opt equipment for student labaratory use or for re- search or Just for the maintenance of University property. Usually tate objects are modelled on a sketch by a professor. They are the khtd of object that can't be purchased anywhere. Their fabrication requites ingenuity, and the ability of some- ' one who is an inventor every day of his life. Two major qualifications made George Cooper an outstanding tech- nician. First was his training, He served hie apprenticeship in a small shop in Gravenhuret, Ontario, where he' started by sweeping floors and helping the blacksmith. Gradually he started working in the machine shop and the general repair shop. He was, there for three years, The second qualification was a natural creative ability. During his first eleven years at the University, George Cooper was attached to the general maintenance staff. He fixed potato peelers and ice cream machines. He did innumer- able jobs for members of the aea- detnie staff. Dr, C, A. Chant, then head of astrophysics, wanted a min- iature set of planets to show rela- tive sizes, Cooper made them and mounted thetas ("the earth was is little wee thing"). He also made a 24 -inch celestial globe of brass wire, a complicated affair. He made the first snowplow used on University grounds, Year after year it was put to work bucking snow drifts until five or six inches had been worn off the boilerplate that Cooper had turned into the ac- tual blade of the plow, He also put together the first carts used for col- lecting leaves in the fall. Bit by bit, George Cooper's handiwork started popping up alt over the campus. He never' let himself get stale, "I've been a hind of student all through my life," he said a few' weeks ago. He took a correspon- dence course in machine design and mechanical engineering, and for two years he took mechanical drafting at a technical school. Meantime, he made keys ami locks and a rotary turntable for a copy of Venus de Milo, He cottstrttcted a large ma- chine for picking up display oases and moving them bodily to ano- ther part of the lvittseutn, When the first World War was underway, George Cooper entered one of the most constructive phases of his wont as 9 technician. Profes- sor E. A. Bott (then Captain Bott) had nine men working under him in Hart House, operating a.eivil res establishment centre' for veterans. Cooper was called in to eaostrect devices to help disabled veterans get over their disabilities. One of the things that Cooper made Is typical atthat or kind of work he did of the 17 time, Captain I3ott wanted an appa- ratus that would help veterans who had lost a leg melte use of the • slnnup as a preliminary to further rehabilitation, For Isiah Cooper:•bor- ed a hole in a large bowling ball. A cable could be attached to the stump from which hung a pin that could be inserted in the bowling ball and held by a spring attach- ment. The veteran could then swing the bowling ball, and let go of it at the strategic time—actually bowl- ing with the stump of his leg. A bowling alley was set up. The scheme was eminently successful, During the last war, George Coop- er constructed a recording device for R.C,A.F, Link Trainers. He also rigged up a swing which the air force used as au air test for recruits. The swing was operated by hand until Cooper powered it with elec- tricity. The twenty electric clocks that were a product of Cooper's talent were put together from bits and pieces, Only the dials and the hands were bought, The clocks were dis- tributed here and there in the Uni- versity There was a piaster clock and a big drum punched with 900 holes. Pints passed over the drum and settled in certain holes at cer- tain times which rang bells hi dif- ferent buildings. It was quite an operation, "Taking them all round, the clocks did pretty well," said.. Cooper modestly. The Cooper workshop was filled with machines he had set up him- self—machine and wood lathes, a milling machine, a planer, a band saw, amid drill presses. All this ma- chinery wag taken over by Jack Clark, who succeeded Cooper last ' June. During the thirty years he worked for the Department of Psychology, George Cooper became mildly inter- ested In the subject which was the basis of his labours. "I used to read certain books on psychology, but sometimes I don't think I learned a great deal," he commented. He made rat mazes and perimeters and most of the gadgets that fi11 the psy- chology laboratory in the Econo- mics Building on Moor Street, In recognition of his work, the Depart- ment of Psychology presented hien with a fine engraved gold watch when he retired, George Cooper had a true sense of humour. It would spurt out of him alt at once," a friend says, He was easy-going; people liked him, but he minded his own business, He lived a regulated but busy life, He liked going on motor tours with his wife, The Cooper's only son is a paymaster int the Toronto Police 1)epar'tmeut. 'Music was a dominant force in George Cooper's life. At 14 he played a bass horn iu a baud. Re played various instruments in bays' hands and later in regimental bands, "I can't claim any brilliance about my playing," he said, "but 1 man- aged to get away with it" IIs also enjoyed singing, Ile sang in the Na- tional Chorus and was a charter member of the Canadian Natianai Exhibition Chorus. "I don't know how many church choirs I've been in," he.remarked, His work made hiin a philosopher. From tints to time people would ask hint to make gadgets that he knew wouldn't work, Nevertheless he weird follow tate ideas of the ratan who gave bin» the job. Itut he would conte home to his wife and remark that he had been "plantiug ttte cabbage upside dm 11, and if it doesn't grow, well all right." -George Cooper's mechanical abil- ity w r5 evident when he was ,Doug. 11e made himself an ire boat and a pair of speed skates. The speed skates were 16 inches long, and deadly. They were designed along new -lines, and he won everything in sight with them. Thers used to be some hat disputes by speed skirting committees as to whether George Cooper should be allowed to use his dangerous new skates. Hut he not only- won the argument. most of the tiine, but also the race. Iie pctober 1949, a heart condition front which George Cooper had been suffering grew worse and he was . taken to hospital. On October 18th he passed away. —From The Varsity Graduate. True Chivalry At a dinner party the hostess, during a lull in the conversation, gave a loud and rasping hiccup. A Frenchman sitting by her, immedi- ately apologized as though he had committed the faux pas. When the women had left elle dining -romp an American asked the Frenchman why he had acted in this manner. ' "Alt, monsieur, we are a -chival- rous people," was the reply. "I saw that the lady was embarrassed, so I tried to turn ttie blame to my- self." Presently the nett joined the women, After a while the American found himself in conversation with his hostess in the middle of a group of guests. Suddenly the hostess hiccupped again. This tine the American turned to the guests and said: "Say, folks, this one's on mel" Old Bible Edition—Dr. Nelson Glueck, president .of the He- brew Union College holds the newest addition to the school's rare book collection. It is a "limited edition" of the Penta- teuch, the first five books of the Bible, which was printed 1842. Quickest way to balance the household budget would be for else neighbours to stop buying thinga we can't afford. Surrealist Exhibits Work—Salvator Dali, famous surrealist and Mystic painter, displays his painting of the Maclaine, which he showed to the Pope during a recent visit. Arriving in this country it short white ago Dail brottght four other paintings -10 exhibit • In New York. Winston's Come -Back A Brisbane ratan, who served as a young soldier in the Aldershot (:utu,iiand fifty years ago, told Aus- tralians this little-known story of Winston Churchill the other day: The ex -frontier was then a young subaltern, One clay, after travelling on duty, he submitted an out-of- pocket expenses account to the paymaster. Among the Items was 'Porter, two shilling.," The paymaster sent Churchill a ntetno, instructing him to use the word "porterage" in future and never 'patter. Churchill at once replied: "I have noted the contents of your memo. When hiring a cab, should I also itemize the expense as 'ca'bba•ge'? These Lady Drivers A woman drove into a eel•vice station to complain that her car was using up too much gas. The attendant pointed to the clinks levee which protruded from the dash. board. "Do you know what this Is for?" he asked, "Olt, that," said the woman airily. "I never use ii, so I keep it pulled out to hang my handbag on," The Annual eeting of Shareholders T' e Royal Bank of Canada Programme for Trade Recovery General Manager Calls for Exchange Stabilizer Reports Assets, Deposits Are Up Canada's reputation, achievement and strength offset anxieties caused by world conditions—development of resources, increased population and foreign trade needed A five point programme for world' recov'ry was a feature of James Muir's Presidential address at the Annual fleeting of shareholders of The Royal Bank of Canada, Mr, Muir also stressed Canada's econo- mic developin rat and her continuing role in world economy. Reviewing international currency experience during the 19th and 20th centuries, Mr, Muir referred to the stability of sterling before 1914. Several important factors contri- buted to the enduring dependability of the sterling standard. First, debtor nations accepted emachange parities which they were able to maintain through relatively small adjustments of prices and money incomes. Second, debtors were will- ing ,o accept the .discipline of the gold standard ' and to acquiesce, under the rule.. of that standard, in the price and income adjustments which their trading position re- quired, And third, the world's cre- ditor, Great Britain, made additional sterling available trough the vigor- ous international lending of her financial and business community and the free trade policy of her government. COMBINE PAST, PRESENT "In meeting any emergency we must combine the lessons of the past with inventiveness and imagination in the present, In the past, as in any relatively normal period, responsi- bility, for international economic stability was divided between the creditor and debtor countries of the world. But, in the period immedi- ately following the second world war the primary responsibility lay with the creditors; and in meeting this responsibility, the United States and Canada embarked on an unprecedented program of loans and gifts to the war-torn countries of Europe , , ." "The nations of Europe, through their own efforts and with the help of loans and gifts from abroad, have built up their production to the pre-war stand: rd. Further progress in production would be immensely beneficial, but the Immediate problem has be- come not production as such but efficient production, In other words, we are' back to normal times again in the sense that the old problems of competition in international trade, such as costs, prices, and salesman- ship, must once ntorebe .met. Under these conditions, we -still need the , inventiveness and imagination which have helped debtor and creditor countries 'by co-operative effort to progress as far as they have along the road to world recovery. But we need also to restore as nearly as we can the 'favorable economic environment that made international stability possible in the golden age of the sterling standard ..." THE CANADIAN ECONOMY Mr, Muir discussed the Canadian economy in 1949 under four main heads: "(1) Canada's reputation, (2) Canada's record, (3) Canada's weak- ness, and (4) Canada's strength. (1) Canada's Reputation, Mr. Muir pointed out that among foreign observers `Canada is at once the bulwark of free enterprise, and a model of wisdom of government regulation; the possessor of an admirable private banking system and ,1 the best practice in efficient Central Bank control: the strong- hold of a sound conservative tradi- tion and the home of interesting experiments 10 political and econ- omic order.'t" "Wedonhave to be too modest, at least among ourselves. We can spare ourselves an inferiority com- plex and the abnormal national behavior to which it may give rise. As a nation, we have accomplished much; not all of it is good, but the power for good is there; and in 1949, as in previous years, our good repute is, in large measure, attported by our record," (2) Canada's Record, Mr, Muir briefly summarized Canadian busi- ness conditions in 1949, The year saw "a farther increase in Canada's industrial plant and equipment the maintenance of the high levels of consumption attained in 1948, and the over-all expansion of the net and gross national product beyond the record levels of a year ago, He noted too that "Canada is one of the few countries today that can still boast a substantial budget surplus, This not only contributes to stability, but it turns prosperity to good account by improving the credit of the government" ($) Canada's Weakneae, Mr. Muir referred in sortie detail to Canada's export position and her vulnerability to the current unbalance in inter- national markets. After sutmlar- laiieg Canada's trade in 1949, two malt conclusions were stressed: "First, our over-all surplus with the world is dwindlhtg; cud, second, our direct earnings of dollars Through exports to the united States is be- coming relatively more important PRESIDENT ADVOCATES FIVE STEPS TOWARD WORLD TRADE REVIVAL Devaluation has at least broken the log jam; but we must take immediate ad antage of this initial break in the barriers to trade which have been thrown up by overvalued exchange rates end rigidly held in place by government controls. The steps, in my opinion, are as follows: First, nations of the world should re -learn a basic lesson of the first world war, and settle their war debts , , ,. Second, for a certain fixed period, we should let the market determine rates of exchange, as it did immediately after the first world war .. Third, at the end of this period of free-market valuation, we should stabilize currencies by reference to the rates which the free-market has determined . . Fourth, having stabilized ex- change rates at the level decreed by the free market, the world must adopt some device to keep them that way . . . The gold standard kept nations within their means before the days of the great illusion that inter- national equilibrium. can only be achieved by clatnpiag the fetters of exchange control upon free international trade , .. , Fifth, the gold standard (or its equivalent) must be made to work by the proper discipline not only of debtor, but of creditor nations as well. This means a return to the two basic require- ments of responsible creditor nations: vigorous international lending and free trade. than our indirect earnings of dollars through trade with U,S,financed Europe," Mr. Muir referred to the danger of losing established markets in Europe but "cite continued failure of our overseas customers to earn sufficient dollars, through trade and investment rather than through gifts front the dollar area may force us to realign our trade. That is, we may have to contemplate the con- traction of traditional markets in Europe offset to some degree by increased sales to the dollar area," "The least transferable of our major exports overseas are wheat and wheat flour," In this case, he pointed out, "shifting is difficult owing to large exportable surpluses of these products within the United States, To finance wheat. exports through new loans to the United Kingdom would mean a return to our lending policy of 1945-46 and a return to our dollar -short position of 1947." "The most favorable development in our world trade would be an increase in our imports from Europe and especially from the United Kingdon, or increased dollar earn- ings by these countries in their trade with the United States." "To attempt this shift through further curbs on imports from the United States would be a move backward to more rigid exchange controls with all the disadvap• tages of such a move for ourselves and for the world economy. For- tunately, the recent devaluations have provided some incentive for precisely the shift we have in mind without at increase in controls , : "The plain truth is that Canada's domestic prosperity depends upon our handling of n complicated foreign -trade problem, And in the final analysis both our domestic prosperity and the future of world trade itself will depend tool, a con,erted international effort by all nations to return along the path we outlined earlier; that is, along the path to multilateral world trade unhampered by exchange t satric- tions, bilateral pacts, and all the para- phernalia of government control," (4) Canada's Strength. "It is re- freshing to turn from Canada's difficulties in the next few months to her prospects over tl.c next few years, or better stili over` the next decade and many more to come. We have the essential' elements that need only a little time to bring', about an enormous increase in our national wealth. These sources of economic strength are our as -I turn! resources pad the temper of our people. "Canada's scarcest natural re- source is her working population. Here, as with our forests, trines attd oil telds, we must prectise conser- vation through the Wlse and econo- ruical We of what we have. .But to patstlul our new discoveries and to ensure their ffitl and of icietit use we nutrinita'k on it bold policy of immigration, Itt this way we- Can itterease tate rtuatttlty of the Mr. T, H. Atkinson, General Maori ger, reviewed the 1949 Annual Report and stated that the bank's as- sets had risen by $112,498,000 during the year to $2,334,985,000 and that liquid assets constituted 76.27% of the total liabilities to the public. Commercial loans had also in- creased, Mr; Atkinson reported deposits at a new all-time high of $2,192,140,000, an amount two -and - a -half times that of 9 years ago. The number of deposit amounts totalled nearly 2,000,000, which in - eluded more than 1,500,000 savings accounts in Canada, An increase of $1,400,810 in profits over the previous year was noted by Mr. Atkinson and after providing for the customary deductions. includ- ng taxes of $4,435,000 and divl- denc; for shareholders, there was a carry forward in Profit and Loss Account of $3,860,313. IMPROVED FACILITIES Referring to the provision of new premises, Mr. Atkinson said: "Since our last report eleven new branch offices have been constructed at points where facilities were inade- quate and where extension of exist- ing premises was impracticable, and at forty-six other points improve- ments and extensions of a major character have been completed .. . In order to better serve the publle in districts which are expanding we opened twelve branches and six sub -branches in Canada. At the year- nd we were operating 665 branches in Canada and 62 abroad." SERVICE TO TRADERS Mr. Atkinson streased .the rote played by the Royal Bank's 62 branches abroad in facilitating for- eign trade, "For well over a quarter of a century we have operated an extensive chain of our own branches in foreign countries; in fact, at certain points we have been esta- blished for over half a century, and as at November 30, 1949, we had 62 offices which included representa- tion in the key cities of the major South American Republics, through- out the Caribbean area and, a€ course, we are established in Lon- don, England, and New York City, and our affiliate operates in Parts, France . . "The widespread chain of branches coupled with our extensive corres- pondent relations throughout the world serves as a constant source of statistical and other information including import and exchange re- gulations which otherwise might not be readily available to us, and our central bureau in Head •f1ice is thus in a position to give up- to-date and complete information to Canadian companies and others having under consideration establish- ing business relations with clients abroad. We firmly believe that through helpful information given to Canadian businessmen our for- eign organization will continue to serve a most useful purpose to Canada in the development of markets abroad for surplus goods." PROUD OF STAFF A warm tribute to t:.e bank staff was paid by Mr. Atkinson, "There's nothing this Bank ss prouder of than the quality of its personnel. Within every officer, I believe, there is a fine sense of pride in this great institution—pride not only in its achievements and its pre-etusncnt pla-e in Canadian and world banks ing, but pride, too, in its being a good plate to work, The execu- tive, supervisors and branch ttlanta- gers have all travelled the long road of apprenticeship within the Bank; they talk the sante language as the young people who are fol- lowing tate sante route, and they are united in trying to .take working conditions as pleasant as possible ..." one resource that is in short supply. In this way we can remove the one factor that sets a present limit to tate growth of our natural wealth. Against this prospect the few hun- dred millions of U,S. dollars that measure our present dollar diffi- culties pale to insignificance." "This prospect of economic inde- pendence does not mean a reduction in trade. We do not have to turn our backs on the interdependence of nations that accompanies inter- , :tional commerce. Trade among independent, industrially developed countries is the most profitable trade of all. The world is gradu- ally moving away front trade be- tween industrialized countries and under -developed areas, away from trade that requires colonial depetns deuce, to trade among 'industrial equals. And in this evolution of world economy, Canada is at present leading the way." In t' ' development of Canada's natural resources, their use by a larger population, and the excitant of her increased industrial output in "art, expanding and enriched foreign. trade," Mr. Muir saw '!sat effecti guarantee that Canada shall achieve an assured and pre. eminent pdape in the economy of seat#oats .