\

.1:19.E.11QuR s THE GUARDIAN

lloruing Duly lFnulldlil u U") Author-luv) u llflfllllll (‘lino uni. Pen Omen | Department, Ottawa. Th0 Ilium] Guardian Publllhing CO.

' ldllar and Managing Dire-flint, J It. Burial!- ' Lollwillo Editor, run wuiiu.

fTho Strongest Memory is Weaker Than . the Weakest Ink."

I CHARLOTTE/TOWN, MONDAY, MAY 2, 1919

The Musical Festival

This week may well prove to be the big- gest one musically in our island history. The programme arranged for the fourth annual com- petitive Musica-l Festival, sponsored by the Prince Edward Island Musical Festival Associa- tion, which opens today in the Prince of Wales College, is more ambitious than anything here- tofore attempted. A fine list of scholarships, thirty-eight in all, have been generously donated by public spirited organizations and individuals and the competition will be keen and representative of all sections of the Pro- vince. The Festival continues until Friday and Saturday, when two concerts will be given as n gra-nd finale featuring the winners in the competitions for instrumental and vocal solos, school and church chairs and orchestras.

The musical festival movement is 100% a community enterprise. For initiating it here in i946 much credit is due the first president a-nd secretary of the organization, Mrs. Pres- ton Beck and Mrs. O. Archibald, of the Central Royalty Women's institute. The surrounding institutes joined in launching the first campaign, and its results astonished those who were scep- tical as to the public response to an appeal of this kind. It meant a great deal of hard work to get the initial organization functioning, but from that time to this the story has been one of phenomenal success. A milestone was reach- ed in i947, when the Festival became a Province- wide institution.

Mr. David Ouchterlony, of the Toronto Con- servatory of Music, will be the adjudicator this year. As noted recently in these columns, spec- ial attention has been given in the syllabus to encouragement of folk music, which has great possibilities both culturally and from an enter- tainment standpoint. But no field of conipo- sition has been neglected — certainly not the "ciassics”, which ore the fixed stars in the fir- mament of m-usic, and shine by their awn light, and which to know (however humbly and at a distance) is to love and enjoy forever.

Substituting The Ghurch

flie tende-ncy in England is more and more in the direction of civil i-n preference to ecclesi- astical administration in the training of the ris- ing generation. This has been especially mark- ed since the advent of the Labour Government. The idea is not to ignore the great part the Churches play in directing the young the way they should go, but to coordinate their efforts with the object of giving boys and girls a chance ta grow up healthy, wealthy and wise, bodily, mentally and spiritually respectively. This is made plain in the following announcement from the United Kingdom In-form-ation Office:

"Britain is setting up a special organiza- tion to help boys and girls with the problems that face them today.

"lt will consist of a research and advisory committee on youth with a permanent secretar- iat and is sponsored by the King George Jubilee Trust. Under the chairmanship of the Duke of Gloucester‘ the Trust's work is to promote the phiysical, mental and spiritual welfare of young

e.

"Attention will be focused mainly on the years of adolescence, but research may later be extended into the later years. Recommenda- tions will be made on the results of the re- search and these will lead to action by everyone connected with youith work. The committee will have representatives from religious bodies, trades unions, universities, industrial organizations, edu- cational associations, social services and Govern- ment departments.

"The King George Jubilee Trust has already done a lot to help the work of Britain's youth organizations by grants of more than $3,000,000. its policy is to back them in promoting worth- while experimental projects which they could not finance themselves.

"Much research and voluntary work has already been done in Britain cii youth work and Gove-rnment grants already help youth clubs. But there was a gap — there was no cen- tral clearing house where all youth activity cou-id be co-ordinated to prevent overlapping. This is just where the new permanent organiza- ition steps i-n."

Prices Commission Report

What pa-rt has agriculture played in caus- ing the rise in posit-war prices? This is one of the many questions dealt with in the Report of the Royal Commission on Prices, which has been published in three volumes by the King's Printer at Ottawa. While the agricultural sections con- tain nothing that will be sta-rtingly new to well- informed readers, nevertheless they should prove of much interest and value to every farmer.

Briefly, the Report finds prices of farm pro-

ducts have-risen loss since i945 than the prices

of most other groups in the wholesale index. Yet because the cos-t of food is of such vital concern the mm rise in farm prices has received a good deal of attention. In part, this arose from the sudden removal of subsidies which kept food prices down during the war. Because of this the advance in retail food prices has been greater than the rise in farm product rises since the and of the war. in general, farm prices moved upward in response to the acute world shortage of food, which was an inevitable aftermath of the war. Canadian farmers themselves could do little either to avoid or moderate this rise. But to some extant the rise was moderated by the food oofilracttnegoiiatod with the United Kingdom. Igflqiiao agreements and the restrictions that . . 7iil|oflpott of farm products imp: Canadian prices from "mus... in airport markets.

4-.

Separate chapters in the report deal with the course of prices and national income, price control and rationing, external influences on the Canadian price level, the investment boom, fis- cal and monetary policy, priges and wages, corporate pfofits and prices, agricultural prices, mark-ups and margins, restrictive business prac- tices, cost-of-living index, bread baking industry, dairying, livestock and meat indus , fruit and vegetables, textiles, chemical fert izers, hides, leather and footwear, lumber industry and con- sumer credit. There is a voluminous statistical supplement, and also an introduction and sum- mary giving in outline the most significant fea- tures of the analysis. _

The report is obtainable at the price of $2.00, post free, and can be recommended as an encyclopaedic source of information on tne subject with which it deals.

L/ EDITORIAL NOTESI,

Feast of St. Philip and St. James.

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The merry month of May will this year re- sound with poliiicakorattory.

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H. R. H. the Duke of Connaught, former Governor General of Canada, born this date i850.

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Opening day of the Prince Edward Island Musical Festival — a firihl treat of melody and harmony before the dissonance of an election

campaign.

not

A week from today the enumeration of voters gets under way. Unlike the Provincial practice there is an official list and qualified voters should make certain that their names ap-

pear on it.

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Lobster fishermen, except those on the Western part of Northumberland Strait, are again tending their trap lines. The flavorful crustacean should soon make their appearance in the city.

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if every family in Canada which regularly buys books would purchase just two Canadian books in a year, 4,000,000 would be sold ori- nually and Canadian writing would be vitaliz- ed, says Mr. Will R. Bird, Canadian Authors’ Association president, in Canadian Bookseller.

I ¥ U The bells of St. Clement's will soon again be saying, "Oranges and Lemons." The thou- sand year old church on the Strand was prac- tically wrecked in the blitz but the bells are intact and are now being remounted in a sur-

viving tower.

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The first hearings of the Royal Commis-

on Transport will be for the purpose of dealing with proced-ure and itinerary of the commission. lts terms of reference are wide, authorizing an inquiry into all transportation under federal jurisdictign.’

sion

The British Industries Fair in London will be opened today by Canadian Trade Minister C D. Howe. The choice of speaker is not with- out significance because one of the most pressing problems of both countries is to bal- ance our sales to Britain by purchases from

her.

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lt is not every happily wedded pair who live to welcome and encourage I00 grandchil- dren, b-ut Mr. and Mrs. George McConnell, Prince Edward County, Ontario, who celebrated the 63rd. anniversary of their wedding recent- ly, can boast of being in that select few, an increase of 27 during the post three years.

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Canadian ambassador in Washington, Hume Wrong, has this to say about the North Atlantic Treaty- "There already has been an abatement of fear brought about by display of courage and determination. Our troubled world is a little less troubled than it was three weeks ago." He warn- ed, however, that prevention of war is "essen- tially a negative achjeviiment."

British Minister of Defence R-t. Hon. Albert Victor Alexander, born this date i885, former- ly a Baptist lay preacher, became Labour Mem- bar for Hillsborough division, Sheffield in i922, and became Secretary of the Board of Trade in the first Labour Government, .and First Lord of the Admiralty in the second Labour Govern- ment. Now Minister of De-fence with supervision of military, naval and air forces.

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A lot of money goes up in smoke. Canada's smokers have poured around 9,275,000,000 into the Federal treasury in excise duties and taxes in the last i5 years Mr. Howard Green (PC, Van- couver South) was informed in a Commons re- turn. That was the amount pa-id on cigars, cigarets, manufactured tobacco, raw leaf to- bacco and cigaret papers. What a lot of per- sonal joy and satisfaction the billian-aiid-a quarter must have provided in the fifteen yearsj

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Ships of the famous Malta convoys that went down in the Mediterranean are being raised and towed i,500 mi-les to the breaking-up yards in Britain. At Malta work has begun in cutting up» badly damaged tonnage in the harbour ap- proaches-Jonnoge unfit for refloating. Arid this immense salvage -battle—-tha greatest the world has ever known-has iust been extended to the Red Sea and the Far East. More than half a mil- lion tans of scrap metal are reaching Britain every year from marine salvage or from obsolete naval ships in the breaking-up yards. Block ships sunk in French waters during D. Day operations are still yielding between 3,000 and 4,000 tons of steel each. Fifteen have been raised and towed back to Britain. Others will follow. Not only metal scrap but timber is being recovered and has helped in the housing drive. Most wrecks are hard to reatzh, but sometimes nature makes things easy. One small vessel thrown high and dry on the Laricasliire coast came to rest near a

railway siding. She was carted away quite simply

-by rail!

rue GvAisuian-J-"rieiswftfiisiwfl

PUBLIC FORUM

This column lo open to the discussion by correspondents of questions of lawful ‘I'll! Guardian doe: not necessar- u; endo the opinion u! wuespondent-a.

r3¢ THE POTATO SUPPORT PRICE

Sir. — Three weeks from the day I applied for the Dominion Govern- ment Support Price for my entire 194-8 potato crop I received their cheque for $3,152.88 which was pay- ment in full, and authority to feed my stock any portion re- qulred.

For the lnforlmutlon of those who criticized the policy principally because they believed all the pro- paganda passed around, I should like to take this opportunity of separating the true from the false. To the best. of my knowledge I tried earnestly to persuade farm- ers that the policy was a "Farmers policy” and not a “Government policy," that the idea. originated with the farmers and after many years the Government was con- verted to the belief that a "support price" was really needed in order to assure adequate food and minimum protection to those who produced this most. necessary pro- duct. Also the fact that when a Government made possible this outstanding aid to agriculture, it ivas the duly of all farmers to acknowledge it by their support and, by so doing, assure the Gov- ernment that farmers recognized 1t as a protection.

The most consistent arguments put. forth by farmers were these: "I don't need any Government to help ma." "I cannot ment."

“I cannot afford to welt until next summer for my money."

The Government will expect me to grade potatoes during crop- ping."

"60 to fi oents per bushel is better than 69 cents from the Gov- eminent."

"I would rather take 20 cents less_ now than sprout potatoes in June, July or even Aumlst." Government measures usually bring out. the bigotry and intoler- ance in many framers. I wonder so many times why farmers are so eager and willing to accept pro- paganda (ivhlch almost won the war for Hitler and is making such phenomenal progress for Cam- munlsm). when it Ls in direct op- position to their ovm interests, be- cause support prices were demand- ed by the farmers.

There is always a motive for propaganda, and without doubt, Sir, I feel quite safe in assuming the motive in this instance is selfish gain. To 99 percent of deal- ers tn farm produce a beg of po- tatoes represents 5 cents com- mission, but to the farmer either success or poverty. I have yet to speak to is. farmer who has been encouraged. to holdby commission men, and I mean potato dealers, station loaders, truckers, fertilizer‘ dealers, truokmen, railway officials or any group or party who benefit.- ed 1n the handling of farmers‘ po- tistoes.

Farmers have not an organ- ization representing their ulter- ests after these many years dur- ing which time they have become known as producers of the world's finest seed potaboes, that would fearlessly tell all the benefits of support prices and by so doing offset the self-interest that ls so disadvantageous to the primary producer.

Our representatives who present- ed the farmers’ case to the Agricul- tural Prices Support Board most certainly deserve the thanks of every potato grower in Eastern Canada. for the splendid and fair deal they obtained.

It. is admitted by all that. 69 cents per bushel will not encourage an increase in production. If is also admitted that ti. will protect the small grower from financial loss and it should be realized by the farmer that. the support price ls meant. only for the small grow- er, with no encouragement to the speculator.

No responsible Government arbi- trarily would impose a hardship on the consumers of this country. Last fall in Charlottetown po- tataes delivered to stores for 50 cents per bushel sold as high as $2.00 a bushel. and today when potatoes are selling for B0 cents delivered to the stores I doubt if the consumer is paying any mare than he was when the farmer only received so cents. And because of such proflteerlng in farm products all over the Dominion. our farm organizations have been able to convince the Government that by merely assuring a cost. of pra- ductlon price, it was not making for a higher cost of llvlng to the wane earner and a policy that would be condemned. On the contrary it was a. policy that. would lead to greater prosperity for all, and a justice long overdue ta the primary producer who has always stood the brunt of the depressions. At this time I dd not know whet the final d',.osli.lon of the pg- tetoes in my storage will bis, But I firmly believe that. whatever ruling is made by the Prices Sup- port Board. it wfli be just as fair and reasonable as it has been to date.

Thanking you, Sir, for the publi- cation of this letter. With your Dflrmll-Klen. I shall write again

trust that Govern-

after I have made final disposition of some 4400 bushels of Cannon No. f table stock potatoes.

I em, Bir. ct;

It. E. CONNOLmr, Dunstaffensge, P11.

The Age-Old Story

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MUS IICQML

PRGSENTED FOR OUR PLEASURE...

ANNUAL

IFIESTIIVAII.

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Old Charlottetown (And r. x. 1.)

The men appointed as Governors

I

7dr defy Qiefidimez

of this Island 1n early ‘ ‘ l days were, in the nature of things, much more autocratic than their successors. The most notable ex- ample of this characteristic was displayed by His Excellency Char- les Douglas Smith, who was ap- pointed Lieutenant Governor of this colony in 1813. During his term of office Governor Smith had his residence in the Military Barrackn. and on every occasion he sought to emphasize the fact that he was Cammander-ln-Chief of His Illa]- esty’: forces in this Island.

In addition to the Regulars ata- tioned in the Barracks, there were two volunteer companies of artil- lery in Charlottetown; one com- manded by Capt, Samuel Nelson. the other by Capt. Thomas Robin- son. There was also a company of cavalry under Capt. Robert Pyke. These companies used to drill twice a week, and they were required to turn out at the Grand Muster of the Volunteer and Militia Corps of Queen's County, which was held in Charlottetown on the first of every month.

I O

Governor Smith had ordered the Captains to drill the men‘ more often than twice a week, and Capt. Nelson and Capt. Robinson refused, but CHM. Pyke, who protested against it. afterwards gave in. Smith then issued a pfoclamgflon dismissing Capts. Nelson and Robin. son from their commands for dis- obedience of his orders and repri- manded Capt. Pyke in the proclam- ation. At tile next muster the men of Nelson's and Robinson's com- panies Joined the Militia ' under Capt. Paul Mabey. While they were on parade in Queen Square, Co]. onel Holland, who was Adjutant. General, ordered the men go {an out of the ranks of Capt. Mabeys Company and to fail in again as Volunteer Companies. They did so, and then he informed them that new captains had been appointed for them. When they heard this "my love a loud laugh and at once disbanded and ran off the parade Bround. Colonel Holland reported this to the Governor who then 0rd. ered Capt. Barrington, an Irishman 2W1; was in command of the de-

"c "w"! 0f Regulars stationed

here, to call out his men and fire

an the Volunteers for insubordlna- on.

This order Capt. Barrlngton pggl- tively refused to obey. He “id he would be sorry to fire on such loyal British Bubiects. and in any case ii 3'18! gore] than he dared to do. If the egu ars had been brought our

f" day there would have been a massacre as there was a strong feell"! in the town about the mat- for.

I O i Owing to the refusal of Capt Barrlrigton to fire on the ‘mun: teers, Governor Smith as Command- er-in-Chief ordered him under or. rest and sent his mp0“ m ‘he

SONG FROM “COMUS"

The sin: that bids the shepherd fold Now the" top of Heaven cloth hold, And the gilded car of day

His glowing axle doth alley

In the steep Atlantic sitcom.

And the slope sun his upward beam shoots against. the dusky pole, Pacing toward the other goaJ

Of his chamber in the East. Meanwhile welcome joy. and feast, Midnight shout and revelry. Tipsy dance. and Jollity.

Braid your locks with rosy l-Wlflt- Dropping odours, dropping wine. Rdgour now is gone to bed.

Ana Advice with so-rupulous head, strict Age, and sour Severity, with their grave saws 1n slumber

lie. We that are of purer flrre Imltote the starry quire. Who in their nightly spheres Iced in swift roiund the months and years.

watchful

The sounds and seas with e11 their tinny drove

Now to the moon in weverlnl m0!‘- rlce move.

And on me tawny sands and shelves

131p ‘bhepe-rt fairies and t/he dap- per elves;

By dtmiialed brook. and fountain br m,

The wood-nymphs decked with daisies trim

Their merry wakes and pastimes keep:

What hath night to do with sleep? Night. hath better sweets to prove: Venus now wakes, and. woken! 110W-

-Jehn Nlllton (1641844).

Butler Prices In Canada

(The Windsor Star)-

As a. direct result of the im- pact. of margarine on butter, the Federal Government felt impelled co support butter prices. It Ls do- ing so by purchasing butter at 5B cents per pound Jivhlch means, in effect. prices to producers will not full below that.

The entire dairy industry Ls 1m- pllcated in butter Prices. It is a. closely integrated industry, and the prices of butter, cheese. whole milk, and other milk products are re- lated. Anything touching one al- fects the others. Support of butter prices will tend to stabilize the whole industry and prevent its bottom falling out.

To understand the Government's action, one must appreciate the value of the dairy industry to Canada, and the need to guard against its collapse. It. is one of Canada's major industries, and lf anything drastic were to happen to it, it would not be long before other segments of the Canedfon