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THE GUARDIAN, UHAKLUFFETOWN

JUNE 15. 1949

THE GUARDIAN ‘ .

q lloralng Dally (lfonlidarl i- ins-u

Authorised us nor-mu Clan flail. Poet Offleo ‘ Department, Ottawa. The lalnrid Unarrllaa Publtolilnl OI.

Iflllor and Managing Dim-tor. J. I. Barnett. Aaanclafa Editor, Freak Wallet.

fThe Strongest Memory is Weaker Tllill the Weakest Ink.‘

6HARLOTTETOWN, WEDNESDAY. JUNE l5. 1849

The Popular, Vote

Ari analysis of the popular vote in this Province in the last Dominion election, i945, points up a now familiar moral in political stra- tegy. lt is as old at least as the military strategy of Napoleon, and based on the some principle. That is that the key to victory is the placing of men (or votes) in the right place at the right time, Total forces (or votes) count for little if they are not pulling their weight at the crucial point. island Liberal votes totalled 30,696 in the i945 contest, island Conservative votes 30,025, and island CCF votes 2,685. The Liberals, with three elected candidates out of four, were in an overall minority, and had only 67l votes more than the Conservatives who elected one candi- date. Doubtless the CCF vote helped the Liber- Ils by dividing the Opposition forces, but quite apart from this the figures show that as between the two major parties the electorate in this Pro- vince is pretty evenly divided. The determining factor appears to have been more capable Lib- eral generalship in making the votes count.

The some moral can be traced through sev- eral successive campaigns, both federal and provincial. The popular vote has been nearly al- ways pretty well balanced, but the results, in terms of seats won or lost, have been widely at variance. This is something for our party stra- tegists to ponder prayerfully between now and the 27th.

Wanton Vandalism

It ls to be hoped the police will keep dili- gently after the culprits responsible for the van- dalism c mitted in the old Protestant ceme- tery on rn Avenue last week, and bring them to book. This cemetery is the last resting place of many of our most noteworthy citizens in Col- onial days, and dates back to i826, when it was consecrated by the Bishop of Nova Scotio. Time and again attention has been called to its his- toric interest and to the fact that many of its monuments have been allowed to foil into dis- repair. Two years ago o public spirited lady, Miss Elsie J. Cambridge, visited here from Ver- mont. She was a descendant of Col. John Hamil-

‘ton Gray, one of the island's Fathers of Con-

federation, and she was particularly interested in our historic landmarks. At her own expense she made a detailed survey of all the stones and monuments in the Elm Avenue cemetery, noting the position of each, and its condition. She found many signs of desecration and neg- lect, and offered some valuable suggestions as to the best means of restoration. Her report was published in The Guardian at the time, and constitutes an invaluable source of information on this subject. Unfort nately public interest in the matter subsided a ter her visit, and has been dormant ever since.

Last week's acts of vandalism, in which 30 or 4O stones are reported to have been smashed .or upset, should be traced to their source at all costs, and the offenders taught the full measure of their heinous crime. Steps should also be taken to see that no further outrages of this kind are committed. Perhaps the incident will serve to remind us of the debt we owe to the earlier citizens of this community, and of our ow'n neg- Iect in failing to keep their memory green.

Bows Anii Machines

_ A Minnesota judge has ruled that cows should be regarded as machines for tax pur- poses. in doing so, comments the Windsor Star, he puts the onus on taxation authorities in Can- ada as well as his own country to show where his logic is wrong.

Machinery in a plant is allowed deprecia- tion in regard to taxation. It is regarded as a means of production and admits the reasonable assumption that it wears out and must be re- placed.

To a farmer, a cow is just as much a means of production as a machine is to the owner of a factory. Both expect to profit from the resulting production. And, a cow depreciates just as does a machine. Let her teeth fail and see how much milk she will give. And, not being a machine, she is subject to natural illnesses as well as old age. You can't keep her in full production evenly by polishing her and pouring on oil. .

The Minnesota ruling, which is similar to one previously given in St. Louis, applies only. to dairy and breeding animals. lt doesn't apply to ordinary beef cattle raised and sold for profit.

Master Farm Families

‘The Alberta Department of Agriculture is sponsoring a new scheme, which may prove o interest to other Provinces. It is o Master Farm Family Award.

The intention of the award is to honor farm families who have achieved notable success in farming, homemaking and citizenship. Nominees must be actively operating a farm, be Canadian citizens, and the head of the family must have spent at least ten consecutive years on a farm, including milita service, if any. Three neigh- bors must sign t o nomination and the nominee indicate his acceptance.

Alberta has been divided into five zones. ill each of which a1 Master _Farm_Fomily may be named. A committee representing the Depart- inent of Agriculture, the University of Alberta, the farmers of tho‘ province, and form women, will mete the final selection; and a cash award

i,” In addition to a suitable t y will

ltmfsreheiirriitr

I, LDI IURIAL NUI lib I, Thirteen days till the election.

Halifax will be fhe ‘cynlbsure of all eyes this week-end, and all next week as well. i i I

All the candidates having been duly nom- inated it is now for their nominees to sec- that they are duly supported at the Polls.

I i l

The issue in British Columbia's election to- day is simple and straightforward — private en- terprise versus socialism.

i *

The propaganda of the lslandl candidates should emphasize local issues, and let the nation- al issues be taken care of by National Leaders and by headquarters staffs’:

‘k

The Canadian Manufacturers had the best time of their Maritime tour visiting the Garden of the Gulf. A longer stay would have been ap- preciated both by giiestf and hosts.

When warships of Britain, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands gather at Penzance, June 30th for combined exercises the Brussels Treaty will have demonstrated its workability. The Western Union could well expand to become a United States of Europe.

U C U

Newfoundland Premier Joseph Smallwood's threat to a St. John's riding that "if they didn't vote for Gregory Poi/er there wouldn't be a cent of public money spent in the community for the next four years" is reminiscent of Mr. Mackenzie King's remarkable "five-cent piece" dictum of an earlier day. _ _

I U i‘

The Canadian Citizenship Act has not added anything to the rights of Canadians but the in- evitable reaction of other Commonwealth coun- tries has restricted our rights. South Africa is now debating a bill which will enable the Min- ister of the interior to refuse British subjects the right to register for South African citizenship and from his refusal there is no appeal.

U U U

A citizen going to work the other day got an eorful from a neighbour en route, the burden of his complaint being that a robin on a tree near his bedroom window woke him up at half- past four every morning with its warbling, "And what can I do about it?” he asked plaintively.

_"Thank goodness that it is not the Gestapo that

wakes you," was the apt reply. i I R

Councillor Cox is quite correct in his contention that our square parks are for the benefit of little children, and he might have added, elderly people. It is a good move in the direction of beautification for the City Public Property Committee to look after the mainten- ance of our open spaces, and to have them de- veloped as beauty spots as well as lungs for the benefit of old and young alike.

v i i it

Progressive-Conservative candidate O. F. Howe, WestOttawa, has refuted Liberal charges that civil servants will be fired if the Conserva- tive party gains office. "We consider," he stated, "that the low bracket civil servant is being badly treated. While the cost of living has increased two and a half times, the pay of the civil ser- vant has increased by only $200 to $400 and in exceptional cases by $600."

I I I

John_ Churchill, ist Duke of Marlborough, general, died this date I722. Hod a distinguished military career, winning the brilliant victories of Blenheim in i704 and Ramilies in i706, but because his victory at Malplaquet was less de- cisive he feli into dis-favour with the Government of the day, and three years later he was deprived of his command — a purely political manoeuvre to get rid of a popular rival. His descendant, Winston Churchill, has written a brilliant biog-

raphy of his ancestor.

k O

Welcome to members of the Maritime Branch of the Canadian Postmasters Association who this morning begin their convention. lt should be remembered that during the war post- masters willingly performed without additional remuneration many patriotic duties such as the National Registration, sale of War Savings Cer- tificates, and gasolene rationing. The Associa- tion has been successful in bringing to the at- tention of the Post Office Department many of the complex services performed by its members and has achieved improved conditions for its members. The Association is concerned not only withnendering efficient service to the Deport- ment, but_ also to the general public and has on numerous occasions brought to the attention of the authorities improvements asked by the public.

I Ir n

Five years ago troops in the Normandy in- vasion force were startled and immensely pleas- ed by the appearance in the beachhead area of two world-famous personages. On June i2, Wins- ston S. Churchill, then Prime Minister of Britain, paid a surprise visit to the area. He spent three hours on the beachhead in Normany even as re- ports were being received of the capture of Carentan, a lgpy,town in Allied planning. Four days later the troops and the world received the news that His Majesty, King George the Sixth, had set loot on French soil for the first time since before the war. While visiting the beachhead, His Majesty conferred the CBE on Mai-Gen. R. F. L. Keller, General Officer Commanding the 3rd Canadian lnfantryfiivisioti. The King land- ed iust west of a point where Canadian assault troops stormed the beaches on D-Day. Fighting around the Canadian-British sectors about Coon and Tilly-sur-Seulles was extremely bitter and savage armored clashes were reported . . . the Germans claimed that the Allies now had 400,000 troops on tho beachhead . . . by June i8 Ameri- can troops had sealed off the Cherbourg Pen- insula and the port itself was doomed to fall within a short time . . . in Italy Eighth Army troops finally captured Pescora . . . the first radiophoto of Canadian operations in France to be published in that theatre showed captured

German troops awaiting transportation to Eng- h"! f '

i

7 611m

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T!!! EAGLE n . Close to the sun 1n lonely lends.

crawls‘

walls. And like e. thunderbolt he fails. -Teriayson.

Old Charlottetown (m r. a. L)

AN HEROIO RE SCUE

The narrative published below has been received from Mr. James Pendergast, of Kensington. who writes by way or explflnflllofll

"The enclosed is a. sail °I heroic rescue of a salvage crew aboard the wrecked famous clip- per ‘Marco Polo’ on Cavendish shore in August, 1883. The enquiry was promoted and sponsored by the late Mr. John Anderson, who had it prepared for publication. Illness overtook Mr. Anderson. who was then advanced in years. from which he never recovered. The account was later sent to Col. E. W. Janstone of Long River. who through modesty and some uncertainty as to the personnel of the crew who manned the seine boat which took off the salvage crew. did not. offer it; for publica- tion. I questioned Mr. MncNeIll of Margate, formerly of Cavendish, yesterday. He was 13 years old at the time. He says the story is correct. He even remembered about the man being washed over- board before Capt. MacLcodZs res- cue boot got to the wreck.

"To ell who know the power of the raging breakers on l-he North Shore of Prince Edward Island in a heavy Nor'-easter, the heroic feet of Capt. MacLeod and his nine volunteers will stand out pre-eminently in the annals of deeds of heroism performed by ‘men who go down to the see in- ships.’ . ' "They were highly honored and publicized at. the time-presented with watches and other mementos. The late l... M. Montgomery, then about fourteen j/ears of age, wrote a vivid account. of the wreck. which was published in ell the Island papers of the time. It was probably her first effort for pub- licnlion.

"Most of the witnesses have by this time passed to their eternal reward. Time. the ‘inexorable ef- facer. has blotted the details from those now living who were pre- sent. They forget the names of the noble band who manned Lhe boat with Capt. MncLeod. It would be interesting to get their names for posterity. Mr. Mac- Neill said he thought some of the Fyfe men of Stanley Bridge were among the crew, and that Peter Buote was the name of the man washed overboard from the wreck. Fred Clark, Cavendish. said his records were burned by en over- zealous clean-up woman. There ought. to be enough people who remember the wreck to supply the names.

“P, S.—Besides Mr. MacNeill aforementioned there are several who recall vividly many incidents of the famous wreck. Among them are the Cullen Brothers of Hope River, Timothy, now residing iri Charlottetown, and John, residing an the old homestead where a door from the Marco Polo is still in use. Nearly every house in Cavendish and vicinity contains some sou- venir of the Marco Polo.“

‘The narrative enclosed by Mr. Pendergast deals with an even sub- sequent to the stranding of the Marco Polo off Cavendish in July, 1883. Later the ship and cargo were sold, and salvngemen were employ- ed to handle and dispose of the wreckage. under direction of the purchasers. While the salvage crew was aboard the wreck, on August 30. 1883, a violent storm suddenly arose. Information regarding the alarming plight of the men soon spread over what is known as New London, covering Rustico, Caven- dish, Stanley, Park Corner, Long River. French River, etc. There be- ing no rural telephone in those days, crowds eager for news es- sembled on the Cavendish shore. being nearest lo the stranded ship. The crowds were large and help- less. as no one could an yet nug- gcst a means for the rescue of tho men. At last someone suggested that Captain Alfred MncLeod, of French River, being in control of the largest boat on the fishing grounds between Trircadlo and Mel- peque and being himself n capable skipper, a messenger should be sent at once to solicit till aid.

The suggestion met very general approval, and in less time than it token to record this move Mr. Alex- ander Stewart, of Cavendish, a lov- er of a good horse, mounted his best steed and was soon speeding on his way to Park Corner. to learn what Capt. Alfred might do. On the way Mr. Stewart's mind was busy. For over ten miles lie was forcing his horse almost beyond safety, and at the some time studying the best line of approach to Capt. Alfred to secure his consent.

Delpilg the messenger’; difficult problem, his solution of it was a marvellous success. On arriving at the old Cove home, where Alfred was then living, some member of the household came out to learn what wen up. Mr. Stewart controll- ed hie emotions well, but tJie oorr- dltlon of the steed aroused fears. The greetings were few and simple. “In Alfred homo?" "Yes“. “Can I sae him?" "Yes". In a moment Al- fred come out. Mr. Stewart called him aside and quietly revealed the alarming situation at Cavendish. The Captain stood there tn a sil-

ent study. No one interfered. The Jlv-ridqd Imflr harsher mum-learns u iisr we: hick

i-re ciasps uie crng with crooked he ds‘

Ringd with the azure world. be stands.

The wrinkled sen beneath him

He watches’ from his mount-R!!!

IF rue-r’: rue case A1’ iensr n’ won't so our. FAULT.’

had e mind of his own and would follow his best instincts. Mr. Stew- art's cunning mind worked at its best, and he avoided any unwise word or action.

The Captain soon ended the sus- pense. He answered the question tn a firm tone. "I'll go. We must: get the bout to the Cavendish shore. No use attempting to reach the wreck from here. We must. start from the nearest spot from the wreck, and in a direct course of the wind. Come boys, let us launch the boat without delay."

The French River and Perk Corner men gave him all the help required. The boat. was launched at. once; no hesitation visible. How- ever, they soon had suffered their first setback, almost disaster, The boat swamped and had to be taken beck to the shore and recondition- ed for another start. The Captain ordered that they go up the river toward Stanley Bridge to a safer place for crossing, which they did. and then followed the eastern side of the bay northwardly and with more help crossed the bar. and with the same excellent farm help continued eastwardly to a place chosen by the Captain. to start from toward the Marco Polo wreck. The boat; was now set headed to- wards the wreck, and refitted in every particular with the best utensils available, arid examined and passed upon by the Captain. He now came to what may have been for him, and others too, the most trying test of their lives.

He walked in steady steps to the crowd on the higher ground, who were awaiting to see what the next. moves would reveal. The Captain broke the silence at. once by tell- ing them that he wanted nine men to mun the boat. with hlm—a helmsman, six onrsmcn and, two other helpers. He then called out “Who will come?"

A perfect silence ensued. He con- tinued at intervals calling, "Who will come? Who will go?" One men, at lost, answered. "1 will go." Then another, nnd others till he had eight volunteers. One still short. He demanded firmly, "I want at least nine men besides myself." There was now considerable de- lay, when a young man stepped up to the Captain and said, "I will not see you stuck." As there were no protests from the other eight, he said to the .nirie, "Come to the boat." They did so, it took some time to assign each man his place. He handed a bystander one end of the boat's hawser and instructed him to hold that firmly till he said “Let go". He said to the crew, “All aboard!" and to the bystanders. "Give the boat a push." The boat started at once, but had gone only a short dlgtnnce when it swamp- ed. This was the second mishap. They returned to the starting place and refitted for another effort.

Before the third start. was made, one of the men refused to go again. He told the captain: "No use. None of us may ever come buck alive." The Captain, without a murmur. accepted his refusal nnd called at. once for another man. This proved more difficult to obtain. However. another volunteer did offer and the boat started at once. This time it seemed to r , better to the oar pressure, for notwithstanding the heavy gale and larger swells, the headway was encouraging, Mr. George MncKenzle, who had made observations from the peak of a sondhtll, kept up the hopes " of the crowd as the boat was near- ing the wreck. She once remained long in the trough of a sea. but before his unfavorable report had reached the crowd he saw the boat climbing the crest of n heavy swell. The Captain now ordered some of his men to guard against the boat being drawn under the ship by the heavy under-current.

The two Captains, George Bell. of the salvage crew, and Alfred MacLeod, now could speak to each other. but the relief boat was kept of! far safety. The foaming seas were breaking whlts over the wreck.

Capt. MucLeod flung a line to Capt. Bell and asked him to "fas- ten ttie;nd of the hawoer some- where, and peso your men on it. one by one. I'll help them aboard our bout.” Capt. Bell being a very capable man, also helped every man an he coma along to llnch onto the lravner and mm d the boat. All were thus saloon off the wreck. Before this, however one of Bell's crew was loot,

“Come aboard yourself and I'll

cut the line." l-le ordered a "push together" and soon the heavy res- w.

..w<s>ao¢>oo¢>es-@eo<aav' PUBLIC FQRUM

This column ls open to the discussion by carraapnndents ol quest-ions of Interest. The Guardian does not necessar- ily endorse the opinion ul correspondents.