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PAGE SIXTEEN THE DAILY TIMES-GAZETTE . THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1948 British Recovery Given Big Fillip By Marshall Plan By JAMES McCOOK Canadian Press Staff Writer London, Dec. 23 -- (CP)--Britain got~her second wind in 1948's race for economic recovery. Despite dire predictions of hard- ship when Sir Stafford Cripps be- came Chancellor of the Exchequer late in 1947, and called the situa- tion grave, the new year with all its austerities soon gave consolation to government planners. Their programs were given scope and security by the assurance of assistance from the United States; and Britons themselves produced and sold more. Exports in: February were valued at £122,500,000 ($490,000,000), rising to peaks of £140,000,000 in July and October. The government said volume of exports should expand to 150 per cent of 1938 by the end of 1948. Volume in October was estimated at 142 per cent of 1938, compared with 138 per cent in the third quar- ter and 149 per cent in. July. Increased exports and stringent economy in imports brought the adverse balance of trade--the. ex- cess of imports over exports--down to £29,000,000 in October, £4,100,000 less than in September and the lowest figure since January, 1947. The -deficit in hard currency countries, including Canada and the United States, was at the rate of £270,000,000 annually in October compared with £630,000,000 in March, 1947. In nine months of 1948 imports from Canada were valued at £166,- 362,807 compared with £173,775,676 in the same period last year. Ex- ports to Canada in the same period this year were worth £49,591324 compared with £30,211,309 last year. Business with the Dominion in total was higher than that with the United States. Stern Rationing The housewife's difficulties were eased by the removal of potatoes, bread and jam from rationing. The domestic sugar ration was increased from 8 to 10 ounces weekly and the candy ration from 12 ounces to 16 monthly. But the bacon ration wavered between one and two ounces weekly, and stern rationing continued on most other major foodstuffs. Target production of the nation- alized coal industry was set at 211,000,000 tons for the year, 14,- 500,000 more than in 1947. Estimat- ed production was 208,000,000 tons, a disappointment to the govern- ment and industry. Prices were higher and complaints about qual- ity numerous. The nationalized electricity in- dustry continued to impose cuts on consumers as their generating equipment remained insufficient to meet growing demands. The na- tionalized railways completed their first year under 'public ownership, still short of adequate accommoda- tion for passengers at peak travel periods but aiming at improved services, The Commons gave second read- ing to a bill to bring the iron and steel industry under public owner- ship in the face of criticism from the Conservative opposition and industry. The government denied ownership of shares in the industry would interfere with production efficiengy demonstrated in recent years. Important contributions to na- tional economic security were made by agriculture during 1948. En- larged acreages of field crops yield- ed record crops in many districts in spite of weather setbacks. An abundant potato yield removed the danger of rationing being imposed. Capital Investment Up Even as she labored to increase overseas business, sometimes by the sale of capital equipment, Britain tried to increase her productive capacity. Capital investment in in- dustry in 1948 was estimated at £2,000,000,000 against £1,900,000,000 in 1947 and £1,550,000,000 in 1946, a result described by Cripps as bet- ter than government had expected. This investment in new industry or improvement of old plants was made possible by economy measures in many fields, aid given by the European Recovery Plan and steel production which was better than anticipated. The Chancellor praised British people for their production achieve- ments but warned there were indi- cations of a "flattening out of the curve of production, suggesting a slower rise in productivity per head of population than we are entitled to expect with the growth of mech- anization, Britons were not encouraged to think their lot would soon be easier, A four-year plan submitted to the Organization for European Eco- nomic Co-operation said Britain anticipated holding her standard of living about the present level with no increased investment in social service until industry has been mod- ernized and re-equipped. High taxation will continue to be used to cut spending power and keep inflation in check. A start was made in substantially reducing the number of government controls with announcement by the Board of Trade and Supply Minis- try that 200,000 permits and licenses issued annually no longer will be required by manufacturers. Increased feed production and im- ports allowed further restoration of flocks and herds depleted during the war and by severe winters thereafter. 50-Cent Levy On Licenses Toronto, Dec. 23 -- (CP)--A 50- cent levy will be applied to all motor vehicle and chauffeur licenses is- sued in Ontario next year. This decision was rearhed Wed- nesday by the Ontario Cabinet. The levy will bring in an estimated $575,000 next year which will be put into the unsatisfied judgments fund. : The fund, established by legisla- tion last spring, provides for pay- ment of damages to an injured person when a claim has been established and the driver is found to be financially irresponsible. License of the driver against whom the claim is made is can- celled until he has repaid the prov- ince and proved financial responsi- bility. It is estimated that $115,000 has already been paid out in claims and others are pending in the courts. The government made no levy on drivers this year when the legislation was passed. Carol Singing Is Traditional Christmas Activity N. Atlantic Countries Confident Washington, Dec. 23--(AP) -- The United States, Canada, Brit- ain, and four other powers were reported nearing agreement today on terms of the proposed new North Atlantic defence - treaty. Envoys went over a draft of the pact at a two-hour conference Wednesday with the acting Secre- tary of State, Robert A, Lovett. Speaking for the group, Frehch ambassador Henri Bonnet told re- porters only that "our lips are sealed." Diplomatic authorities said, how- ever, that barring an unexpected hitch the conferees should be pret- ty well agreed by this week-end, even if they have not completed the actual drafting. The treaty would bind the United States and Canada to support Western Eu- rope against aggression by any power. When negotiations were resum- ed early this month predictions were that a final draft probably would not be ready until well after the opening session of the new United States Congress. The trea- ty must be submitted to the Sen- ate for ratification. Informants said progress has been faster than looked for. One result is to lessen the like- lihood of"a more formal conference on the treaty. Other powers, in- cluding the Scandinavian countries and jJtaly, may be advised inform- ally of the progress already made and toldy that the drafting group would be glad to have their re- presentatives sit in for the finish- ing touches. Congressional leaders, including Senator Tom Connally (Dem, Tex.) who is scheduled to become chair- man of the Senate Foreign Rela- tions Committee, and Senator Ar- thur Vandenberg (Rep. Mich.) the present chairman, have Been kept advised meanwhile, . informants said. But a general Congressional preview is expected to come later. 'No hint has been forthcoming The old yet ever mew strains of familiar Christmas carols filled the Chapel of St. Andrew's College at Aurora as pupils, parents and friends filled the little building to join in the service held traditionally on the last Sunday before the school closes led the singing from the chancel. for Christmastide. The student choir --Globe and Mail Photo - Christmas Comes Early For Little Eskimo Girl Quebec, Dec. 23--(CP)--If tousle- haired Little Ear could read the pa- pers it probably would be wrong to tell why her first white-man's Christmas came early. But, since seven-year-old Eskimo girls can't, it seems all right to dis- close today that fourth grade child- ren at St. George's school were afraid Little Ear might not live long enough to see their Christmas gifts--a doll and clothes-- unless she got them right away. Little Ear, whose name in far- northern Frobisher Bay where she comes from is Seokti Api, has been in a Canadian government hospi- tal here for three months. Doctors are treating her bad case of tuberculosis but give no hope of recovery. 'Word of the case of Little Ear got to the eight and nine-year-old girls at St. George's and they launched their "Christmas project" for her. They bought a doll, made clothes for it, and packed them and a bas- ket of fruit. They felt there was no time to waste. So they got Suzanne Laurie, their courier to the hospital who was allowed once to look at Little Ear through a glass partition, to carry the parcels to the Rarc Sav- ard annex. Little Ear's nurse reports that the doll is what interests the sick child most. She is spending a lot of time dressing it, then.' changing one dress for another. From what medical superinten- dent J. M. Couillard says, it seems that Little Ear will live through Christmas though not nearly long enough to go back to Frobisher Bay. thus far on the proposed duration of the compact. In shaping their tentative draft this fall, members of the Western an union were reported to favor a 50-year alliance. At Wednesday's session, Britain, Canada, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands were represented by their ambassadors and Luxem- bourg by its minister. NOT YET London, Dec. 23 -- (AP) -- The Marquess of Milford-Haven, 29, flew back fro mthe United States Wed- nesday night and said, "I'm not get- ting married yet." He has been seen with Princess Margaret in London and Sharman Douglass, daughter of the United States ambassador to Britain in London and New York. LOTS OF BLOOD Theb lood in the human body weighs about one-twelfth or one- thirteenth the weight of the body. RESCUED WOMAN Anchorage, Alaska, Déc. 23.-- (AP) --An expectant mother, aboard an airplane forced down on a frozen Alaska lake, was rescued Wednes- day by a helicopter despite a rag- ing blizzard. The woman is Mrs. Frieda Johnson, wife of a Kenai homesteader, She was being flown to Anchorage aboard a Pacific Nor- thern Airlines plane when it was forced down Tuesday on a like. FLYING PARSON St. Thomas, Ont.,, Dec. 23-- (CP) --This city today has its own "flying parson." In examination held Wednesday in Toronto Rev. J. Frank Ward, pastor of Broder- ick Memorial Baptist Church, was successful in obtaining his private pilot's licence. Mr. Ward lost his left leg in 1944 while employed on highway construction on Manitou- lin Island while holding a student pastorate at Little Current. Irrigation Project Continues Lethbridge, Alta., Dec. 23--(CP)-- Winter has been unable to delay a $15,000,000 Southern Alberta irri- gation project expected to return fertility to 345,000 acres of semi- arid prairie and foothills land. The second major step in the vast St. Mary's-Mil Rivers irriga- tion system will get under way next month when construction begins on one of the key water tunnels. Already the muddy waters of the St. Mary's iver are gushing through a concrete-lined tunnel 20 feet in diameter. Nearby, workmen have been raising a huge dam. - The diversion tunnel--2,119 feet from portal to portal--was finished last summer and the dam which will create a reservoir for the sys- tem is about one-quarter completed. It will be ready sometime after the summer of 1950. In January, 1049, a Cdlgary con- 'struction firm--Assiniboia Engineer- ing Company--will begin work on another tunnel--17 feet in diame- ter and 2,500 feet long--which will distribute water to a far-flung net- work of irrigation ditches. There will be an assured water supply for the rolling land extend- ing 160 miles east to the Saskat- chewan-Alberta border. This area now supports between two to three persons a square mile but with irrigation it is expected to pro- vide for as many as 80 persons a square mile. Cost of construction of dams, re- servoirs, m@in canals and other structures is estimated at more than $7,000,000 and will be borne by the Federal government. FOUR INJURED Ottawa, Dec. 23--Four C.P.R. workmen were injured Wednesday when a scaffolding on which they were working collapsed, plunging them 20 feet to the ground. The four were members of a gang of six working to repair a Welling- ton Street viaduct on the west side of Ottawa when the accident oc- curred, Open Drive Against Reds In Asia © Singapore, Dec. 23.--(AP)-- An Anglo-American political drive to save Southeast. Asia from Commun- ism is getting quietly under way. Nobody says anything official about it yet. Qualified sources, less tight-lipped privately, give this pic- ture of the problems and show it is planned to meet them: . The. Anglo-Americans want to keep Communism from spreading from China into this area, which feeds vital raw materials into the world's trade marts. They do not want to lose these products of Ma- laya, Indonesia, Siam, Indo-China, Burma and British Burma. Conditions in these sectors are as dangerously disturbed today as they were in 1945. Communism thrives on unrest, so the Anglo-Americans want to stabilize the area and make it peaceful. For instance, they feared The Netherlands attack in Indonesia might drive the Nationalists into the arms of the Communists, and applied intense diplomatic pressure to keep the peace. The moderate Indonesian Nationalists up to now have warred openly with the Reds. The French and Viet-Nam Re- publicans are at dagger points in Indo-China, and this worries the Anglo-Americans too. Burma is in chaos, with Communist, non-Com- munist and tribal groups all in se- parate revolt. Malaya has a small Red rebellion on its hands. Siam has a troublesome 2,000 to 3,000 quasi-Communist bandits plaguing her southern frontier. Sources say the plan apparently embraces: 1. Support for moderate Nation- alists. Britain and the United States fear restoration of old-fash- foned colonial rule would create a false stability--if any--which would crumble quickly. 2. Diplomatic pressure is being exerted on France and The Nether- lands to think in .terms of recon- ciliation with Nationalists. 3. Secret orders have been issue ed for fuller exchange of informa= tion between Britons and Americans in equivalent diplomatic positions in southeast Asia. British officials already-have such orders, Americ- ans are expected to get somewhat similar ones shortly. Co-operation Big Factor Toronto, Dec. 23--(CP)--Contine ued co-operation by labor and ine dustry in arranging working schedules during week days will be an important factor in helping maintain present improved power supply conditions. This statement was made Wed- nesday by H. D. Rothwell, admin- istrative assistant of the 'Ontario Hydro-Electric Power Commission, who met a Brantford delegation representing labor and industry. The five-man delegation, headed by D. G. Hazleton, came to Toronto Wednesday to explore the possibile ity of returning to a regular Mone day-to-Friday working week. Many industries in Ontario have been working nights and week-ends during the province's power shorte age. In this way they do not use power at peak periods. Mr. Rothwell told the delegation that with the "fine" co-operation labor and industry were giving and ~ with present restrictions and con- tinued voluntary conservation, he believed - the commission could get through January at least without further power cut-offs. FIVE YEARS Brampton, Dec. 23--(CP)--Gor= don E. Bowes, 37, of Toronto was sentenced Wednesday to five years in penitentiary for theft of $2,553 worth of cigarets from a railway boxcar here last June. An uniden= tified man, Bowes' accomplice, has Sl S00 SUR SN I Sl lS In Bn SB Sa You're Invited To Join In The CAROL SINGING d g not been found, police said. LIMITED Tomorrow Morning (AT 8.30 A.M.) When the Choir from SALVATION ARMY will lead in the SINGING OF CAROL CHRISTMAS SONGS I =X oN Christmas Eve CAROL-PAGEANT > ALBER 3 at STREET UNITED CHURCH "The Church With a Challenge" [Corner Albert and Olive] ® Carols from all Countries ® Candlelight Procession ® The Nativity Scene @ Children at the Manger This Invitation Is Made Possible Through The Kind .R. CECIL 67 King St. E. UNITED TAXI AE 60 King st. E. jy 7 HENDERSON'S BOOK STORE yp. 18 King St. E. GILLARD CLEANIT SERVICE ' 92 Wolfe . DIXON 313 Albert BINT, INSURANCE 3 Phone 92 Pho one 403 50 Phone 142 Phone 758 COAL CO. LTD. Phone 262 124 Ki g E. 7.30 EVERYONE . . . Especially including the Children, Cordially Invited to attend this Impressive Annual Event! ® A SILVER Offering - For Others! WARD'S DEPARTMENT STORE Simcoe S. JURY & LOVELL LTD. 8 King E. Ph 28; 530 Simcoe S., Ph. 68 HILL-CORNISH ELECTRIC Prince v Phone F. M. ARMSTRONG & SON FUNERAL HOME Phone 982 Phone 341 HARRISON & KINSMAN, HARDWARE 337 Simcoe St. S. J COLLETTE BEAUTY SALON 141, King E. Phone 826 14 King E. 317 Simcoe S. 340 Albert St. 801 Ritson Rd. S. 2020 454 Simcoe St. S. Phone 2700 Co-ooperation Of . . FELT'S JEWELLERY Phone 990 CARSWELL'S CONFECTIONERY Phone 3711 SHEMILT GROCERIES & MEATS Phone 704 WILLIAMS & SINGER, FLORISTS Phone 4692 ARCADE DRY GOODS Phone 1062 \\E W@W / y N NA, NA GR NN =