PAGE FOUR ~

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Proddul UouLCoLVlChsascrlllnLan Visa-Produces: J. B. lat-last. IJI. Suntan: Lint. Col. D. A. Iaelhuaa, 0.8.0. ldlsor and Managing Director: J. l. Blunts, FJJ. Insulate Editors: Fran Waller and Halt. ha A. Burnett, ls.0.N.V.l. (On Antlva lemon)

‘The Strongest Memory ls Weaker Than the Weakest Ink.‘

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1D“

Empire Preferences

A timely survey among industrial mem- bers is being undertaken by the Canadian Manu- facturers’ Association aimed at a current ap- praisal of British Empire Preferences. It ls pointed out that total Canadian exports to Empire countries in the three years preceding the outbreak of war, exceeded by a consider- able margin total exports to non-Empire coun- tries.

There has been a tendency in some quart- era to discount the value of Empire Prefer- ences to Canada in tlie post-war trade world. That tendency the Financial Post deplores, and expresses the belief that the C.\IA survey will offer concrete evidence of the vital importance of these preferences to Canada and to Cana- dian employment. '

“Until we are offered adequate and defin- ite compensation for a system that has brought much trade and prosperity to Canada and its Empire partners in the past,” says the Post, “there should be no thought of tossing Empire Preferences out the window."

Alas! this fails to take into account the fixed antipathy of Prime Minister King for these preferences, which are the result of the statesmanship of the Bennett Government and which have always been about as provocative to Mr. King as a red rag to a bull.

The legality of rationing will, it is hoped, remain an academic consideratiorvlong enough for Canada to meet its commitments. It is a fact, however, that many la\vyers gravely ques- tion whether the \Var Measures Act is any longer valid. This makes it all the more im- perative that the Government adjust rationing methods practically rather than theoretically. It is believed that coupon values should be more nearly in ratio to normal and relative money value. A careful adjustment will make life more difficult for black marketsers of porter- house steak and help to prevent s glut of the cheaper cuts.

A Great Lesson -

Maj. Alexander P. cle Seversky recently completed a five-months tour of Europe as special consultant to the War Department. His assignment was to study the part played by the airplane in the defeat of Germany. His re- port, as might be expected from the author of “Victory Through Air Power", contains some startling suggestions and bold assumptions along with much sound thinking.

For example, Major de Seversky expresses great respect for German achievements in mili- tary research and urges that the scientists re- sponsible be brought to this country as “a prize of war" so that they can carry on their work. Again, he declares that jet propulsion is only in its infancy and prophesies that within ten years “aircraft as we know it today will go out of existence.” Nothing, he insists, can be “salvaged from the existing equipment for our future national defence.”

But if there is room for argument on these points, it can hardly be denied that Major de Seversky is right in concluding that air power was the decisive factor in Europe. Bombers and fighters did not win the war un- aided, but they made possible the invasion that broke down German resistance. So the concept of strategic air warfare that his book helped to formulate has been proved valid.

Major de Seversky puts his finger on the reason why this concept eluded the Germans. The Nazi dictatorship “froze” enemy thinking, he says, while in this country final authority is in the hands of civilians and that is "a guar- antee against the perpetuation of military pre- judice." That is to say that freedom fights for freedom.

A Problem In Surgery

While a deadlock has been reached at the five-power conference of Foreign Ministers in London, it is not necessary to assume that this initial failure to agree on such a vexed ques- tion as the Balkan peace treaties is perman- ent. Russia obviously is seeking to bolster her own interests in Europe; but there is no rea- son why those interests, broadly interpreted, should clash with other Allied objeclives. We must assume that all the United Nations are seeking, according to their lights, to establish conditions of permanent world pence. All the disagreements have been with regard to the policies best likely to reach this goal.

One phase of the problem is summed up in the memorandum of the French Govern- ment at the London conference. This document urged, firstly‘, reconsideration of certain points of the Potsdam decisions on Germany in which the French Government did not participate. The second and most important point dealt with French ideas for the future of the Rhine- land and the Ruhr.

The French thesis was bluntly stated by General De Gaulle when he complained, in an interview published on Sept. lo, that under the Potsdam decisions Gennany was "amputated in the East but not in the West." The current of German vitality and potential aggressiveness,

must be a settlement in the \Vest counterbal- ancing that which the Russians have obtained in the East. Vital areas are the Rhincland and the Ruhr, for each of which special regimes should be worked out. It boils do\vn, in D: Gaulle's opinion, to a question of geographical surgery.

The special settlement which the French propose is for permanent Allied administration of the Ruhr. France would claim a predomin- ant share in the administration of the Rhine- land as far north as Cologne, and would pro- pose that a corresponding preponderance should be assigned to Belgium, Holland and the United Kingdom in the area between Cologne and the North Sea. The Ruhr with its coal and vital industries should, the French Government urges, be placed under Allied control so as to ensure that the Ruhr should cease forever to be a potential German arsenal, and that its products should be used for the benefit of all Europe as well as Germany. Finally, the French propose that the Rhine waterway should be interna- tionalized.

This matter was doubtless discussed at the conference of Foreign Ministers, but there is no indication that any agreement was reached. It is an admitted fact that the Potsdam Con- ference left the question of \Vestern German frontiers in the air and the French plan has the merit of offering a concrete basis of discus- sion. Moreover, French anxiety about French security based both on a knowledge of German psychology and on the lessons of history com- mands the widest sympathy and understanding in the same way as a similar Russian concern is, by general consent, a vital factor to be taken into account.

-EDITORIAL NOTES-

The doctors may still make ethics and busi-

ness join hands in the script dispute.

s w a s -

A five-year scientific study shows that 95

per cent of all women read advertising each day in their daily newspaper. a a s a

There is no salary attached to the office of President of the Divorce Court, but the Chief Justice will be entitled to certain fees, regulated by the Court.

4- n- e n

Think of itl Only l6 of the R. A. F. pil- ots are left of whom Winston Churchill said at the outset of war, “Never have so many owed so much to so few."

i: e a w There are riotings and insurrectionist out- breaks occurring in the Argentine. Can it be

because the Government has passed a decree outlawing tipping in cafes, hotels and night clubs?

a s a n

The late Mr. John Anderson was an hist- orian as well as a keen controversialist, and did much to keep on record by-time events and personalities. It may be worth the Govern-- ment's while to acquire his collection of data.

n: x 1r w

Mr. Duncan Campbell, historian, died this 913R 1886Fhe was born in Scotland in 1819, and came to Canada as a young man, settling first on a farm in this province, and subse- quently entering into business with a firm of importers and exporters, where he found time to write “A History of Prince Edward Island"; in I866 he went to Halifax where he engaged in shipping and studied the prospects of the de- velopment of the Maritimes along industrial and commercial lines; the outcome was the publication of his other work, Nova Scotia in its Historical, Mercantile and Industrial Relations.

1 C Q I

The United States officer who was so impressed with London taxicabs that he wants to ship a fleet of them to America has forecast s big U. S. demand for United Kingdom motor

cars. In an interview with Mr. H. Simmons, United Kingdom motor manufacturers and traders, he said: “The American boys over

here are just crazy about your cars and they should command a big sale over in the States." The United Kingdom models that he consider- ed would attract the most attention with the American public include the famous sports car of average horsepower, the family saloon — the lines of which appealed to him immensely-and a second and more powerful sports car. He claimed he could easily sell at least a thousand of the last type. U. S. troops while in Eng- land have paid many tributes to British-made cars, but the highest praise so far has generally been reserved for "small types" in which United Kingdom leadership is acknowledged.

a w s n-

More jobs for bureaucrats. The Unem- ployment Insurance Commission has inaugurat- ed an advisory division to help boys and girls leaving school to select jobs in which they are most likely to succeed. Mr. S. II. McLaren, chief executive officer of the Commission, says the pupils need not act upon the advice, which is entirely voluntary. Mr. McLaren says the agency involved would be the national em- ployment service of the Unemployment In- surance Commission, that is the successor to National Selective Service. "We feel that when these young people come out of school we can help them find the right job. After investi- gating their aptitude and abilities and assessing the labor situation, we advise them whether we think such and such a job is advisable. They don't have to take our advice if they don't want to." “If they decide not to .take your advice," he was asked, "what happens then?" “We do everything possible to help them do what they decide they want to do." He said lhe commission had about 25o offices in Canada, some of them with staffs of only three persons. In the smaller ones it would be impos- sible to have an expert but there would be

Notes Bylhe Way

In overcrowded W . new arrival managed to secure ac. commodatlons in a dingy hotel arm- hours of was search. As he starb- ed to unpack a valiso, he suddenly heard snares emanating from the tiny chest of drawers in his room. He investigated and mmqd h, telephone. "Good heavens," he cried, "there's a midget up her-g gnorlns lnumy chest of drawers!" élfllhléilz. .‘i’§§“.‘i..‘i‘2i°i'.°?.?ui"“5‘

. e ." -Wa1l Street Journal. n

The adoption of a

lute tic. and intelligent gdllcy

cpnttpuous u i o re orest for a whit: riiirrie Sn: euiilflrnfeilind.’

tury for development and white spruce almost as muc -a.nd these are the two most valuable trees that Nature has developed the world over. Where can ‘we get a supply of white pine for carpentry, or whlte spruce for newsprint pap- er, if we continue the work of err. haustlng the supply of these woods and neglect to replace them by planting a new crop?

Unfortunately, there la a loot! deal of truth ln the contention o.’ the Temperance Advocate that " nrents are increasing? disin- clned to allow sons or aughters to attend social events held in hotels" and that "Ontario hotels are fast becoming places toavolcl." Unless the operators of these esta. bllshments start to clean house, if not themselves then under compul- slon. this state of affairs must go from bad to even worse-Brockvllle Recorder and Times.

The black bear which killed two goats on a farm four miles from the city seemed w have things his own way. The goats did not have much chance, it appears. And yet goats have been known to butt fiercely, says The Fort. Wllllam Times-Journal. It. ma have been that sheer terror ma e the goats easy prey. No human eye saw the bloody battle, but. there would be a certain amount of satisfaction 1n knowing that. the victims got 1n at, least one good blow.

If you are a small man you may be able to make use of the speech in one sentence spoken by r. Ollver Wendell Holmes. At meeting he attended there were many tall men. "Someone sald to the doctor, “You must feel rather small among these big fellows." “I do," replied the doctor, who always thought well of himself. "I feel like a. dime among a lot of pen- nles." - Your Life Magazine.

Ono of the improvements |.n syn- thetic tires to which drivers may look forward ls the use of inner tubes of butyl, a chemists’ rubber that, has been devoted almost, en- tirely to war work, says The Cleve- land Plain Dealer. Those who pro- duce the materal say an Inner tube made of it. ls superior to the pre- war one; of natural rubber, that. its llfe is much longer than theirs and that it holds olr so tizhtly that ll needs inflation only three or four times a year. This may be one of the instances in which rosy prophecies of postwar improve- ments may come tme. Bring it on

In Russia, newspapers antd ma- gazines, their buildings and their equipment, not only are owned by the Government, but, are an lute- gral part of 1t. In fact, the Rus- sians have but one newspaper un- der different names. The opinions and information offered In that newspaper must satisfy the "peo- ple" and the “people" 1n Russia are the small group of party lead- ers and officials. Any other opin- ion or information is condemned.

terprlslng young man ln Moscow managed to locate a printing press and published a newspaper criti- clzlng Stalin or the Communist system? We all know the answer. Until a. oung Russian can do gust that, wthout disappearing nto Slberla we cannot believe 1n Pravdafls claims of freedom. -Edl- tor and Publisher (New York).

Some of Holland's raw material needs for the last; half of this year were sent by Dr. H, Vos, Minister of Commerce and Industry, at 231,- 800 long tons of chemical products, 160,000 long tons of raw materials for the paper trade, 500,000 long tons of iron and steel, 2,013,700 long tons of building materials, and 1,- 260,000 cu. metens of wood These figures, he said,’ are in accordance with those of the new Netherlands Directorate for Recovery end Sup- ply established by the Ministry. ‘Ihe directorate later will supply additional facts and figures on the Netherlands Purchasing program for the last. hal of this year and for the period 1946-48. Information on the needs of Holland's industry will be submitted to foreign com- missions who will sound thc world market for possibilities, Dr. Vos de- clared. _ Froir. Netherlands Clov- ernment Iriformation Bureau.

The disclosure by the Public Utilities Commission that. minute quantities of fluorine have been added to Brantfortfs drinking water supply during the last. three months means that an important. public health experiment is well under way. The purpose is to cut dovm the occurrence of dental decay children. Researches in- |, sufficient quantity of ls present in a natural state, the incidence of tooth decay ls extremely low, whereas 1n places where fluorine is scarce or absent, the tooth de- cay rats l; high. Similar expert- ments have started at Grand Ra- pvllds, M1ch., and Ncwbuigh, NY.

e proceedings here have been

vlslon of the proper local authori- ties and under the general sur- veillance of the Ontario Depart- ment of Health. - Bnntford Ex-

Auotrallans have found a peace- time use for mine detectors. With the war officially over, as far as they are concerned, Australian en- gtneers 1n the battle-torn Wewak sector of horn New Guinea have turned to regalrlns the num- erous wrecked b dges that. cross the coastal streams. A great. hard- wood forest reaches slryward from hundreds of square miles of the ground that, was formerly their battlefield. They know the Ja-

nese hsd been cutting timber.

us there was no trace of sawmill. Mine d where the Japanese mill machinery hml been buried. And, when the mill had been set p and the saw-s were whining again, the Austra- lians used their mine detectors to select suitable timbers. Iron bark? No—but the rnilna dotnctor was more than useful 1n discovering cannon slugs. and bullets which would have played havoc with the saws and pliu-iera-hoai Australian

What would happen 1f some en- M;

and will remain under the super- ,'

PUBLIC FORUM Afar corre- apondusta of quest-Iona of lllkteai. The Charlottetown

MERCHANT SEAMEN

Slay-Perhaps you will have not-teed that a (rest deal is being written these days rmrdlns ex- aervlcssncn. But doesrft. it appear to you as very strange that so llt- tle reference la made to est-prison- ers of war? I am 1n hearty agree- ment. with any and all efforts being made on behalf elf-members of our fighting forces. In my con- sidered opinion they are dcservln: of the finest and best this Canada of ours can give them.

I shall not forget that wonderful day, when, with several thousand others, I had the glad opportunity of welcoming some of the men of the Liberation Anny, They arrived at the prison ca/mp at midnight, but their very presence transfor- med that dark German night into brilliant sunshine. They came as conquerors, but they brought with them freedom, happiness and the fulfillment of a hope we had che- rlahed for over four long years ln captivity behind the barbed wire entanglements of a Nazl prison camp These are times when words fall one. They failed us at. that. hour; our gratitude was too deep for mere words. They fall me now when I try to re-live that. ocea- slon.

But what I really want to write about are the eX-ltrlaoners of war. and ln this letter only one class of prisoner of war-Canadian Merchant Seaman; that group of mean and low estate. but men, nevertheless, and likewise deser- ving of the finest and best that Canada can give. You may be in- terested in knowing that at. one time during the war just. concluded, an effort was made to have Mer- chant Seamen placed in the same category as the Canadian Armed Forces. The plan failed of accept- ance by Ottawa with results that

DB are not at all tn keeping with the

war services of the Merchant Navy. Here are some of them:

1. Non-inclusion on preferential basis for employment in the Can- adian Clvll Service.

2. Non-participation in Veterans Rehabilitation Scheme and Wnr Gratuity awards.

3. Non-participation in educat- ional training scheme, either pro- fesslonally, vocatlonally or or- dinary business training.

4. No reasonable and clear-cut War Bonus.

5. Obligation to pay full-rate Federal Income Tax on wages payable while 1n captivity. In no case was this period under four years. Ln most. cases it was close to

five.

8. Failure to recognize prison camp time as sea service as was done by the British Government for British seamen.

‘l. Failure to provide arrange- ments whereby Merchant seamen, elf-prisoners of war, would re- ceive ralses 1n pay and bonus tak- ing effect after the prisoners cap- ture.

In summary it looks very much as though a prisoner Ls being pen- allzed for becoming a prisoner. Slricc my arrival 1n June of this year, I have made every effort to have the Government review these matters, So far, I have achieved little success, other than capturing the interest of a few local person-

es. You are doubtless aware that. seamen, as a class, are an easy- going crowd, and 1n all too many cases not well versed In pushing such matters as these I have out.- llnecl. They are a trusting lot as well, but. in this case lt ls more than trust that. ls required. l have recently been admitted to membership in the Caandlan Le- gion, and at. t-he first opportunity it. is my intention to enlist their support ln an effort to have this whole matter thrashed out. In the meantime, I feel you would be doing some good l! you could assist. me ln bringing this matter to the attention of responsible officials. Your efforts would be greatly appreciated by a splendid body of men whose war services ou must. know rank very high. It hardly necessary to remind you or anyone else, for that. matter, that during those terrible years of I940 and 1941 when the life lines of the Empire were almost severed by the German U-Boat. menace. Canada's Merchant Seaman still carried on 1n the face of unmitig- ated death traps with next to no armed Jotectlon, but with that unconquerable Canadian splrlt to succeed. And succeed they dlcll With the result that our sea lines were maintained and we and our allies were enabled to cary on. The peace which todiay is ours is in no little measure to bc crodrlted to that unarmed body of men and their gallant little ships. That body of men knew how to die, but. knew not how to surrender. They are Canada's unsung heroes but. they do not want to be sung about. All they ask 1a s fslr recog-