PAclifpuR

hm CHARLOTTETOWN GUARDIAN

TIIE BIIARLOTTETUWII GUARDIAN

Morning Daily tFounded in i881)

Incident; Lint. Col. W. Cheater i. llleLure Vice-President: J. R. " ett, l‘. J. l. loeretury: Lieut. Col. D. A. Mueliinnon, 0.8.0. litter and Managing Director: J. B. Burnett, IJJ. Associate Editors: Frank Walker and Lieut. Inn A. Burnett. lt.C.N.V.il. <01: Active Service)

"The Strongest Memory is Weaker Than the Weakest Ink.’

army, novmrnsn m. 1m. Col. Ralston’: Resignation

Following with dramatic suddenness upon Mr. Bracken's charge that the Liberal party was "divided at this moment in its innermost coun- cils on the really urgent question of providing reinforcements for our boys overseas and still playing politics with it," came the announce- ment of the resignation of llon. j. L. Ralston. Minister of National Defense. At one stroke Mr. King has lust his ztblcst minister, and Prince Edward Island its only representative in the Government.

Nothing, we may be sure, but a matter of fie greatest importance would have induced Col. Ralsfun to throw up ltis job at this time. The Canadian Press quotes "sources close to the government" as stating that the issue was the question of reinforcciticnts for overseas, and there is no reason to doubt that this’ was the case. Col. Ralsmit had just returned from visiting our armed forces in France and Italy. He went there to discover whether there was any truth in the allegations of Major Smyth and Premier Drew oi Ontario, to the effect that while 70,000 well-trained "zombies" were being kept at home for political reasons, many Canadian volunteers were being sent into act- ion only partly trained. No doubt Col. Ralston made full inquiries at the front, and told his cabinet colleagues the whole truth of the mat- ter. There scents little doubt, also, that he told them bluntly that he would no longer be a party to the farce the Government had made of the manpower question. His resignation followed his colleagues’ refusal to heed his words. All honor to ('01. Ralston for making the decision which hr did, even though it comes lamentably late!

Other Liberal members of the House of Commons have made it plainly known that they see the handwriting on the wall, meaning defeat for the Mackenzie King Administration in the next general election. They will not again run for office. Hon. Thomas Crerar, Minister of the Interior, has announced that he will not contest his Manitoba seat. Fish- eries Minister Michaud, from New Brunswick, is known to want an appointment to the Bench. Hon. Angus L. Macdonald, the Navy Minister, is reported by The Canadian Press as having told his party organizers in Kingston, which he represents, that he will not run again.

Mr. King and his party, (to the exclusion now nf Col. Ralston) have one main problem in mind: how to hold Quebec Province Federally. At the last general election, in 1940, Mr, King won '64 out of the 65 Quebec seats. Now he is los- ing strength there after catering to that Prov- ince and defying the will of the rest of the coun- try on the plebiscite. The only hope is in get- ting thellargcst single group, and that depends on winning the great majority of seatsin Que-

bec, As was ‘shown by the Duplessis vote, rural Quebec is not going to suppgrt M; king.

The seed sown and carefully watered for more than 25 years has flowered. Even now the report has come that a new political party has been formed in Quebec to oppose Mr. King In the Federal sphere.

There is every likelihood that, should Mr. King lose Quebec, there will not be a shadow f,‘ l"! Pall)’ left after the next Dominion elec- :on.

Col. Ralston's resignation is

_ indeed handwriting on the wall.

the

Potatoes In I944

According tu the first estimate, the 1944 potato crop in Canada is placed at 47,540,000 twt. from 543,900 acres with a yield of 89 c\vt. per acre as compared with 43,541,000 cwt, frQnl 532.700 acres with a yield of 82 cwt. per acre in i943. In the llaritiiitcs, both -l\'ova Scotia and Prince Edward Island increased their produc- tion, largely as a restilt of much higher yields, although acreage planted to potatoes in Nova Scotia also increased. A rctltiction in yield per acre in New Iirtinswicl; resulted in a smaller production despite a ])I2\lll(_‘(I acreage which ex- ceeded that of i943 by about to per cent. Pro- duction in Quebec is up, while the Ontario crop in about the same as last year. Flooded conditions together with late blight and rot in Manitoba nearly halved production, while the Saskatchewan crop is larger than in 1943. Alb- 011a shows little change, but the out-turn in British Columbia is down.

By provinces, the production of potatoes is estimated as follows, with the 1943 figures within brackets: Prince Edward Island, 4,- 680,000 cwt. (3.3.>i,o00); Nova. Scotia, 3,- 050,000 (1,380,000); New Brunswick, 032,000 (1o,432,0oo); Quebec, 14,357,000 (i1,256,ooo); Ontario, 7,310,000 (7,540,000); Manitoba, 1,251,000 (2,414,000); Saskatche- wan, 3.619.000 (2,883,000); Albcrtit, 2,497,000 (2,153,000); and British Columbia, 1.734.000 (2,162,000); all figures in hundredweiglits.

Insult To Fliers

Perhaps the rzittiation cntild not be avoided under which members of the Air Force in Can- ada arc asked t0 transfer to other services. ‘It is 'iIrl(.IEl'SI8Tl(I2il)IC, too, that they should be made subject to the draft if they do not choose to enlist voluntarily in the Army or Navy. But, aye the Windsor Star, there can be no possible excuse for sending draft notices to men who are still in the service.

There seems little (lotibt that this vile sys- gyq been instituted. At least one young flier

r v,‘

9r‘.

in ‘training, not yet discharged, has told of re- ceiving his call-up notice at the Air Force sta- tion where he is serving. Many other pieces of mail, obviously of the same naturc- have ar- rived at the post. _

"lt. is bad enough to enlist these men for air crew and then tell them that their services in this capacity are not required," says the Star, "but they are at least entitled to the opportunity to transfer voluntarily. Whoever is respons- ible for this atrocious practice of hasty call- ups—and it will probably turn out to be some officious underling—should be promptly fired, and a public apology should be made t0 the victims of the insult.”

EDI IURIAI. NUI II$

Of Hon. j. L. Ralston it cannot exactly be said on his last trip abroad ‘zucni, vidi, viri, but at least he sa\v ample justification for the com- plaints being received from the front why greater progress is’ not being made.

i ll

The London County Council has approved a new grade of nursing staff to be called "Nurs- cry Nurses.” Women who undertake this work will be posted to Social \Velfare Nurseries aft- er a course at a training college.

i‘ 1F 1i‘ l?

El Obeid (capital of Kordofoa, Sudan, Africa), a battle famous in African history as there on this date 1883, the bladhi defeated the Egyptian army under Hicks Pasha; the Madhi continued his successful revolt until the cap- ture of Khartutn in 1885 when he died, but the rebellion continued under Khalifa till 1898 when he was completely defeated by an Anglo- ligyptian army under Kitchener, who origin- ated the phrase, “an army travels on its slotti- ach."

U I U i

Large numbers of books have followed in the ivake of the Allied Armies which have landed in Normandy. In one day recently, 1,000 parcels of books were despatchcd by the Services Central Book Dcpot. On another day. 4o parcels were sent by air in response to a special request. The books are collected through the Ministry of Supply's national book recovery and salvage campaign. Already 10o,- 0oo,0oo books have been collected, over 80,000,- 000 by 3,000,000 school children, who have been helping local authorities, Women's Volun- tary Services and voluntary workers.

a n- a- n-

Betting at races is greatly on the increase, reflecting the increased prosperity of the aver- age man on the course. Official figures from the recent meeting of Dufferin race track brought the total pari-mutual take on Ontario race tracks this season to $22,588,114, an increase of $1,556,721 over 1943. \/V0odbine Park in- creased by $72,560 to $4,113,943; Dufferin by $339,195 m 3,850,030; Long Branch (at Duf- ferin) by $156,320 to $3,792,683; Thoriicliffe (at Woodbine) by $133,398 t0 3,746,307. Out- side Toronto the Hamilton track showed a i944 take of $2,767,831, an increase of $110,- 806 over last year. Fort Erie increased $579,- 671 to $2,527,934; and Stamford Park at Niagara Falls increased by $164,771 to $1,- 789.386-

: a a a

Official consideration now is being given an early resumption of Canadian beef cattle ex- ports to the United States, halted since 1942. Under agreement with the United States, Can- ada can ship nearly 200,000 beef cattle annu- ally under a special quota system. The ship- ments were halted two years ago when a beef shortage developed in the Dominion and exports of beef cattle could be made only through a permit system. Authorities said that new outlets for cattle had become necessary due to the in- ability of packing plants to handle all the cattle marketed by farmers. Some months ago it was believed that whatever quantities of beef were marketed could be handled because of the Brit- ish readiness to take at least 100,000,000 pounds in the years i944 and 1945.

I I i I

Betting Commissioner James J. Carroll, St. Louis, announces odds 'of 17 to 5 on the re- election of President Roosevelt and 3 to 1 against the election of Thomas E. Dewey, his Republi- can opponent. Under Carroll's odds the bcttor must put up $17 to net $5 if he favors Mr. Roosevelt to win. If he favors Mr. Dewey he must put up $1 to net $3, or in other words Carroll is betting $3 of his money against $1 of yours that Mr. Dewey will not win. Carroll also released his first listing of odds by states which show Mr. Roosevelt favored to win iti 32 states and Mr. Dewey to win in 16 states. The states in which Carroll says the money favors the President comprise 370 electoral votes while the state: in which the money favors Mr. Dewey total 161 electoral votes. Carroll's pre- vious odds were 3 to 1 for the re-election of the President (bet $3 to net $1) and 2% to 1 against Gov, Dewey's election (bet $1 to net $2.50.

n- u u n-

A Scottish family's record as beadles of the Auld Kirk in Wigtownshire has come to light by the appointment to that honoui-able office of a discharged soldier whose father and grand- father, gave between them seventy-eight yearn‘ service as minister's man, in turn, at the same church and manse. Time was when Scots bcadles ranked, in their own estimation at least, a close ifext to the ministers themselves. The late Rev. Dr. Bruce, Banff, told of a Moray- shire beadle who invariably spoke of “Me and the minister," and of a Dunuotlar factotum who boasted, “There's nae a day but the Reverend Mr. Silver consults, me about a'thing and ony- thing." Dr. Bruce admitted that "Where the beadle is a man of strong individuality lie is, in every parish, a remarkable and valuable per- sonage and one of acknowledged authority." It was a Banff beadle who, when asked if he could recommend a suitable minister's man for a neighbouring parish, replied in all serious- ness, "If ye hid speirt about a precentor 0r even an assistant tae yersel’ I could hae helpit yc. But a richt beadlc, a‘ roun‘ richt, he's ane in a lnin- dcr. I ken nu sic buddy th’ noo.”

PUBLIC FORUM

AN APPRECIATION - Sin-It has been my privilege to know the late Ilelth E. Brecken for over fifty years. Dllr car

hlsl traro IrhecéIIniIIOI

eer as R: - Chancery he

I-Iodgson, Master ofthe Rolls, the late Mr. Justice Fitzgerald. Vie: Chancellor, the late Mr. Justice Hanan-l, Master of the Rolls. the lflfe Mr. Justice Saunders, Muster

. and myself. and was hlnhly reizB-rded bv all of us and by ghewgfidlés of the supreme Court

s .

The lab: Mr. Brecken was a izeri- tleman of the old school, at all times most respectful. most at- tentive to the performance of his duties. and a most, falthtul public servant. In his lonii vein-s of ser- vice he handled many hundred thousands of dollars of Chancery money and lmpt thousands of‘ ac- counts. Not a sinale dollar ever rc- malnecl unaccounted for. and his books of account were kept with rnetloulous care. Many thousands of decretal orders are inscribed in the records of the Rolls and Vice- Chane: 1101's Courts. all of them in hls own clean hand-writing.

I-Ie at all times ctfirmiantled the respect and confidence Judges of the Courts as well as that. of the members of the bar. Even at an advanced an‘: he zave to his duties the same untlrinz care and attention that he had exercised in his younger years.

Durlnz, all the years that I have known hm I never heard fall from his lips an unkind or uncharlrablrc word about anyone. He u-as a mes; Christian gentleman. t

I am. Sh". etc. A. E. ARSENAULT.

Notes By The Way

After five years) of war. Germany is less fully mcbllized for the Stfllg- gle than Great Britain. Only s. few weeks ago the German people were told: "Women between forty- flve and fifty must register for wur work.‘ In Great Britain all wo- men up to fifty had been register. eu more than a year ago, and more than a million-ancl-a-half between forty and sixty are doing work of national importance. - Montreal Gazette,

It Is traditional that wnr, famine and plague follow each other 1n succession. _El.i.r0pe ha; had tlve years of war. luultitudes of its people scattered over great, areas have endured hunger to the point of famine. Now, We are told, it is being swept by tuberculosis. Dr. David Gould, an officer of tho United Nations Relief Administra- tion. says the "white" plague ls rampant in parts 0f Europe, that the death-rate from the disease has doubled tn the large cities of France and the Low Countries, that the situation in Poland and the Balkans is particularly acute. and that the disease ls of a very piéallxignant type. - Eclmont Bu!» e .

Suppose that the state withdrew its compulsion about people paying taxes‘! About. filling in for jury work? Or the city its multitude clf by-lnw; which make people, Wllly-nllly. do things they might. otherwise neglect to do? The fact is s. free static must have u lot of compulsion; otherwise there would be disorder and chaos. There is no breach of freedom in having peo- ple do their duty. military and all other. and voting ls a responsibil- ity of any good citizen. Discard- lng that responsibility only makes the vote of the unintelligent, the self-seekers, the venal and those with an axe to grind. all the more powerful. That is not. democracy as lt should function. — St. Cath- arines Standard.

Ships of the Royal Canadian Navy will sail into battle in future w h a distinctive green maple leaf on their funnels. Naval Sar- vice Headquarters has announced. The order specifies that the use of the maple leaf emblem is “a means of identifying the ship as Canadian." Con ratulattoris to Naval Service Hes quarters. What they did is all they could do. Naval service Headquarters could nor order the use of the maple leaf upon n. Canadian flag. It ls to be hoped, however, that the Naval order is a forecast of what, in our estimation should be the Cana- dlan flag-namely. the Red Ensign (Union Jack on the upper corner) and the maple leaf on the fly. - Ottawa Journal.

Sines the war the fine fleets of refrigerated banana freighters have been devoted to war purposes. To enable the West Indian plantations to be kept in being. the British Government has made grants to the rowers; in addition. a sub- stan al export trade has been gtabli-shed with Canada and me United States. The news -now comes that the plantations have been devastated by hurricane. and Br ain has decided to increase the grants to enable the blmallfl plantations to be rehabilitated. Mr. Richard Wlblisms. bf Kingston, Jamaica, chairman of the All-Is- land Banana Growers‘ Association, k discussing post-war plans in Lopdon, and ventures the opinion that if the shipping is released Britain should get. bananas by April neXt-—P.L.A. Monthly.

You might regard it u of little consequence whether the threads on your machine screws ran 16 to an inch or more or less, and whe- ther they conformed to the stan- dards of the American Society of Engineers. But. to American manu- facturers of machine screws ii makes a lot of difference. and. they view with alarm. the reports o1 progress made by an interna- tional misslon now in Imndon, trying to work out a common stan- dard for snraw threads. British and Canadian standards are dit- ferenf. from those in the United states. While a few American manufacturers m a k e machine screws that conform to British ntnndards. exports of such screws except in wartime. are netzlltllbll. Large quantities, however. have been sent abroad for use in Am- grlcan-mnde Jeeps and tanks. But for their own battle eqttlp- ment the British have to use their own machine screws. Most of the Canadian machine screws are made by Amerlc n firms with branches in Gena s. - Chicago Bun.

served under the late Mr. Justice l,

of the 1g

‘Fertilisers — Organic '

And Artificial

(Hy B. D. GARRETT‘, Broadcast in the BBC oversea: short. wave service)

My work u a research worker at the Rothamsted Experimental station is m find out more about now and why lants 810w. some years ego. I rea ed that I couldn't do this properly unleu I grew plants myself with my own hands, and learnt from my own mistakes. I soon found that. it isn't. always so easy to grow plants outside as , is in our experimental glass- houses, where the plants can have just the right sort of soil, just the right grow temperature, and an ample supp, of water. I've always wanted u small farm of my own. where I could try out new ideas, but my wartime vegetable allotment-ax‘ "Victory Garden" as they call it in the United States 01' America-doesn't make a bad substitute, and it has the Bren‘. advantage that my mistakes are less expensive on this smalkscalc.

This year I took on a new ptec; of ground - too late to dig in any farmyard or other organt. manure, though I could see that the soil needed it. It's been rather dry this summer. and my vege- tables didn't do very well. As l wns harvesting a very poor- croo of shallots, I looked across at my next door neighbour's maglffcinnt. crop, and nskeu him what he'd put on the ground. “I give it three ads of sewage sludge three years ago. and it's had nothing since," he told me. I thought of the trouble I'd taken. weighing out artificial mantires. and sprinkling them carefully along the rows for so little result.

The moral of this story ls. of course, that, organic manures have certain advantages over "artlflclals" for the vegetable gardener even more than for the farmer. first- ly, organic manures greatly tn- crcase the water-holding capacity of the soil, and in a dry season such as we've been having ln En - land this year, this is certalny their most valuable effect. Sac- ondly. organic manures bind the soil particles into crumbs, and so greatly improve the tlltli of the soil. A soil in good tilth is easier to work, iincl can be Worked soon- er after ruin than a soil in poor filth. And u soil in good tilth of- fers the best possible conditions for seedling germination and for absorption of plant nutrients which are slowly set free over a

period of several years as the plants require them. Artiflclals, on the other hand,

are best applied every year, and it's more important to put on ex- actly the right amount than it is with organic or ures. Too much sulphate of am- monia or nitrate of soda ls waste- ful, as the excess is washed down into the subsoil out of reach of the crop. Phosphate and potash, fortunately can't be washed down in this way as they are firmly lirld by the surface soil. Further- more. loo great an excess of any one of these artificial fertilizers will upset crop growth. ,

Perhaps you wonder why I — who work at the Rothamseed Experimental Station —- should be praising organic or natural man- ures and pointing out the limita- lions of artificlals. Rothamsted was founded by Sir John Lawes. WITO discovered supra-phosphate. and did more than any other man to bring about the widespread use of artificial fertilizers. But. Sir John Lawes, I'm sure. never thought. that art-ificinls would do away with the need for organic man- ures. The two are really compli- mentary to one another. and should be used together. Organic manures improve soil tilth and “later-holding capacity. and act as a reservoir of plant nutrients; artlflcials correct serious soil de- ficlencles and Provide the addi- tional plant nutrients required for a bumper crop. Their silDPlY “l1 also be easily adjusted to the re- quiremcntg of the particular crop —-a high potash fertilizer for pota- toes and tomatoes. for stance. and phosphate but no nitrogen for legumlnous crops.

England has been the cradle of the artificial fertilizer industry but. as you know it's also the home of tradition and sentllnent about the past; ant‘ so We still have B- rew English farmers — and many other less practical pefilllfl -—Wll° listen to the cry that the 118W artificial fertilizers are bad for the land. and that the old WW of the dung cart is the best WBY- It' was the best wily When it Wis the only way, but that's no longer true. For one thing, certain soil deficiencies Just cannot be 60r- rected by the use of natural man- ures alone. And farmers — 3115i- like manufactures — must take advantage of modern developments l: they're to survive In a compati- tlve world. This fact is ‘conveni- ently lgnored by the hnthusiaat for natural manures and nothinfl but natural manures on the land-