; Ehr (n1mr.clian

Lovers Prmcu Edward Island Lilo the Dew PI’II)Il$flP|" esery‘weex-oay morning at [65 Prince Street CI?Hfl"ILf‘lO\S'n. P.E.I., by the Thomson C0mD3l'l.V Ud-

Ian A Burnett, Publisher and General Manaul hank walker. Editor Member Canadian Daily Newspaper Publishers Association _Member at The (‘anadian Press Member Adurl Rureau or Circulation: Bunch ofiices at Summerside. Montague and Alberto- nt~uI9se.»'Ited Nationally by’ Thomson Newspaper: Advertising Service IA King Street West Toronto, Ont. 640 Cathcart St.. _VIonti'eaI 1030 West Georgia St.. Vancouver sy Carrii-r Charlottetown. Summerslde 30¢ per week. By Mail elsewhere in P.E.I. $9.00 per annum. Other l/i‘o'ince:. and United States $12.01) per annum.

FAGE’ 4 ___‘WEDNESDAY,_APRIL 9, 1953;-

A Brighter Budget

Thanks to the $21/_> million adjust- ment grant receivable from the Die- fenbaker Government, our Pro- vincial Treasurer has been able to budget for expenditures of over six- teen million dollars for the fiscal year 1958-59, an amount greatly in excess of any previous budgetary

presentation. This will take care of- increased expenditures in education, public health, highways and other important departments. A current revenue surplus of $2,717,016 is estimated, but there will be an over- all deficit of some $155,734 which will increase the net debt to an estimated total of $23,784,833 by March 31 next year. Despite the mounting debt increase, Mr. Mac-- Donald states that the Province is “reasonably solvent”. ,

There can be no question, how- ever, that had we been obliged.to carry on with the revenue obtain-

'able from Ottawa last year we would be in a very precarious sit- uation today. In his budget speech of March .26, 1957, Mr. Mac- Donald had reason to complain of _ the Federal Government's “unreal- istic" attitude toward our fiscal needs. To meet urgent require- ments he had to impose __ an ad- ditional gasoline tax and make other tax adjustments, leaving us still with an estimated deficit of over two million dlollars for the coming year. On top of this came the discovery that the Federal Gov- ernment was demanding a million and a quarter dollars from us in back tax rental payments, and the House had to be adjourned so that the Premier could,head a delegation to Ottawa seeking relief. All we ob- tained was permission to pay the money back in installments over the, next five years rather‘ than in a lump sum; and in return, it seems, we had to commit ourselves to par- ticipation in the costly federal-pro- vincial hospital insurance scheme, starting 1959. _

Exceptvfor an item of some $10,- 000 in‘ the 1958-59 estimates, there is still no provision made for hos- pital insurance, and this big problem will have to be dealt with next year. But imagine the predicament we would be in but for the additional $10,000,000 which ‘we-are to receive over the next four years under the Atlantic Provinces adjustment

_ grant! Mr. MacDonald complains

that this grant is still inadequate, especially since we received nothing extra under the recent tax rental change by which every other Pro- vince benefited- We quite agree with him on this point, and have said so on other occasions. We need $5,000,-

000 over and above the existing tax I payments. We received only half that amount through the adjust- ment grant, and we should be pres- sing continually for further relief. But it is worth pointing out that at the Dominion-Provincial Con-

ference in October, 1955, when we asked for an additional $3,700,000 on the basis of urgent need, our brief was ignored altogether by the

St. Laurent Government. Finance

Minister Harris, when he visited here two years later during the ’57 election campaign, seemed to be un- aware of its very existence. We re- call, too, that both the Premier and the Provincial Treasurer made radio Camilaign speeches on that occasion, Saying nothing about the shabby treatment we received. Their sent complaints about the Conser- Vat1Ve If-3.’1'anl\ might well be temper- ed by recollection of this fact,, and

even by a profound sense of thank-=

fulness that the government whose record they lauded in 1957 gave place to a more sympathetic admin- istration. ‘

Having said this, we hasten to congratulate Mr. MacDonald on the ,Vcry comprehensive presentation he has made of our financial position. The budget this year contains more facts and figures than any previous effort of this kind, and there is a wealth .of comment and analysis which should be of great‘ value to the members in discussing the var- ious estimates in the House.

pre- I

Freight Rate Appeal

One important problem, among many, awaiting the Federal Gov- ernment’s attention is what to do about a freight rate increase of 3.6 per cent recommended by the Board of Transport Commissioners. The Cabinet has the power to veto the increase, let it stand or change it. The Railways would like the in- crease to be revised upwards. Eight Provihces, all except Ontario and Quebec, have asked that it be vetoed. The latest report is that the Cabinet will consider the matter about April 14 and that a decision will be reached and announced be- fore May 1.

High freight rates from the At-

lantic region to central Canadian markets have always been an im- pediment to the economic develop- ment of these Provinces. In A the past, under successive Liberal Gov- ernments, it seemed that all the Rail- ways had to do when they felt they should have a higher income was to ask that rates be increased-—and, without much consideration being given Maritime interests, their re- quest was granted.

From the start, the Diefenbaker Government has adopted a different policy—one, that is to say, which takes into consideration the econo- mic stresses and strains of the re- gion as well the Railways’ na- tural desire for bigger revenues. The hope is that the latest recommended increase will be disallowed or, failing that, that no consideration whatever will be given to increas- ing the rate further.

Court Rulings

According to American press re- ports, there is a good deal of public dissatisfaction in the United States over a number of recent rulings handed down: by the Supreme Court. The criticism’ is aimed not at the rulings themselves (that would be useless, in any case) but at the nar- row, 5-4 margin by which they were reached.

It has always been a mystery why any Supreme: Court should be obliged to go into the numerical details when giving judgement. The - judgement is final, anyway; the fact that five members of the court favoured it and four were against it makes no difference at all to the outcome. About all it does, as far as one can see, is create doubt in the minds of the public regarding the soundness of the judgement; since, presumably, the four—or _ whatever the number may be—who dissent from themajority ruling are just as learned in the law the others.

Would it notbe sufficient for.‘ the Court simply to ‘deliver judgement (which means the majority ruling),

" without bothering to say who voted for it and who opposed it? Justice

would be served just as well; and public confidence in the Court would not be subjected to strain, as it doubtless is sometimes under the present method of publishing

the pros and cons.

EDITORIAL NOTES

A Canadian Press dispatch says that “there are already hints of tax cuts”. That’s one thing any Gov- ernment is _safe in talking about openly. There’s no need of just “hinting”.

w -k a ,

A report from Long Island, (N. Y. says that potato planting is now in full swing—about three weeks later than usual, due to bad weath- er. There are about 700 potato far- mers on the island. They plant a total of about 50,000 acres.

' i Q 9

By a vote of 27 to 17 the Man- itoba Legislature recently turned down legislation that would have permitted the sale of colored mar- garine in the province. This is the seventh consecutive session in

which the proponents of this mea- sure sought to make it effective, and were rebuffed. C i G

Citizenship Day is to\be observed in Canada this year on Friday, May 16. The object, as it has been clear- ly set forth by the Governor Gen- 9131» is by Setting apart one day 391008 the others, to give particular thought to what it means to be a citizen of this country. “At this time each year,” says His Excel- lency, “we can reflect, with pride, on the growing importance of Can. ada, and with seriousness on the

responsibilities which the increase of power places upon us.”

Faawasogli

i

t

' THE TWO-HUMP CAMEL -

OTTAWA REPORT

Ottawa: Awakening from its post-election awe on All Fools’ Day, Ottawa is now anticipating a peniod of aggressive reconstruc- tion under the vigorous and new- :‘ly-strengthened Conservative Go- vernmenvt.’

All the signs point to the crea- tion of a more truly “‘Canadian" policy than was followed during the St. Laurent decade. The Die- fenbaker Government now has the strength as well as the de- termination always to act frank- ly in the best interests of Can- adians first. Our resources, the Prime Minister promises, will be developed in the manner which will most enrich Canadians ra- ther than foreigners. To the great- est possible extent, our raw ma- terials ‘will be processed in Can- ada, rather than con~tinue,to be exported to feed foreign factor- ies and provide highly-paid jobs for foreigners. “When the purse is full, the head is empty” is an old and wise saying. It is realised here now that it was vividly true on a national scale during what has been praised as the Golden Era of the St. Laurent decade. Sober second thoughts, or more truly serious thoughts coming now where before there were none, are showing us that there was another side to that image. Per- haps it was not a golden era, but a period when we were all blind- ed by the glisrten of the post-war world boom, gilded with a ve- neer of fools’ gold. , WHAT WE LOST ' Economically, the St. Laurent era saw a hidden decay gnawing away the muscles of our national economy behind a false front of glitter. In that period, the pur- chasing power of our Canadian Dollar fell from 00 cents to 80 cei ;; our comfortable trading surplus of $400,000,000 99!‘ yea!‘ evaporated to become a trading

___\/—.._

Byrd's Memory

Economic Reconstruction

By Patrick Nicholson Special Correspondent for The Guardian

deficit of more than double that figure; and U.‘S.A. conttroilgof our resources rose from 37 per cent to 60 per cent.

Now the need for economic re- construction on staggering

scale stares us in the face..I-n-‘

flation must be defeated; lost for- eign markets must be ercaptured; unemployment must be correct- ed; and above all our national economic sovereignty must be restored. .

To the average Canadian, the most imipontanit long-term task is to halt inflation. During the St. Laurent decade, that thief in the night slashed 20 cents off the purchasing power of our dollar, which meant that we lost one- fifth of our savings in the banks and in bonds, one-fifth of the life insurance protection which most fiathers had given to" their fam- ilies just disaippeareed, and the meagre -income of pensioners was out by one-fifth. ‘

BOSS IN OUR, HOUSE

Just as the full employment of the post-war decade was substan- tially attributable to outside influ- ences, beyond the control of the Canadian government, so the maintenance of peace and pros- perity through our tomorrows will be largely dependent upon outside factors. But not entirely. There is now an urgent need and

’a new willingness in Ottawa to

face up to the fact that Canada need never drift inert with the international current; Canada can give a positive lead, propose pro- mising policies, to influence and help to direct that international current.

Pr i m e. Minister. Diefenbak- er has given Canadians, a vivid Word picture of his View of the Canada of Tomorrow. That will be an independent Canada, not a- fraid to speak _up and act up to protect her own interests. It will

Honored

The newly dedicated Richard E. Byrd Library at Springfield, Virginia, will preserve for future generations books and memen- toes of one of the great explorers of all time.

The family of the late Rear Ad- miral Byrd has offered the Li- brary a number of Byrd’s books and belongings. Already on dis- play is a large photographic por- trait presented by the National Geographic Society, which helped support his polar expeditions.

The modest-sized Library is lo- cated about 12 miles from Wash- ington, in an area wealthy in his- toric associations. Mount Vernon, home of George Washington, stands a few miles away. Up the Potomac River lies Alexandria where visitors may still see the apothecary shop that prepared medicine for Washington. In an adjacent Virginia county, “Stone- -wall” Jackson got his nickname at the first Btatle of Mauassas

(Bull Run) RANKED HIGH

In a tribute to Byrd. Dr. Mel- ville Bell Grosvenor, presicleiit and editor of the National Geo- graphic Society, said that sc‘3ent':- fic work in the Antarctic diving the current International Geophy- sical Year is the culmination of the explorers lifetime of work and leadership.

“What the round earth was to Columbus, what circumnaviga- tion of the globe was to Magell- an. polar exploration was to Ri- chard Evelyn Byrd,” said Dr. Grosvenor. “No man in history contributed more knowledge of the Arctic and Antarctic than Byrd."

Byrd's career as polar explor- er began in 1923 \\hcn he joined forces with the Donald B. .\1ac- Millan Arctic: Expedition, sup- ported by the Society. The exped-

National Geographic Society

plored thousands of square miles over Ellesmere Island. He and Floyd Bennett were the first men to fly over the Greenland Icecap. The following year, on May '1, Byrd and Bennett became the .first men ever to fly over the North Pole. In 1927 Byrd f13w the‘ Atlantic to France, just 40 days after Lindbergh’s flight. But this was only an interlude in his explora- tion of the Poles. In 1929. 55191‘ wintering over at the first Lit- tle America in Antarztica, Byrd flew over the South Pole. He was first man to do so. Byrd spent the winter of 1934 alone in a tiny hut 123 miles south of Little America. From March to May all went well des- pite cold so intense that a flash- light would die out and kerosene would freeze. Then _Byrd began to fell ill as the result of car- bon-monoxide fumes from a faul- ty burner of his oil stove. HID HIS PLIGHT Fearful for the safety of men who might attempt to rescue him, Byrd hid his plight as best he could. But the irregularity and weakness of his keyed radio sig- nals finally betrayed his condi- tion. A rescue party saved him. Byrd retained a becoming mod- esty despite the honors heaped upon him. President Calvin Cool- idge presented him in 1926 with the National Geographic Socicty’s Hubbard Medal. Herbert Hoov- er gave him the Socie't_v"s Special Medal of Honor in 1930. In 1953 he became a Life Trustee of the Society. Four days before he died on

paid tribute to Dr. Paul A. Siplc, who has carried on the Byrd ira- (lilimi at the South Pole. .-\s a 10-

‘, ilion l-‘SIal)II.\‘ll(‘(I a base at Ifllah, ' Grccnlaiid. 140 miles north \\ hat is now ’l‘hI1I¢— Air Base.

Of;

year-old Eagle Scout, Siplc was chosen in a nuImn- \\'l(Ii‘ crnitcsi

be a Canada developed from east to west through the vision of Sir John A. Mavcdonald. It will be a Canada with prosperous bus- tling cities within the Barren- lands and the Arctic, on the same latitudes as Scandinavian and Russian cities. It-will be a Ca- nada with two new Provinces car- ved out of our rich but neglect- ed Northland. It will above all be a Canada for Canadians, a Canada taking her rightful place in the world community of free nations, a sovereign state gov- erned in the interests of Canad- ians and not an economic dime store operated for the interests of profligate Americans.

SYCAMORES

If there is a tree upon the moon, If the moon knows how to grow 9. tree,

Then men will find out to their pleasure soon,

And it may be a sycamore they

see.

A sycamore is not like other trees. » llts boughs exude a kind of

creamy light, ‘And many a full moon balances in these '

Earthy sycam-ores at dark of night. '

But it is dawn now for space’ travelers. . The sun of their adventures soon will rise Imposing in their pa-llor, syca- mores A

Would be good to stand under in the ‘skies, ' To look up at and m.a.ybe see - the round Earth in over oyster-white moon ground. ’

—Elizabeth Jane Astley in the Christian Science Monitor.

PUBLIC FORUM

This column is open _to the discus- sion by correspondents of question of interest. The Guardian does not neocl- sarily endorse the opinion of correl-

pondents.

THE FARMER’S SHARE,‘

S-ir,——N-ow that the Canadian people have expressed an ex- traordinary “vote of confidence” in the leadership of Prime Minis- ter John Diefeubaker, I suppose it is reasonably safe to assume that the well - ,publicised Price Spreads Inquiry, looking into “the urban food dollar” and how much of those 100 cents get back to the farmer, will now get both the green light and the full speed ahead signal. I feel that hundreds of thou- sands of the natiou’s primary pro- d u c e r 3 would enthusiastical- ly chorus: “Let’s hope so?” Meanwhile, I’d like to docu- ment this little letter by sending along a pair of very keen para- graphs on this same theme, from the opposite number in the Unit- ed States, as drawn by one of your U. S. farm contemporaries: No. 1 deals with “The farmers‘ share” as follows: “He gets 40 cents of the final consumer‘s food dollar—U.S. Dep’t of Agriculture says 39 to 40 cents would be about it for 1958, too. Ten years ago, be it noted. the US. farmer got 53 cents of each food dollar", while No. 2 sets out to prove with the stubborn logic of the figures, that “Food Is Big Business,” thus: “Consumers spent $75000,- 000.000 on food in 1957. Of this massive total the farmers got $29.000.000,00(L~and the balance went for processing. transport- ing. packaging, wholesaling and retailing: $46,000,000,000. I am, Sir, etc.,

March 11, 1957, Byrd made final READER. correctioiis in an article im‘ the Society's .1-Iagazinc. In this he RETIRED poL1cE,\~}AN Dms

GLACE BAY, N. S. —— (CP) - Funeral services will be held here today ITucsdayI for Arthur George Frost, 67, retired scr- gcant of the Glace Bay Police

Illl 1928 to go on the t'II':~lt of

Byrd and his comgaoioiis ex-lBy1‘d‘s Antarctic edpediuons.

.Depai‘tmcnI. He died in hospital

ported in surveys conducted Europe. NOT VERY NEW

Contact Lenses As Correctives

By Herman N. Bundescn. MJD.

CONTACT lenses, which have

become very popular in recent years, sometimes can do more than merely enhance a person's appearance. In some instances, contacts are especially he1‘L'1

n correcting visual troubles. Recently it was discovered that

some cases of progressive my- opia can be arrested by wearing contact lenses. Progressive my- opia is a form of nearsighted- ness which becomes worse from year to year.

RESULTS OF STUDY

A two-year study Of 1,400 Per‘

sons ‘who had steadily increas~ ing myopia showed that none of

he cases became worse after the

patients were fitted with corneal Ienses, a type of contacts. More- over, some actually showed signs of slight improvement.

Similar resultshave been re- in

Contact lenses are not new, but

they have become popular only in the last few years. As a mat- ter of fact, the idea of contacts was originated by Leonardo da Viuci, according to authorities on glasses and visual troubles. That was way back in 1508.

But da Vinci‘s,idea never got

very far and the first contact lenses were not produced and used until 1887.

Of course many. im.pi-ovements

have been made since then. And now some 3,000,000 Americans are wearing contacts. This num- ber is a tremendous increase over

the 200,000 who were wearing them just eight years ago in 1950.

GREATEST INCREASE

The greatest increase has oc- curred during the last couple of years. In 1956 alone, the num- ber of persons wearing contact lenses increased 25 per cent. As might be suspected, women wear about 67 per cent of the contacts. And 60 per cent of these women are between the ages of 15 and 25. Seems as though many girls don't want to wear regular spectacles when they are in the market for a husband. I guess it has something to do with the theory that “Men never make passes at girls who wear glas- ses”—which, of course, is a lot of nonsense. ' MANY REASONS

Different individuals have dif- ferent reasons for-preferring con- tact lenses. For some, it’s sim- ply a matter of appearance. Oth- ers who are active in industrial work or in the sports field, ‘kap- oreciate the protection anl con- venience of contacts.

If you are interested in contact lenses, check with an eye spec- ialist to determine whether they will benefit you before ordering