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‘fl-IE GUARDIAN.

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THE GUARDIAN

llornln; Dally (Founded ln 1M1) vthorlud no Second Cline bliell, Pole Offioc Depnrtlnont, Ottawa. The lellnd Uuisedlun Publlnhlni Co. nilltol mil Managing litres-tar. J. B. Burnett;

Auoalnte Editor, Frank Weller

I (‘The Strongest Memory is Weaker Than the Weakest Ink."

CHARLUTTETOVf/N, MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1910 I The llew Leader

f-Ion. George Alexander Drew, K.C., LL.D., Premier of Ontario, carried everything before him at the notional Progressive Conservative Con- vention on Saturday, winning the party's leader- ship contest by an overwhelming vote on the first ballot. Details of the election appear elsewhere in today's issue, and will doubtless be read with keen interest. Every Province appears to have contributed to Mr. Drew's victory. As was in- timated by the Prince Edward Island Provincial leader, Hon. Dr. MacMillan, the delegates from this Province were almost unanimous in his sup- port. It was Mr. Diefenbaker's misfortune that his strongest Maritime backer, Mr. H. H. Hat- field, M.P. for Victoria-Carleton, N.B., took su<l- denly ill on the eve of the convention.

Premier Drew at fifty-four has already dis- tinguished himself in many fields, notably as a lawyer, parliamentarian and writer on military affairs. As leader of a rejuvenated Conservative Party he stands good chances of becoming Can- ada's Prime Minister after the next Dominion election. His outstanding ability is conceded by all. Heretofore, as was his duty, he has de- voted himself to the interests particularly of his own Province. From his background and record there ls every reason to assume that in his new role he will be equally vigilant in safeguarding the interests of Canada as a whole.

A striking example of Mr. Drew's alert- ness and breadth of vision was afforded in two addresses which he delivered here In August, I934, on the occasion of the opening of the municipal airport at Summerside. At that time he took issue with the popular theory that there was ample security in land and naval armaments and warned that we were nearer to another war than we had been even in the months previous to the opening of the l9I4 conflict, The advance in aviation, he pointed out, had remov- ed our frontiers and brought us to the doors of Europe. He foresaw in the private manufac- ture of arms a very real threat to another de- vastating war. His warnings, like those of Win- ston Churchill's in England, went unheeded by the powers that be, although one of his books on this subject—$alesmen of Death, an expose of the profits made in munitions during the First World Wan-was translated into thirty languages.

A strong advocate of Imperial ties, Mr. Drew is also an outspoken champion of fuller co-operation with our great neighbor to the south. On this issue, as well as on that of Communism, he may be depended upon to give vigorous leadership, at a time when a firm hand at the helm in our international relations is of paramount importance.

ni-i

Scots and Plpes

Most of our long-cherished beliefs are being ruthlessly shattered, writes Napie Moore in The Financial Post. Now we are told by one, Georgie Henschel, via a BBC overseas broadcast, that most of the world's supply of bagpipes are not made in Scotland but in Camden Town, Lon- don. Moreover, they are not made by an exiled Scot, but by a Cockney family named Starck, which three generations ago, started with an order for Queen Victoria's Pipe Major. The Starcks export bagpipes. Recently 68 sets were shipped‘ to far-off Australia. Regarding mater- ials, Miss Henschel reports that only the tar- tan and ribbons come from Scotland. Black- wood comes from West Africa, ivory from the Congo, cane for the reeds from S-pain, and the bogs are made from English sheepskin.

Taxes Must Coma Down

To_Canada's overburdened taxpayers, the Pro- gressive Conservative Convention resolution deal- mg with tax reductions will be welcomed regard- less of politics. The need for such reduction is evident from the latest report of the Comptroller of the Treasury for the five months ending Aug- ust 3l, WlllCIl shows an increase upwards to the tune of some $32,750,000. At this rate, they will be up by about $78,000,000 annually.

But it is not only the rising rate of Govern- merit spending that is worrying the tax-payer. The fact is that the Government is taxing so severely that it is having surpluses beyond its own plan- ning. But these surpluses it will not share with the taxpayer, by lowering his taxes. The ex- planation at Ottawa is that lower taxes would only free more money for spending. And more money being spent will only raise prices and make inflation worse. But this explanation would be

.valid only if the money were rigorously withdrawn

from circulation; but so for from seeking to spend less to combat inflation, thg Government itself is spending more.

The very argument that the Government is better able to handle the taxpayer's money than he is to handle his own would in itself suggest a questionable assumption of State paternalism. But when the Government imposes economy upon the taxpayer but neglects to practise economy itself, it suggests a form of State deception. It is like a child being told by his parents that he must not do a certain thing, and then discover-

.irig his parents doing the very thing that is

supposed to be forbidden.

But the matter goes deeper than this, says the Montreal Gazette. The Government's bur- eaucratic advisers do not recommend a withhold- ing of tax relief from the citizen only because they say tax relief would be inflationary; they withhold tax relief because they hold that it would in any case be unnecessary. Mr. Abbott we: euite frank about this in ‘his last budaet

speech. He said: "lt (income taxation) has been reduced to levels which under present circumstan- ces, offer no serious impediment to work or init- iative—at least, none that could be removed by any further reasonable reduction." The ques- tion that is being asked in Ottawa's inner circles is not: How can taxes be reduced? It is, rath- er, the question: Why reduce taxes?

The Conservative policy is diametrically op- posed to this attitude, and in the concrete pro- posals embodied in the Convention resolutions

the voice of aroused public opinion is heard in no uncertain terms. ‘ r EDITORIAL NOTES '-

Fire Prevention Week. Fires do not happen, they are caused, and by removing possible causes we are saving property and perhaps life.

I U U

‘International standofdization of screw threads does not seem a very impressive aim but the sav- ing in stocks of spares for imported equipment alone would make it worth while. In coordinating the production of several countries it is vital.

I U

In this atomic age everi stealing chickens has become fraught with risks undreamed of by ear- lier generations. The experience of the Saskpt- chewan thief who made off with radio-active birds would seem to put grieg-counters In the class of burglary tools.

A witness before the Prices Commission db- scribed it as consumer resistance when custom- ers ask the price and leave without buying. That seems to be the wrong way of expressing it. lt is not the consumer who resists but the price which prohibits. . ‘I .

I er

The proposed French-Italian customs union and abolition of visas will be a long step towards the Utopia imagined by a British statesnian in which he could travel from London to Moscow simply by buying a ticket. On this continent that ideal is not far from reality.

I Q I I

Harmens van Riin Rembrandt, Dutch pointer, died this date I669; was pupil of Peter Lastmsa, and became the greatest of the Dutch school of artists; excellent in realistic portraiture and por- trait groups, and, in effects of concentrated light; his works suggest the mystery of things unseen. His masterpieces include: The Wight Watch, The Anatomy Lesson, Portrait of his daughter- in-law Magdalen van Loo, Paul in Prison, The Money Changers, The Woman Taken in Adultery,

The Good Samaritan.

w i I I

Since the end of the war Britain has found homes for a quarter of a million refugees. This was stated by Mr. Christopher Mayhew, Under- Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, at a meet- ing of the international Refugee Organization in Geneva last month. During the past twelve months homes were found by the I. R. O. for 250,000 refugees and displaced persons. Of these Britain has received 70,000. This is nearly three times the number absorbed by any other coun- try.

¥ I '4 U

According to Newsweek, military aid for West- ern Europe, and perhaps some Pacific countries, probably will be added to the present program of economic help through ECA some time next year. A formal military alliance between the U.S. and Western Europe also is a probable I949 de- velopment. Some influential Republican con- gressmen are inclined to favor a big increase in the Army, Navy, and Air Force next year on the theory that war with Russia is a virtual cer- tainty.

U U I I The Government's Canadian Commercial Cor- poration placed $55,800,000 worth of orders In Canada for foreign countries in the last fiscal year. In the some period, it placed 45,000 orders for the National Defence Department, totalling $82,000,000. The Corporation acts as purchas- ing agent for some Government departments and for foreign countries which request this help, and it also helps Canadians to sell or buy abroad. In all, it placed $l7l,000,000 worth of new busi- ness in the last fiscal year. ~k A’ l‘ i

Friends and admirers of Mr. Clarence Charters, formerly of The Charlottetown will be pleased to learn that he is making progress in his liter- ary work out in Vancouver. His booklet The Charm of Green Gables has been included in a special collection of Canadania at the Univer- sity of British Columbia which contains many of L. M. Montgomery's books and eventually will include them all. The song ”When It's Summer at Green Gables" is becoming popular in Van- couver and on the West Coast generally where there are so many Islanders. It may be mention- ed that the booklet is published by ‘The Photo- gelatine Engraving Co., Toronto, and is on sale at the Abegweit Gift Shop here, while the dis- tributors for Vancouver are the Hudson's Bay Co., who also carry the sheet music of the song. The author has received requests for autographed

copies all the way from Scotland. I I i I At a conference sponsored by the National Recreation Association, New York, emphasis on the family marked a discussion group of "the family plays together." Family recreation is es- sential for the unity of the family and for spirit- ual growth, it was agreed by the family dis- cussion group. lt was held that forces which threatened the family in present-daylife gained effect because families did not have gobd times together, owing to neglect of constrttive inter- action among members of families. The ideal of family enterprise had been allowed to die, in the face of outside activities competing for family interest, mainly spectator diversions, the group agreed. As answers to this situation, the recrea- tion officials declared that as a bosic‘ matter recreation should be regarded as a way of liv- ing, and not as a thing apart. The covlc- tion was expressed that every member of the family ought to bear some responsibility in liv-

ing up to this way of life. The enjoyment of every- rInv Iivinn must be learned.

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FRIEND IN NEED

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Old Charlottetown (And P. ii. l.)

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THE YANKEE GALE

This date. October 4, ls e black letter one ln Island history. It marks the ninety-seventh annlvers- ary of the “Yankee Gale,” whlch commenced on the evening of Oct- ober 3, 1851, and continued next day and night. with great fury, wrecking more than seventy ves- sels engaged In the Gulf fisheries, on the rocks and sends of the North Shore. The lives lost were estimated at one hundred and sixty. Nineteen of the wrecked vessels hailed from Gloucester. Commencing at the eaist of the Island and continuing westward to Savage Harbour, fifteen vessels were driven ashore, besides n large barque from Europe in ballast. From Savage ‘Harbour to Richmond Bay the stranded vessels number- ed seventeen; In Richmond Bay, there were twenty-four, and from the latter place to North Cape, seventeen came to grief. Twenty-two vessels lost. the whole or part of their crews. The “Traveller". Ncwburyport, Mass, last eight; the "Statesman", New- buryport, ten; the “Ame-rican", Lu- bee, Maine, nlne; the “Belensfi Portsmouth, N.l-l., ten. "Sklp Jack" came in with twelve bodies. The "Flirt”, Gloucester, Mass“ lost thir- teen; the “Mary Moulton“, Castlne, Maine, fourteen; the "Brothers". St. Andrew, N.B., all on board; the "Mary”, Si. Andrew, N.B., all on board: an American schooner. wrecked off Brackley Point, all on board; a British vessel, wrecked off Rustico, four bodies in cabin and six in forecastle; a British vessel laden with merchandise, all hands lost; two vessels foundered off Sianhope, crews of both lost: a briguntinc wrecked on North Cupe, all on hoard lost.

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At Tracadie the schooner “Falr Play", Portland, Maine, was driv- en ashore, minus seven men, among them the capiuln. his three

sons nnil a lirafher-in-law. The “Franklin Dexter". of Dennis. Maine, (‘EH18 in with ten bodies.

The vessel belonged to a Captain Wickson, his four sons and a nep- hew forming nnri of the crew. On learning of the disaster, Wlckson at. once crime lo the Island, found his way to Cavendish where the bodies had been Inferred, had them exhumed and placed In a large box which was put on hoard the "Seth Hal", about. sailing for Bolton. Capt. Wickson himself went. by steamer. arrived home and anxious- ly awaited ihc schoonefls arrival; but he waited ln vain. The “Seth Hal" ran into another storm and was never afterwards seen.

At. Rustlco a dlsmasted vessel grounded at some distance; the crew fastened lines to empty cnsks, which belng thrown over, floated to landrwhere the llnes were fast- ened and four men got ashore, Shortly afterwards n tremendous wave llfied the hull bodlly. drlv- lng It. so near the bank that the others were saved. Near the same place three vessels came ashore wlthln n mile of each other with thirty-six dead. Some vessels came. ashore with bodies fastened In the rigging. their clothing in shreds,

O I O

On shore the tide flooded areas never before seen under water; fields where harvests had been rec- ently gathered were inundated; bridges and mllldame were carried away, great forest trees blown down. and for days the roads were made impassable by windfalls. On the beaches, the wlndrow of wreck- age was truly appalling. Many of the vessels were ea completely bra- ken as to be indistinguishable. Such bodies, as came ashore were KEHBPBIIY nude. and several were washed up weeks after the storm.

The crire izlven to the destitute survivors wns noted gratefully In the New England press. and from

Soviet Policy In Talks On Berlin

(fiy W. N. Eiwer)

The problem facing the Foreign Ministers of Britain, France and the United States In Paris ls not. that of currency and trade and‘ the communications of BerlIn. It is somethlng which Is In a way simpler; and at the srme time far more dangerous.

For eight weeks of patient ne- gotiation, first In Moscow, then In Berlin and then again In Mos- cow, has made if clear that. the Scrvlel: Government does not In- tend to reach a settlement over Berlln.

It ls engaged not In negotiat- ing an agreement but. In con- ducting an offensive. And the "conversations" have simplybeen used as e tactical device In the carrying out of that offensive. That is the sltuatlon. It could hardly be more dangerous. But the facts are only too plain. When the Moscow talks began M. Stalin and M, Molotov tried first to turn the Berlin situa- tion to their own advantage In the West.

They suggested that ln return for the lifting of the Berlin blockade the Allies should post- pone carrying out the reform In the Western Zones which had been decided on In the Six-Power London Conference In the Spring. The result would have been to disrupt the new economic recov- ery, to pro-voice acute political discontent, and to throw out of gear en litnportant part, of the machinery of the European Re- covery Programme. It was an impossible proposal, but a sharp revelation c-f the Soviet purpose. That, move having felled, M. Molotov began to play for delay. He might. have been calculating that. the "nlr llfl." t0 Berlin could not be continued for more than a few weeks. In any case,’ the soviet attack on the Berlin municipality opened simultaneous- ly with the beginning of the Mos- cow talks, and required time for new developments,

It was clearly desirable, frcmi the Russian point. of vlew, to keep the Western’ Allies’ atten- tlon fixed on the problems of cur- rency and communications, while the Soviet military authorities In Berlln were tightening their grlp on the municipal administration In their own sector and l to disrupt. that administration In the Western sectbrs.

So the first phase ended with agreement. ln general terms on the subject of currency, trade and communications. '

It. consisted partly of an agreed "directive" to the four nlllltary Governors 1n Berlin on the basis of which they would work out practical arrangements; partly of

.___.___-__€-Zi the schooner “Bell". appeared the following tribute In the P. E. I. Royal Gazette:

"Slr,—Allow the undersigned on behalf, of hls fellow-sufferers to express their hearty thanks for the sympathy and assistance re- celved from the Inhabitants of Prlncetown Royalty. whose klnd- ness no pecunlary reward could repay, and to whom we shall ever feel under the greatest obligations, an their hospitality was extended ln such a way ee to cause us Io feel we were really among friends who exercised Chrlstlen virtues that. would put. to shame many of our countrymen, or at least many selling under the American flag.

"We sincerely hope that any Am- erlcon who eeeii this will remember that In October, 1851, three hun- dred men from American vessels were cnet. inshore ln Richmond Bay, all of whom received every atten- llon that could paeulbly be render- ed them hail they been wrecked

assurances given by M. Stalin and M. Molotov during the con- versations. And It was of e cher- acter which, glven good faith and

goodwill, could easily have brought. e. rapid and complete settlement. of these particular

questions and have so made pos- slble a Four Power meeting for discussion of other issues,

But In Berlin Marshal Sokolov- sky tabled demands which were plainly designed to be unaccept- able. The currency arrange- ments which he proposed were 1n- compatible with the agreement reached In Moscow. This might. have been a misunderstanding, as the differences were not. beyond adjustment. But In addition the lllarshal irnode further demands. Instead of all restrictions on com. munlcatlona between Berlin and the West being lifted, he requlr- ed that. new restrictions be Im- posed by agreement.

And they were of a. character which would have crippled any Biiempt. by the Western Allies to deal with any new rupture or land communications created Qn the pretext of a "technical break. down" of road and rail lines. He further insisted on arrangements which would have placed the ad- ministration of Berlin's trade with the West. entirely under Soviet control.

Instead of the restoration of the status quo, the Marshal was, In fact, demanding Western agree- ment to a new cyst/om which would have given the soviet, Mill. tary Government a complete stranglehold on the economy of all four sectors of Berlin.

It. was a clear revelation o! the offensive character of the whole operation. The 'negotlat.lon" was merely a. new move In the Soviet attempt which began last Decem- ber to force the Western Allles out. of Berlin by making their posltlon In the city untenable.

There was stlll just the chance that. Marshal Sokolcvsky was showing "too much zeal", that. he was going beyond hls Instructions, that. new conversations In Mos- cow might result. In new orders being sent to him,

It might. be only a faint hope. But the Three Powers were de- termined to seize even the slightest chance. \

The Moscow talks were resum- ed. M. Slalln was conveniently away and would not Interrupt hls holiday. And i-wa conversations with M. Molotov- made It plain that. Marshal Solrolovsksrs dell- berately impossible demands had been made with the full approval of hls Government.