PAGErvUR _ THE GUARDIAN

Hamill Dally (Founded tn 1887i. Autlsoriaed aa Second Clan Mall, Port Olflco Department. Ottawa.

“Willi. lan A. Burnett; Vice-President. Wm. R. "EH19"; SeoL-Tream, G. M. Burnett; Editor and Mlllllllll 911M101’. J. R. Burnett; Associate Editor, , Frank Walker.

~_"'Tho Strongest Memory is Weaker Than the Weakest Ink."

wicinnnaoflr-zrowiv, mronv, mnncu s. 1674f-

Wlry Puhllc lntorost lags

Mr. l. M. MacDonnell, one of the ablest and most conscientious members of Parliament, complaining lost week of the lack of public in- tcrcst in vital government measures, said'it was "a sad reflection on the level of public conscious- ness in this country." Whereupon the Ottawa Journal makes this pertinent reply:

"That there is a lack of public inteflrest in national questions, an absence of alertness over them, no one need doubt at all. We wonder, however, if this weakness-and it is a grove weakness—isn't due in part to Parliament itself, or to our Ml"s themselves?

"How much work do our MP's do~—apart from putting speeches on Hansard—in stirring up public opinion—in taking government, as it were, to the people? ln the last Z5 years in this country the platform has practically been abandoned. Whereas in the old days we used to have public men on the hustings all over the country, and often joint debates between party gladiators, rousing public interest and excite- meat, giving to public issues what Mr. Churchill once called the ‘sense of urgency,’ we now have ‘radio talks‘ that to many of us are about as inspiring as last week's laundry bill.

"Politicians seem obsessed with the radio- lcbor under the delusion that people listen to radio speeches. The truth, of course, is that not one politician out of IO knows how to use the radio, and that to the extent they are list- ened to on the radio—which is a very slight ex- tent—they do themselves more harm than good.

"There is the matter of personalities. In politics, as in most of life's activities, personali- ties are always more attractive than issues. Thus in the days of Macdonald and Laurier men were compelled towards politics. Macdonald and Laurier were picturesque figures, in the tradi- tion of the great chieftains, rallying the multi- rode-s. Today our political leaders, faced with different issues, are more in the municipal mould, don't compel the some loyalty, the some affection, nor even the same passionate hostil- ity. That in itself, and to o far greater dc-

- gree than many suspect, detracts from interest

in politics." The Journal's diagnosis might well be ap- plied to Provincial as well as Federal politics.

Diplomatic Language

Mi. Harold Nicolson of The Spectator must have had Mr. Mackenzie King, as well as Mr. Bevin, m mind when he, the other day, mode thc following pronouncement on Mr. Kevin's speech on the situation in Europe; "He (Mr. Bevinl be- gun ta employ words and phrases which can only confuse understanding. At one moment he spoke of Western Europe as a 'unit'; a few min- lites later he was referring to the ‘organization and support of a Western Union’; in a later pass- age he used the odd word ‘organism’, and hc ended by saying that the whole scheme aimed, not. at a rigid system, but at a ‘spiritual union‘ or a ‘brotherhood’. This mutable and imprecise phraseology will inevitably lead foreign observ- ers to interpret his statements in their own man- ncr. The Russians will regard the scheme as y Western bloc organized as the spearhead of Arn- crican capitalism. The Germans will interpret the speech as a hint of the opportunity for which they have been longing. Count Coudenhovc- Kalergi will be convinced that he has converted Mr. Bevin to his sch-eme of a United Europe even as he converted Monsieur Briand many years ago. And large sections of A-mcrican opinion will sup- pose that Mr. Bevin intends to transfer to West» ern Europe the benefits of the American federal system. None of these expectations is likely to be realized. Mr. Bevin indicated a line of policy with which a largo majority of people will agree, it is unfortunate that by employing many incon- sistent terms he should hove exposed his pro- nouncement to conflicting interpretations."

tlanarla’: lloto tin Korea.

Canada and Australia presented the only negative votes to a resolution of the UN Little Assembly calling for a UN-supervised election in South Korea. Our negative vote was stated to be based an a legal interpretation-Altar the Little Assembly had no authority to amend the General Assembly's instruction, which was that an election should be held in all Korea, North and South. V '

Actually, observes 'on exchange, our nega- tive wos born of something more than a consti- tutional objection. The UN Commission m Korea, of which Canada is a member, has run foul of Russia, hos been refused admission to North Korea. lt has, too, encountered much op- position ln South Korea. The Canadian Govern- ment has a suspicion that in forcing an elec- tion In South Korea in tho face of Russian enmity rind without being ready to follow through viith ueh force-as might be required, UN is, to put t bluntl , woiirlhg out on o limb. lt is a limb not uoll a the one UN finds itself on over-_ 1lltlllflill| Palestine. Canada played a strong port glp putting UN_on the Palestine limb and is , inlrlrig.__.tvri_cg about repeating the process in

' ole Canada's negative volaiio- Rom, ‘ ' ifourrrdfriridbefound in gFMgAooter I. Pearson's speech to

the Under-Secretory of State for External A-f- fairs observed: "It may eventually be fatal to the United Nations, if it is askedto accept com- mitments ‘which it_ cannot fulfill, because, in the absence of military agreements under the Charter to enforce its decisions, those decisions have behind them only moral force and the werghtohworld opinion." The realism of this viewpoint is not going to inspire those who feel that UN has a magic strength greater than the strength of men—.but it may bi; good for UN nonetheless.

o

- LDIIURIAL NOTES .-

All our representatives of Otlawu are in the limelight these rlnys.

The city is preparing for spring thaws, open- ing droins and sowcrs and breaking up the ice at key points.

w w a w

Finland's acceptance of a Russian pact is almost a foregone conclusion. It would mean widespread starvation in that country if Russian grain supplies were cut off.

n a a a

Mr. M&awell,M.L.A., Manitoba, said in the Legislature» "If l, as a farmer, put as much water in the milk l sell as the government does into its whisky l would go to the jug for 90 days." There may be more truth than poetry in this, which, moreover, has its local application.

Ford cars are to cross the Atlantic but in a westerly direction. The Ford people have de- cided to test American reception of small Eng- lish cars. The pre-war market was not receptive to the small car but with‘ increasingly congested traffic conditions in tlig big cities the reaction may now be favorable.

To refer to or address a member by name on the floor of the House is a breach of parlia- mentary etiquette. The restriction is of ancient origin and probably stems from the primitive cus- tom of keeping ane's true name secret as a pro- tection against evil spirits. Perhaps that is why formal "naming" of a member by the Speaker is considered a severe punishment.

It is reassuring to note, on the authority of Hon. J. A. Glen, Minister of Mines and Resources in rcply to a question in the House of Commons by Mr. McLure, that cost of thc highway from "Russia" lmisprint for Rustico) to Cavendish, in- sofar as this road lics within the confines of the National Park, will be paid I00 per cent by the Federal Government. Unfortunately Mr. Glen did not say when the work would be undertaken.

Alessandro Volta, Italian physicist and elec- trical inventor, died this dot; I827; was a pra- lcssor at both Como and Pavia before taking up rc-sidcncc in England where he was awarded thc Royal Society Copley mczlul in l79l; proceeding in Franco he obtained ll1c patronage of Napoleon Wlll) provided him u statc pension. In the yrtrr of Waterloo hc became director of thc- yhilasaphical faculty of Podua University. He was a pioneer oi electrical science, and the elec- tric. "volt" was named after him.

. t

a n

Politics make strange bcdfellows. General McNaughton, who stepped into Col. RalstorVs shoos as n-iilitary adviser of Prime Mirhster King subsequent to thc Hang Kong disaster, is now urging a "supreme" effort of conciliation before turning to the sword ta solve the Palestine crisis. Unfortunately thd small British force in Palestine is already experiencing a repetition of the Canadian force in Hang Kong, while the Urfltcd Nations stand idly by in the attitude of "let George do it."

i.

lt is good news that the employment situa- tion here promises well as soon as winter leaves us, which should be about the beginning of next month. There is a tremendous lot of building operations ready to be undertaken which should provide work for hundreds of citizens, while farming and fishing will have been resumed. Nat many places are so favourably situated in this respect, and it is to be sincerely desired that the Governments and Councils will do all possible to encourage further building operations together with the introduction and development of minor industries. The best help is self-help, and as u province and as municipalities it is our duty to begin at home by providing the necessary facilities and encouragement;

i I e

According to Mr. Claude Smith at the loeel branch of the Agricultural Institute of Canada, "Prince Edward Island used more milk per per- son than any other Piovince in Canada in I947. About l2,000,000 pounds of milk per year is sold to the local trade." That is something of which we have reason to be proud. In Alberta the cost of the production of milk has been calculated as follows: Concen- trates, 74.4; roughage, $1.04; pasture, etc., 15.5; labour, 96.1: buildings, 57.6; hauling, 25; total, $3.72. Mr. Claude Smith's comment on this is: "The labour figure here allows the farm owner the same price as his ‘hired man and makes no provision for management and supervision. It includes no profit, so they allow 54 cents to cover these costs. They fix the rate at $4.25 a cwt. for 3.6 milk. On our farm we use a simple method to figure costs. We are feeding one lb. grain for every quart of milk, 25 lbs. hay or, roughage and about 40 lbs. turnips or mangels to each cow and our cows average about 20 lbs. milk per cow a day. I think every producer real- ized the cheaper milk can be put on the mar- lret the more he will soil. Every economy must be practised not only in buying feed but in rais- ing our average production per cow. The average production can be increased if we can arrange to have our cows freshen once every twelve months." '

\

Way- -r .

No woman objeeta to a. man's iinvlng the last. word. provided it- 1! an evolves. “at. Thomas Times- Journal. i

“Don't oail a man a llar unless you can prove it." advises a writ- er. Or unless you are ready to :0 to court, run or fight. - Kingston Whig-Standard.

The right of British unlvorslllol lu be represented lu Parliament lithl been abolished under a Labor‘ Goverurirent bill. thus wiping out. a 350-_vear practice. fl. seems a pity. In a way, t.o see this go. but since lho vote for the reform was 31S to B and since the Conscrva Lives abstained from voting. "it can be assumed that the tradition had become outmoded. - Bran:-

i ford Expositor.

The good behavior of the Inhabi- tants of I-lunnebostrand, a smaii place near Gobhenburg. Sweden, has for many years been a source at‘ embarrassment La the local prison authorities. The continued lack of any kind of offender has resulted in the decision to

HOW close the local prison altogether and to offer its entire stock of convicts‘ costumes — numbering three -- for sale b) auction. --L.ari- don Times.

Fire C‘ missiouer Codman’!

statement that most tires in Bos- ton this winter" were caused by de~ fecrive heating equipment, is reu- sau enougtffor all householders who haven't done so already to check their own treating plants for. possible danger spots. It has been a severe winter and equipment has been overloaded. It is not turd under such conditions for heaters to become unsafe tirrougl. faulty adjustments or blockages. Mr. Codmstfs size-up of the sit- uation stinuld be sufficient war":- ing to all who wish maximum: safe: m their own homes. -Bos- ton Post.

At this season of the year. house- wives in search of variety. could consume large quantities of On» tarlo apples for cooking - to. pies. for apple dumplings. apple billitt’ and other tasty dishes. Many of them are already doing >0 hlzm)" others viould do so if they were just; made more "apple cun- sciaus.“ Great quantities of fruit continue to be brought in from the south. oranges and grapefruit providing one of the brightest. spur in the panorama of rising prices as they continue at un- changed levels. -- Owen Sound Sun-Times.

Opera is a queer business. it's a mongrel art. but like many such rloga it has devotees galore. Just the other night in Rome, a young American soprano. making her d."- but, in Gaurwts "Faust." was al- ."t"l to dclivcr the famous "Janet Sorta" but she couldn't find the vowels. Mophisturvliolrs hnfl forgot.- |r~ir to lrvrvo Lhc cnskci of them on her claorstcp. So she went nnu yo‘. Lin: box tier-self, turned away. turnPd buck njznlu, acted surprised nnvl went lulu her sang. Wvll. that's not asking the audience w overlook so much, uheri you can older that in another opera tne rlearl man rises to sing s swan song _ Windsor Star.

The main trouble about electric mower» seem to be that the high- pvcssuro campaign to sell the eleo lrlc idea to the public has been much too successful. With the ex- tension cf electric service to rural areas nnrl the multiplication of electric gadgets in the homes. the demand for power has grown with leaps and bounds. New industries. reconvertlng since the war, have added tremendously to the load. Droughts have slowed down power plants and forest fires have crip- pled distrlbutlcm systems. The re- sult ls that there is not enough raavver to g0 around and brawnouto and blackouts spread while the power corporations plead with their customers to save electricity.

Toronto Teieqram.

There is a tandem-v to regard even reasonabiv mire s-oeeeh as an nffectation. Another difficulty l. rm herd instinet which provides onlchivords. usually senseless. and nbvovs transient -not the chanrzer. which came to a lamzunrre oer.- tinunlly In a state of flux. but empty. more or less meaningless. phrases which for,a tlme are on everv tongue. There seems to be no ready cure for this condition. uu- less it lies in teaching a respect for the mother tongue, and a de- sire to keep it as far as paulble. and without descend‘ to atllterl- ness in its pristine purity. The fundamentalsiare folrlv well taught. In the lower grades of school. Per- haps it is a problem with which the high schools and the colleges must: deal. —Ghnt.ham News.

Every year a large number or wild duck and other birds are swept; over the brink of Niagara Falls to be killed instantly. or so badly injured that they die lower clown the river. A few days ago about 1000 ducks met. this fate. The birds rest in quiet watus be- tween Chippewa and Fort. lnle. When wintry mists come, they do not know where the currents are taking them and they topple aver the escarpment. These II enough destruction of bird life without. this mass killing which has‘heen going on every year for perhaps centuries. Surely something could be done to prevent it, and conser- vation organizations ought to get together on this problem. We have no engineering experience. bu: we throw out the tentative suggestion that a series of meshed wire fences be constructed up riqor in a slant- ing direction so that. the currents would graduauy edge the ducks over to the bank bafoiro reaching

ttrl hhl uootptoo. ,-- Itflfhomggq

THE GUARDIAN. CHARLOTTETUWN

O-OO-O

PUBLIC FORUM

‘flail column fa open to tho dlaoadoo by oorro- abundant: of guest-ton at tntoreat. The Charlnttatown Guardian done not eeanar 1 ti) endorse the opinion of correapondeata.

+o+++eo++++e++v++d PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

Sir.—Wlth references to the let- ter in yesterday's Charlottetown Guardian. stoned “Accountant? He states "money expended on the sinking fund is not an expense or payment on orribtary expenditure." The money provided for the sink- ing fund ls. and rightly so, met out. of the total revenue cash re- celverl.

In a double entry system of accounting a Journal entry la made deblting revenue cash and crediting sinking fund account. ft the Provincial Accounting was carried out on the double entry sw-tem of accounting "the sum 1f smnes could not have brought back to the Revenue slde of the account and left on the ex~ pendlture side of the account be cause a journal entry would have been made deblting sinking funa and crediting cash revenue. am. In that. way revenue total would have been increased and expendi ture payments decreased. Bur. in that Way no provision for Sinking Fund would have been made for redemption of the Public Debi loans at maturity.

I am glad Lo see that “Account- ant“ states that. the balance of my communication is correct. ex- cept perhaps the last paragraph.

The last paragraph in my let. ter reads: “Unless this unsound .1 naming is stopped it will inevlta bI-y put this Province into bank- ruptcy.” Yet "Accountant" states in the last paragraph of his ier. ter: “The Sinking Fund is sup- posed to pay off the debentures uhen they become clue. but actual- ly the Government. has depended on the banks for most of the mon- ey to pay oft the debentures.‘ ~

"Accountant" finally makes the absurd statement: “If there were no sinking fund the gross debt would be so much less."

I am pleased to see that he agrees with me when he states. "But to have P. E. l. bonds in Sinking Fund is an absurd thing

only rs make believe-IL L's itul, standard accounting." I am, Sir, ete.

ANONYMOUS

WHY TEACHERS ARE SORE

Sir, — The answers to Lilo fal- lowing questions are not entirely of my own» formulation. ‘they are the result. of many discussions with other young teacher-s during the past lvru year's. In view of Ute many articles concerning mu‘ schools in your paper at present, I trelic-vc this is the proper time for this lotloi- lo tippvzir‘ in print,

Wllwy are younr: meu nun ncmcn leavin: lho teaching profession Ill P.E.I.?

The n-iazn reason is I'm! of crou- omlr-s. Most c] the other cirlmvnls tl-al. the tcurlirr rind.- unsatlsfacl ory m his prolcssioir van be trnvcd back lo that twentieth vcntury rie cessity.

It a young tear-her left his pro- fession, r-oulrl he make a larger In- i-irnh olscnviiere?

Yes. Mast of the tear-hers have a fair amount of crluicalicru -— one, two, and oven three yours of vol loge or university. There are pas- itions they could obtain in other fields where the ‘rninlnum salaries are more than t,lta5e offered in ed- ucntlon.

Why, Linen, do they remain in the teaching profession, even for l short while?

This question has often been asked. Tho answer is that. they like it. A great nvmter of people can't understand that such an emotion is possible. People who do realize that it. is possible to like teaching often suggest. that the teachers should be satisfied with their lot. The response to that is simple. Teachers are human beings. This; means they respect dignity and crave s small proportion for them- selves. They do not wish to be treated as a poor relative of the ccnrrvunityr in which they happen to be teaching. Teachers would like m stand on their own two feet and be reasonably tree from econcmlc strangulation. ,

Isn't it true that the teacher works only five hours a day tlvo days a week?

No. The teacher who works only five hours a day is certainly a rare specimen. I have yet. to meet one. Ten hours is probably the average working dsy. When exams are in progress, the number of hours ls considerably increased. Week-end relaxation is a very rare occurrence in the average teacher's life. There are reports, tests. and many other things with which to occupy his lIme. Any evening the teacher takes off he usually finds it. neces- sary to retire early because of the constant strain an his mental cap- acities and nerves. Teaching, as it is ‘with any work demanding men- tal concentration. ls moreexhauet- lve than physical labour.

Teachers‘ salaries were railed last year. Are they nearly satisfac- tory yet?

No. The cost of living ln the province is atlu rising. Teachers have to pay income tax ta foot so ridiculous that it. creates cynic- ism). They have to save every school te-m for the next summer school. Most teachers try towarry a little lmuraiiee. 1110s now tlnd themsel." in a position where five per cent or their salary has to be contributed towards the pension fund. as set up by the provincial Iovernment in 1M7. A considerable number of thorn are still paying off debts they accumulated ‘in their efforts to gain an education. Thor-o are some young tmhm who wlah to further their m education no n to hearse-better nittol m their