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' OPINIONS DA FEATURES - ---- THE DAILY TIMES-GAZETT OSHAWA WHITBY TJ4E OSHAWA TIMES (Established 1871) THE WHITBY GAZETTE AND CHRONICLE (Established 1863) MEMBER OF THE CANADIAN PRESS The Canadian Press 1s exclusively 'entitled to the use for republication of all news despatches credited to it or to The. Associated Press or Reuters in this paper and also the local news published therein. All rights of republicatior of special despatches herein are also reserved. The Times-Gazette is 8 member of the Canadian Dally News- papers Association, the Ontario Provincial Dailies Association, and the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Net Paid Circulation Average Per Issue 7 ' v4 Q - JANUARY, 1948 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1948 Ambassadors For Oshawa LY TIMES-CAZETTE EDITORIAL PAGE By HAROLD DINGMAN Ottawa Correspondent Ottawa, Feb. 7--Out in the Social Credit province of Alberta there's a pleasant, fussy little man named Harold L. Weir who intends no of- fense to any man. A grey, friendly man who writes for the editorial page of the Edmonton Bulletin. Mr, Weir pecks at his typewriter under the guns, so to speak, of the politi- cal fanatics who rule his province, "Facing The Music" U.S. Will Deport Eisler's Brother New York, Feb. 7 --AP--Depor- tation proceedings against Hans Eisler, motion picture song writer, were concluded in les than half an hour Friday and a government spokesman indicated he might be out of the United States by Feb. 28 Eisler /is a brother of Gerhart Eisler, described by a House of Re- presentatives committee as Ameri- .ca's "No, 1 Communist." Hans Eisler offered no defence at the immigration service hearing. John Boyd, executive assistant to the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization, was asked if the proceedings would interfere with a concert of Eisler's musie here scheduled for Feb. 28. "It is quite possible he may not be in the United States then," Boyd replied. ; Magnate (to hard-up suitor) -- "Young man, do you know how I made my money?" Young Men -- "Yes, but I can't permit that to stand in the way of Muriel's happiness." One morning in the week ending January 31 Mr, Weir shocked the pants off his colleagues in the news. | paper business. "There has been," cried Mr. Weir | It must have been with a feeling of gratification that residents of Oshawa and district learned recently of the de- cision of the executive of the Oshawa Skating Club to again hold the club's annual Ice Frolics. The Frolics have become | almost an institution and are looked forward to from one year to another with great anticipation not only by the members of the club but by lovers of skating and pageantry. The Frolics have been the means of bringing to Oshawa many of the top ranging stars of the skating world, most prominent of whom was Barbara Ann Scott, of the Minto Club in Ottawa, who recently repeated her achievement of winning the European Figure Skating title and adding the Olympic crown--a goal which she set her heart on winning when she first started to skate. The loca! club numbers among its membership many | children. as well as adults, all of whom are learning to de- | velop latent talents and the poise which will stand them in | good stead in after life. Not a-few have won medals, awarded following rigid tests, by the provincial governing body which | speaks volume for the able coaching members of the club | receive. Skating is also a muscle builder and the exercise it | provides contributes to good health. | However, the Oshawa Skating Club members have done | more than practice and present their annual show. For some years past, the club has been much in demand for carnivals in outside centres. This year, for instance, the club has pre- | sented a show at Bobcaygeon and will subsequently appear | at Trenton and Cannington. In this way, the club is not only | carrying the banner of figure skating to the smaller com- munities but at the same time building up goodwill for itself | and Oshawa. i Stiffer Driving Tests Following Highways Minister George Doucett's an- nouncement of his 1948 traffic safety program many compli- mentary remarks were heard. There was, however, one omission which The Times-Gazette advocated some time ago which we still-believe should have been included. We refer | to the need for the stiffening of tests for applicants seeking driving licenses. . : Commenting on this subject, the Ottawa Journal points out that the modern automobile or truck, a "ton and one- half or more of hard steel and glass and capable of speeds better than a mile a minute, is today placed in the hands of almost anybody who can push a pedal and shift a gear. The mental capacity of the driver, his ability to react swiftly to situations and his actual physical condition are ignored. It is practically taken for granted that the right to drive a car at | will is something that belongs to all." "The province collects a fee each year, issues a license | to drive. That license is presumed to be a certificate of capa- bility, but actualy it is nothing of the kind. The drivers' | licenses issued today are little more than another means of | raising provincial revenue. For new drivers the examination | is largely a formality concentrating wholly on the ability of | the applicant to handle the vehicle, with little or no regard | for mental or physical condition or the applicant's sense of responsibility. The operator of a stationary engine used in construction has to pass more severe tests, yet it is not a potential danger to nearly so many persons. The vast major- ity of drivers' licenses are renewed each year simply on pay- ment of a fee. If the human factor has a bearing on' most automobile accidents, and the experts agree this is so, then the province bears a direct responsibility through the indis- criminate issuance of licenses to drive." Handle Coal Carefully There are so many things which seem so unnecessary to say at times and yet by virtue of its daily service, the newspaper is the most certain medium to bring people up garply with constant reminders and appeals for safety. Perhaps at no other season than in this cold period of Janu- ary and February each year, is coal gas a more essential subject. Not so long ago, seven people lost their lives in scattered communities throughout Canada. In recent weeks, news- paper stories have been frequent of the wonderful devotion of cats and dogs which have, whined and licked their masters' faces, barked and ran to bring neighbors to the rescue as the silent slayer, coal gas, crept throughout the house and noise- lessly threatened human life. ' In your haste, don't rush off and leave your furnace drafts shut off before the gas has been burned completely. Don't rush this job or you will never rush again. Be careful to let your fire burn up properly. Stand back when you open your fire so the pent-up gases in the furnaces De do not explode abruptly; singe you or catch your clothes on fire. Learn how to handle your furnace' And when you have learned that, learn how to handle it carefully. There is noth- in more deadly, more silent or more capable of seeping into your home and destroying its occupants. Don't play with that furnace. Use it wisely. Coal gas is a cousin of fire,/ an obedient servant but a terrible master. | tions currently before the Edmonton | and-editors story said the cops had | since he had written 'ing about that fellow Diefenbaker in a three.column spread; "a spate | of wild-eyed poppcock about the freedom of the press being on trial in the child welfare conspiracy ac. courts. Personally, I can see noth. ing about the freedom of the press in these charges." It was something about some lit- tle-known magazine published in Toronto, the name of which escapes me, Anyway, as Mr. Wéir said, the magazine was before the courts. Was Mr. Weir in that hazardous le. gal status known as "sub judice"? Mr. Weir, of course, didn't have to worty, Mr. Lucien Maynard would not pursue him with his legal wolf- hounds. Mr: Maynard is the attor- ney general out in that province and if his knowledge of the law is not profound, at least it is experi. mental. Mr, Maynard will usually try something new. "Good journalism," said Mr. Weir's essay, "will behave with taste, respect authentic privacy and print all the news, not as something for sale, but as something the pub- lic is entitled to have. It is impos- sible, therefore, that the freedom of the press should be on trial in this or any other court action." You see, Mr. Maynard? Nothing really subjudice there, Mr. Weir couldn't possibly have been talking about the court case he said he was talking about. Nothing in that case to which the public had any right. However, in the next issue of an Alberta newspaper delivered to Mr. Weir's desk there was some horren. dous story about some policemen fleeing with some documents from some publishing house. This cops- no warrant. Tsk. Naughty. So that day we called on Mr. Weir in his office. In our right hand pocket we had his essay which he had entitled "Freedom of the Press", In our left hand pocket we had the story about the cops raid. ing an editor's office. Was there anything, we asked Editor Weir, that had hoppened 'Freedom of the Press" which might alter his opinions about cops, editors, war- rants, freedome, etc.? Mr. Weir smiled. He looked at the clipping, which we laid in front of him, looked out the window, looked at us, and sald he was talk- who wanted a Bill of Rights and wanted a national charter and all sorts of things. He didn't want a li. cense, said Mr. Weir, for his news- paper. (Diefenbaker, to our knowl- edge never suggested a license for anything, but Diefenbaker can pro. bably answer for himself.) From our left pocket we produced the story about the cops and laid it in front of Mr. Weir. Mr. Weir coughed a moment and after a struggle looked at the clipping. "If I had seen that," he said, pointing with his finger, "I wouldn't have written that." He pointed to "Free. dom of the Press". Mr, Weir thereupon proceeded to tell us about the Social Credit gov- ernment. Nothing he could really prove, he said, but things about which he was morally certain. ° Mr. Weir, as we said, lives under the guns of the Social Creditors. Ssh! "The primary function of the press is to inform the publi¢," sald Mr. Weir's essay, still lying there on Mr, Weir's desk. "It informs the public by printing all the news it can in decency print and by offering intelligent interpretation and back. ground of that news." Ssh!Ssh! Hush! ® 50 Years Ago J J. P. Owens was elected presi- dent of the newly-formed Young Conservative Club. Others chosen on 'the executive included: John Derry, first vice-president; A. Wil- liams, second vice-president; Fred Hare, recording secretary; John T. Goyne, corresponding secretary; George Burt, treasurer. Noticing that three of the biggest advertisers in the Cannington "Gleanc: we:e still romoting Christi gcods, the Vindicator commented tartly: "Surely it is time for a change." A special ceremony was to be held February 8 when Rev. James Hodges would be inducted into the pastorate of the Oshawa Presby- terian Church. Moderator Rev. R. M. Phalen, of Blackstock, was scheduled to conduct the services and Rev. J, Abraham, of Whitby, was to deliver the sermon. Benjamin Howard, of Cedar Dale, said he could lay claim to ing the youngest Canadian. ever to serve in the British Navy dur- ing. hostilities with Russia. He saw service aboard ships in the Baltic and Black seas at 14 years of age. "Who can beat this?" asked the Vindicator. John A. McGillivray, of Toronto, a former resident of Ontario County, was elected President of the Dorset-Horn Sheep Breeders' Association at the organization's seventh annual meeting in Cleve. land, O --Vicky in The Daily News-Chronicle (London) Time for Decision BY GEORGE W. JAMES The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, Ont. New Series, Article 13 The first section of this series of articles contained 35 briefs out- lining the general course taken by the Liberal government during its present term of office, including both war and peace, together with many opinions expressed by party stalwarts which condemned much of the course pursued. Facts have been assembled in this new series supporting the criticism thus pro- jected. It has been left largely to Liberals to try to set the party straight. Senator Roebuck Speaks Now having dealt at some length with facts and figures showing the spurious nature of the govern- ment's claim that Canada is ex- periencing great prosperity we bring another Liberal witness into the discussion. Senator Arthdr W. Roebuck, former Liberal cabinet minister in the Ontario government and later a Liberal M.P. at Ottawa, is considered one of the staunchest Liberals in the whole of Canada and has been a firm supporter of Prime Minister King. Restore Business Freedom Speaking in the Senate, Dec. 17, 1947 (Hansard P. 60) Senator Roe- buck discussed Canada's trade and dollar crisis. His speech was a condemnation of the government's course as one plunging headlong into socialism in which free en- terprise has been strangled and production hampered all along the line. Speaking of the billion dollar adverse balance of trade with the U.S.A. he said: "The best way to meet the situation is to clear the way for business transactions." Government Monopolies He continued: "Canada has made the wheat business a national mon- opoly, selling surplus farm prod- ucts to Britain at much below world prices. Sale of Canadian cattle and beef to thé U.S.A. has been prohibited. Gold is a govern- ment monopoly with the price fixed so that production has declined seriously. If the government would simply get out of the way, gold mining would again flourish as it did in the past." Cockeyed Bureaucracy "The government maintains a monopoly of United States ex- change. I opposed the Act in 1946 and all its autocratic authority. Under this cockeyed arrangement the government has watched the Board's huge stockpile of U.S. dol- lars melt away. So the Depart- ment of Finance wakes up to find itself with appalling losses. Among all these factors making our dif- ficulty is government interference in marketing wheat, gold, live- stock and other things." . ® Other Editors THAT ALSO, ALAS (Peterborough kKxaminer) The Kingston Whig-Standard, somewhat to our . surprise, says that "there is nothing so heart- | warming as an armful of baby." | Useful for lap-dampening, too. | | | | WHILE\WE WAIT (Detroit Free Press) Herbert Hoover has the right | idea when he says that tim& will | prove Communism to be an un-| workable theory. The problem, | however, is to decide what to do while waiting for time to win the argument. EXPORTING WEALTH (Sudbury Star) At the present time it is doubt- less good business to export the ore (from Steep Rock iron mines), thus taking advantage of the Am- erican market and bringing in Am- erican dollars, but it would appear also that the time is approaching when a smelter should be built near the mine itself. Mining iron and making iron -and steel products, right in Ontario, and selling the finished product abroad would be far better. STATE PROFITS (Answers, London) Ever since 1760 when George III agreed to exchange the income from his estates, known as the crown lands, for an annual civil list, the state has made a regular profit on the throne. Even the royal' parks and pleasure gardens | belong to the treasury. For the year 1945-46 they produced a sur- plus of £34,519, which was £6,000 more than was expected, and this | year a slightly greater profit has | been forecast. Embargoes and Taxes "And the government has chosen the expedient of bullying trade, has built a wall across the bound- ary fencing us olf from our most essential customer. Such strangu- lation of the national economy is exceedingly serious. and the com- bined tax burden is grievously heavy. We must either renounce government interference or go on to a completely controlled economy. There is no half-way house. We cannot, remain half bond and half fre.." . Agreement With Bracken "I say to the people of Canada and to the government: 'Get out of these rstrictions as rapidly as possible; let us take the govern- ment out of competitive business with the greatest possible dispatch and depend upon the genius.of our people to restore and maintain the well-being of the nation. '" Sena- tor Roebuck was speaking precise- ly the language of John Bracken, leader of the Progressive Conser- vative Party, the only alternative to the present Liberal-Socialist government. Improving "You must think I'm a perfect idiot." "Well, perhaps not perfect, but you're doing quite well." Outstanding items from the 78th ANNUAL REPORT Figures significant of the service given Canadians by this TOTAL PAYMENTS TO POLICYHOLDERS AND BENEFICIARIES . . 'ene (Death Claims, Matured Policies, ~tc.) SURPLUS EARNFD IN 1947 = , . . (Providing premium reductions through dividends.) NEW ASSURANCES PAID FOR IN 1947 (A new record.) TOTAL ASSETS . . . . (All described in Annual Report.) TOTAL ASSURANCES IN FORCE, DEC. 31, 1947 . (Almost entirely Canadian.) Company $ 16,304,410 $ 5432440 $109,042,828 $305,233,411 $937,404,062 A copy of the complete report of the proceedings at the Company's annual meeting, held at Head Office on February 5, 1948, will be sent on request. The Mutual Lire Assurance Company OF CANADA HEAD OFFICE, . LOUIS L. LANG, W. H. SOMERVILLE, President WATERLOO, ONTARIO Vice-President and General Manager When you're relaxed and happy after a morning of ski-time thri there's nothing like the mild, rich ! flavour of a Player's to make enjoyment complete. Yes, anytim anywhere : : . Player's always your e:! Pleasel CORK TIP and PLAIN