{THE GUARDIAN

Morning Daily (Pounded in 1887-) Authorised no Second Clue Hath-Pals Office Department, Ottawa. . The lnlusid Guardian subllllslng Co. I Editor and Managing Director. J. ll. Ilurssetl. I Associate Editor, Frank “Miller.

i

‘T‘_"The Strongest Memory is Weaker Than the Weakest Ink"

SHARLOTTETOWN. THURSDAY, SEPT. 8, i949

llntarlo Farmers‘ Tour

From all accounts, the goodwill tour of the Ontoiro potato growers who visited here this week has been an unqualified success. The party of sixty-five, which spent six days on a two thousand mile tour of the principal Mari- time potato growing areas, have learned much about our methods of potato culture, handling and marketing, and they appear to have been particularly impressed with their visit to Prince

- ‘Edward lsland. As the banner potato Province

of the Dominion this was to be expected. But they also noted the manner in which our farm- ers excel in many other lines of production.

Interviewed at Moncton on their return from the Island, Mr. R. Goodin, of the Ontario De- partment of Agriculture, remarked that "in the St. John River valleys and in Maine the potato was king and nothing else mattered, while in Prince Edward Island the potato was iust one item among many'others in mixed farming." The latter also applied to Ontario farms. "ln Prince Edward lsland," he stated, "by law all potatoes planted had to be certified seed or better with few exceptions, which is a very good practice."

It is to be hoped that the Ontario farmers’ tour will be the forerunner of similar group visits from other sections of Canada and the United States. Our Maritime farmers also could bene- fit from tours of this kind, to the Central or Western Provinces or even to the New ‘England States. Apart from their educational value, such itineraries are of great value in cementing friendly relations, interprovincially and between the two countries.

Oranges and Dollars

California members of the Congress are disturbed by Canadian restrictions on the im- oortation of citrus fruits from the United States. They are suggesting that the present policies of the Marshall Plan administration be altered to enable Britain to buy more in Canada with Unit- ed States dollars so that, in turn, Canada.will have dollars for the purchase of California fruit.

"lt should occur to these Congressmen," says the Winnipeg Free Press, "that their prob- lem can be solved in a much simpler and more permanent fashion. If the United States would buy more Canadian goods Canada would have more United States dollars for the purchase of all kinds of United States goods. To assure maximum sale of United States goods in Can- ada only a reduction in the United States tariff is required. The resulting movement of Canad- ian goods southward would produce a correspond- ing movement from the United States northward. Every United States dollar in the world finds its way back to its native country eventually in the purchase of United States goods.

"The citrus fruit industry of California, per- haps unconsciously, has voiced the unanswerable argument for a new and more liberal trading arrangement between the two great countries which own most of North America's resources. lt is satisfactory to note that the fruit men at least understand, because they need it, the importance of the Canadian market. But it is doubtful that the average United States citizen, or perhaps the average member of the Congress realizes that the Canadian market is the larg- est cash market in the world for United States products. If it is further restricted by the dollar shortage, the restriction will be forced upon Canada only by our insufficient soles in the Unit- ed States."

lllvll Service Increases

One of the inevitable results of increased gav- ernment activity in social welfare and other measures has been the steady increase in civil servants. The extent of this increase in reccnt years is strikingly shown by figures iust releas- ed by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics.

In 1928, according to DBS, there were 41,243 Dominion civil servants. Ten years» later, in 1938, the number had increased to 44,143 and last year it was 118,370. Thus while the num- ber of civil servants increased by only 10 per cent, in the decade from 1928 to 1938, it leaped by 168 per cent in the succeeding decade.

In 1938, Canada's population was 11,152,000.

, Today it is about 13,500,000, an increase of 21 per cent compared with an increase eight times greater than thatin the civil service.

ln 1938, one out of every 252 residents of Canada was a Dominion civil servant. Now, one out of every 114 is a Dominion civil servant.

Increases like this help to explain why our current spendings are at such a high level.

EDITORIAL NOTES Bottle of Spitzbeirgen this date 1941.

The Maritimes escaped wonderfully well from week-and holiday accidents. l I O

The Shoemon of the Dominion have llod d great time at their Conference, and are highly appreciative of the beauty of the Island, the prosperity and hospitality of the lsldnders.

I O I

According to Mr. Folios Rhudo, the Canad-

ian Press Business Editor, "an acre of good soa-

i bottom along Prince Edward Island's shores will

yield a greater income than an acre of its rich farm lands." ‘

. Swimming and ‘Writer. Safety courses ._ are lfqgogflg and are declared to have been the bit” _l and bsnsllglol since first insu-

..._‘_.-.- . -_.. _. .

gurated under the auspices of the Rod Cross. As an Island people it is only right and proper we should train the rising generation to be as much at home in the water as on land. O O U

_ The Potato Growers of Ontario who visited our shores have gone back home highly delight- ed with their experience. lt took a lady dele- gate, Mrs. Sinclair McLeish to give full expres- sion of their appreciation when she declared "that this part of their tour was the highlight of the entire trip."

O I O

Never before has the housing situation been as bad as it is now, states the Federal Govern- ment or its other self the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Things certainly_seem to have changed since the election campaign.

O U U

It is perhaps neither important nor of onY great interest but it would be_more apprgpriato if the holder of the title, "Miss Canada Wele to attend the "Miss America" pageant on equal terms with its winner rather than as another contestant.

l i O

A blustery old Colonel was walking up to his favourite pool. He called out to an angler on the opposite bank: ‘Well! What are they taking today?’ The fisherman looked across the river'with the dreamy eyes of a trout addict and replied: ‘No notice.’

fl I O

As most of the members of the House of Commons from Alberta are newcomers, Prinic Minister St. Laurent has asked Senator MacKin- non to remain in the Cabinet and "provide ex- pert information on B. C. in the cabinet meet- ings." Who provides such "expert information" on this ‘Province?

I O Q

The first Maritime conference of social workers opens today at Dalvay House. They rc- present the latest but by no means least of the professions. As the doctors look out for the body and lawyers for property, the social service work- ers concern themselves with the individuol's per- sonal problems.

I I

Calendars are expected to be in short supply in 1950 because of a lithographers’ strike in Ontario and Quebec. On the other hdnd if the permanent calendar is ad-opted at the end of that year the market for annual ones will be

non-existent. O I I

Canadian fire chiefs recently learned that not only is there such a thing as wet water but there are some 400 brands of it designed for fire-fighting purposes. The chemical detergents act like soap reducing the cohesive properties of water and permitting rapid wetting of any de- sired material.

n it w

The proposal of the Dairy Farmers of Ca- nada to publicise dairy products and the view- point of the producer has much to commend it. Until now the backers of margarine have had the advantage in the matter of publicity and, whatever may be the Privy Council decision, the fate of butter substitutes will depend upon pub- lic opinion.

i Q i‘

The cabinet level dollar discussions which commence in Washington between this country, Britain and the United States will not, gs Presi- dent Truman warned, result in any "trick solu- tions." What is hoped for is the encouragement of every kind of American spending abroad and the ways in which it can be brought about are

certainly not easy. s O I

Christianity is at a very low ebb indeed in the view of delegates attending the Notlonfll Assembly of Boys’ Workers and Parliamentarians at Lake Couc-hiching, Ont. Members are report- ed to halve agreed that if the leadership prob- lem in church boys’ groups was not solved, the "Church ”was through." They are at least cen-

vinced of the importance of their own work. I k I

Frederic Mistral. Frensli P'°""<°' W" °' peasant origin, born this date 1830. Hestprlfitd with six other Provencal poets a movemen o restore Provencal literature, and published ° Provencal dictionary with ten_ thousand vfrords- ln 1859 he published Mrreio which won him urge. and was set to music. He wrote many 0t ¢I' poems, all translated into French. 5W" °l “E”: by Alphonse Daudet. He was awarded the No e prize for Literature in 1904-

On his departure _trom Charlottetown ti"! week for Holyoke, Massachusetts, RQY- Dfl-Plld‘ lqy will carry the best wishes of all_our citizens. During his occupancy of the pulpit at TrlnlW United Church lie made many warm friend! and admirers, as was evidenced at the testimonial dinner tendered him last lune, on the termina- tion of his ministerial duties here. Trinity is fortunate in having a very able and popular successor to Dr. Dudley in the person of the Rev. Mr. As-hford.

Some timeogo the health authorities of Montreal condemned the use of milk substitutes in school luncheans. Now the Catholic _school commissioners have had toconcode that school- children liko chocolate milk better than plain milk and that something would have to be done about it. Three members of tho Commission- Commksiono s John A. Sullivan, K.C., V.E._ Lam- bert and MsgrpPaul Emile Coursol — have had the subject of chocolate milk under study dur- ing the post year andyhave come to the conclu- sion that when chocolate milk is missing from school canteens, consumption of mills drops 60 per cent. Up to January, I948, school canteens had provided chocolate milk. Following some debate in the commission, it was dropped and children could purchase only plain milk. Sixty per cont of them stopped drinking mills and took to soda pop. This, tho commission has decided

THE GUARDIAN,

"The Changing Pattern Of External rrade"

(Monthly Review of ‘the Bank of _ Nova Scotti)

Behind the U. S. dollar problem, and of more fundament 1 concern, is the problem of markets for Canada's existing industrial and agricultural capacity, says the current Monthly Review of The Bank of Nova Scotia. Up to the present. business activity ln Can- ada has not been seriously affect- ed by the decilue in exports to overseas markets. The larger mar- ket in the United States, the high level of investment expenditures, the accumulated demands of cari- sumers for durable goodsp the drive of natural resource develop- ment. and the European Recovery Program have to date gone far to offset ‘the impact on economic ac- tivity of the much reduced buy- ing power of overseas countries.

Today. however, exports to the United States are levelling off, less. ERP funds are available for "off-shore" purchases. the back- legs of domestic demand accumu- lated during arid before the war

general shortages is past. If pres- ent unfavourable tendencies in overseas trade continue, their in- fluence on business conditions I.l likely lo become increasingly evi- dent O O O

The Review. which is devoted lo a study of the changing pa!- terri of Canadian trade. states that the direction of Canada's exports has changed notably since 1947. Today about half Canada's exports are going to the United States and half overseas. This compares with the traditional pattern of slightly over a third to the Unit- ed States and nearly two-thirds overseas, maintained with little change over the past half century. The proportions of Canadian ex- ports going fo Britain, the Domin- ians and British Colonies, west- ern Europe and Latin America have decreased considerably since 1947. "ln every part of the world outside of North America, restrict- ed dollar buying power and the related exchange and trade re- strictions have been narrowing the market for Canadian goods and increasingly confining it to essentials not available in suf- ficient quantities from non-dollar sources."

In terms of physical quantity, rather than dollar amounts which are much Inflated by price iri- crc-ases, total Canadian exports have been running some 50 per cent over the 1937-39 level during the past three and a half years. The quantity of exports to the United States has been increas- ing and recently has been about. double pro-war. The volume of exports to other areas has been decreasing: exports to Britain are nnw smaller in quantity than pre- war, and exports to the Dominions and British Colonies and to west- ern Europe while still perhaps 50 per cent larger than before the war have fallen substantially from the early postwar peak.

Referring If.) THCZTQBSOS in ex- ports lo the United States, the

Review notes that they have been largely along the traditional lines of providing raw and processed primary products f0 the great in- dustrial market to the south. Near- ly half Canada's sales to the Unit- ed States are still accounted for by shipments of wood and pulp and paper, and three-fifths of the remainder by base metals and as- bestos, certain farm products and fish. There has been an encourag- ing increase In trade in some farm products and a marked rise ln sales of farm machinery.

While the United Slates has provided an alternative market tor a substantial part of the wood and paper and mineral exports which formerly went overseas, It is not providing any real’ substi- tute for exports of the kind of manufactured goods which have. been going to the Domlnions and British Colonies and Latin Am- erica. Nor does it offer any sig- nificant alternative for the pro- ducts of the Prairie graln fields.

In regard to exports to Britain, the Review states that the physi- cal quantity of these shipments ls now perhaps l5 per cent to 20 per cent less than ln 1937-39. Apart from exports of wheat and flour which have been much larger than pre-war, and eggs, woodpulp, pit props. plywood. aluminum and tetra-alloys, mast Canadian exports to Britain are dawn substantially from the,pre- war level. "What has huppene‘ ls _e narrowing down of British pur- chases ln Canada to n limited list of more or less essential Items In the purchases of these."

hill’

O O O

Turning to continental Europe. the msln traditional exports are grains and base metals. Canada needs a market on the continent as well as In Britain for her wheat, for Britain alone ls unable to ab- sorb l e full export surplus. The Review observes that the trend toward greater self-sufficiency In wheat production which was ap- parent between the two wars ll ngslri plainly evident. Today it has broadened to include Britain n: well ss the continent and ls accentuated by payments difficul- ties much more intractable than after the first’ war. When It ls remembered that the United States is still planting s wheat acreage which is currently provid- ing her wlth s larger surplus for export than Canada and ls sup- plying ER? funds for the pur- chsse of much of her whest ex- ports. it becomes apparent that. the market prospect for Canadian wheat In continental Europe ls un- certain.

In discussing the effects of dol- lar-snvlng restrictions tn the Do- rnlnlons and British Colonies, the Review says that the most disturb- lng losses of markets are those- for such manufactured goods ss automobiles and tires. electrical

was not a good thing. Chocolate mills would

have to be‘ restored.

appliances, mschlnery and farm

B": fillin! "P. and the period of

llifI a very considerable reduction-

CHARDOTTETOWN

The Diggers lire ltoulsg

APPROAci-tinifi POTATO DIGGER

The railway companion ore Isi- slstent that the only way in which the transcontinental system can be

try with farmers, for whom the railways will have to carry freight both ways. Without the population in the west, the best policies of any railway strategist must come to naught-Gait Reporter.

Vancouver's outing pineos ore tn

' for a check-up. Mr. Stewart Mur-

ray, chief medical health officer, announces plans, to grade nil rest- aurants and cafes on an "A", "8" or "C" basis. Those which fall to make the grade will be closed. The public will know that "B" and "C" places are not as clean as restaurants should be. There will be more frequent Inspections, made possible by Including eating places on the “be-als" of all the city's 20 health inspectors. They will inspect every restaurant, din- ing room and coffeebhop thor- oughly twice each year and main- tain a series of frequent checks throughout the year. -— Vancouver News-Herald.

However Improper lilo vocation may have been, some sympathy ls inevitable for the started counter- felter who minted 25-cent pieces- made them better than the orig- lnnls, tn fact-but went broke be- cnuso the materials he used cost hlm 26 cents u coln. No such sen- tlmcnt will be wasted on the New York ring which allegedly turned out bogus $5, $10 and $20 bills.

markets have been important In the past and because Canadian capacity to produce metal pro- ducts and machinery has expand- ed markedly,

There ls good reason to believe that. the manufactured goods which have been going to the Dn- minions and Colonies are thor- oughly competitive. They have frequently been replaced, however, by higher-priced British and do- mestic goads behind the barriers of exchange controls and import restrictions. Though spceded in- dustrialization in the Dominions would probably have restricted the market for some Canadian goods, it is the exchange problem which is creating such difficulty in Canada's trade with these countries.

On the side of imports, there has been little readjustment in sources of Canadian imports of a kind which would assist Canada's overseas customers in maintaining their purchases from this coun- try. Though thg proportion of im- parts coming from the United Slates has fallen somewhat since 1947, it is still 72 per cent of the total and substantially larger than the pro-war proportion of 64 per cent. Some overseas couri- tries, and particularly Britain. have considerably increased their sales to Canada in the past two years, but the fact remains that they have not nearly regained their pro-war share of the Canad- ian market, let alone the increas- ed share needed to help solve the payments problem. In the first. hall of 1949, the sterling area provided only l8 peiqcenl of Ca- nada's imparts as compared with 27 per cont before she war.

Big Ben's Birthday.

(BBC London Letter)

Blg Ben. the most famous clock in the world and best known of all broadcasters, has just celeb- rated his nlnetleth birthday.

Big Ben Ls the voice of London. During the war, it was heard in many unexpected places, from a tent. tn Norli Africa to a chateau In Normandy. and always it said the same reassuring things, that. London faced her evening proud- ly, that London stood there cairn and ussdlsmayed. Incidentally, Big Ben is really the great boll — but we all think of the whale clock as Big Ben.

O O O

Big Ben was not the first clock at. Westminster. Flor some unex- plained reason a clack of some kind has been there since 1300. Big Ben takes his name from Sli- Benjamin Hall. First Commis- sioner of Works when the cloak was placed there. You climb the 200 steps to the top of the tower to get a closer view of the clock. and emerge on the platform above the clock face where the bells are waiting to chime. There you are among the bells, and then you walk out and ftna yourself on I, narrow little bat-tlemesited bol- cony over the face of Big Ben — looking dowmwtth very llttlg be. tween you and the pavement. of Bridge Street. all those hundtldl of feet below. And somehow there's always n wind blowing up there. About u oouple of years