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The Lions have done a lot of gOOd to those who have hit tough going on life’s highway. This time there is by their generous action. It might be The gift is in keeping with the public-spiritedness which Richmond Hill’s one and only service club has always displayed. This particular demonstration of it shows fore- thought, common sense and a prac- tical approach to the realities of life. The gift which the Lions Ulub has made recently to the volunteer fire brigade of Richmond Hill and, through it, _to every resident in the locality is a sensible and welcome one. Fortunately. there have been few calls in recent years for a resuscitator but there is no telling when the availabila ity of one may save a life. “We cannot effectively back the policies'of the free world with a pop- ulation thinking in terms of a soft urban existence and an educational system directed at making everything easy and secure from tough reality,” says Col. Nicholas Ignatiefi', expert on Russian military thinking, in a recent issue of Maclean’s Magazine. Ignatiefi', who fled with his fam- ily to England after the Communist revolution in Russia; went overseas with the Royal Canadian Engineers in 1940 and then was seconded to the British War Office to assist in plot- ting the probable actions of the Russ- ians. He became head of this ser- vice, and now is warden of Hart House, University of Toronto. In this part of the country the Supply of water to an ever-growing population is a major problem. But the fact seems to escape many people that not only supply but source have to be considered. If the water is non. existent, if it continues to grow scar- cer as the years go by, the problem of supply becomes more and more in- tensified. Largeâ€"scale Russian troop land- ings in Alaska and an air invasion of Canada’s north by Siberian para- troopers would probably be a part of Soviet strategy if war comes, he says. The Soviet aim, he asserts, would be to tie down North American forces and to send saboteurs into the U. S. and Canada to attempt the sabotage of this continent’s war effort. Who is to blame that such is the case? Frankly, we don’t know. But We do know that somewhere in the picture is required some sort of an educational program which will make people, and 'governing bodies in par- ticular, more conscious ox what conâ€" servation is â€" what its aims are â€" what is the penalty for ignoring rat- ional methods of putting it into ef- fect. Too often, unfortunately, even those in positions of authority are in- clined to look on them as so muc.1 “poppycock.” Talk conservation to them â€"- they immediately decry it as “another one of those things.” It becomes something requiring another grant from a municipal body â€"â€" an- other toy for a group of enthusiasts to play with. The real reason for con- servation seems to escape them en- tirely.‘ There is little doubt that the wa. ter supply in this part of the world It seems a tremendous pity that the whys and wherefores, the aims and objects, 0f conservation programs are not more clearly defined and betv ter understood. 2 THE LIBERAL, Richmond Hill, Thursday, March 8, 1951 What practical value do we ex- pect from Canadian Education Week? It is designed to bring the Canadian teacher and Canadian ‘parent togeth- er, to generate greater mutual under- standing and to bring about a wider appreciation of the benefit of educa- tion. This benefit is reciprocal. The training of our Young People has a. far-reaching effect in the home, in the church, in industry and business. Education Week focusses atten- ‘tion on the problems and achieve- ments of education generally. Many national organizations are jointly sponsoring Canadian Education this year, among them the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Canadian Congress of Labour, the Canadian Manufacturers’ Association, the Can- adian Federation of Agricuture, the Trades and Labour Congress of Can- ada, the Canadian School Trustees’ Association and the National Council of Women. J. E. SMITH; M.P., Publisher Conservation A Fad Or A Necessity ? The Lions Make A Welcome 'An Independent Weekly â€"â€" Established 1878 Subscription Rate, $2.00 per year; To the United States $2.50 Member Canadian Weekly NeWSpapers Association '"Tomorrow" Could Be Too Late This Is Education Week GI)»: liberal Considering that the alarm had to be phoned in to Chief Cook’s home, no knowing who may be benefitted one of their own members. Whoever it is, whenever- the occasion arises, the members of the club can feel that they have played an important part in contributing to the welfare of one or more of their fellowâ€"citizens. A gloomy picture indeed is .the one he presents â€"â€" but these are gloomy days in the field of interna- tional affairs. Fortunately that part of the world which desires to remain free has at last awakened to its peril. Because of that there is hope tnat, as ever, a domineering bully may be deterred by the determination or his opponent to stand up and fight if need be. There are two sentences in 001. Ignatieff’s statement which command special attention. The first leads off this editorial. It speaks for itself. Accurate timing a short time ago revealed that it took Richmond Hill Fire Brigade exactly nine minutes from the time an alarm was turned in until fire truck and firemen arrived at the scene of a minor blaze near Yonge Street and Lorne Avenue. “Right now,” says Col. Ignatieif, “the Russians hold most of the high cards. Their dynamic is stronger, their goals positive and 'clearly de‘ fined and they are mobilizing their strength and resources toward the atâ€" tainment of these goals.” In our own immediate discrict there are many object lessons. The muddy ditch which flanks part of the Elgin Mills side road was once a. stream large enough to run an exten- sive mill -â€" and that is within the memory of living men. Old maps show that extensive bodies of water which once existed have disappeared entireâ€" ly. Wells which for many years ueV- er failed have gone dry as the water table constantly lowers. It might be said that annual floods in the river valleys of Southern Ontario show that not too little but too much water seems to be the trouble. But there is an intimate re- lationship between summer stream failure and the floods following the spring thaw. If there were no run- off of water too rapid and too sudden at the spring thaw there would be no A survey made in 1940 in the re. gion between Toronto and Dundas showed that 67% of all streams in an area of 1,300 square miles no longer flowed continuously. “Total war to the Soviets makes no distinction between civilians and military,” he asserts. “There are no lines or frontiers â€"â€" only “fronts” ~â€" and the decisive front at any time may not be a military front: It may be the oil or bread front . . . " is constantly and steadily decreasing. Watercourses are vanishing. That may seem an extreme statement in a. country such as this with its great lakes and broad rivers. But what are the facts? They are many â€" but a few instances will be sufficient. A sur- vey of King Township made in 1937 showed that the 200 miles of perma- nent streams which originally ran in the township had been reduced to less than 30 miles, and that 17% of the wells went dry in summer. Since tomorrow’s citizens are in school today, let every parent, every member of the Community ask him~ self: “Are our school children being equipped to assume their share of res- On the other hand, the interest that parents and the general public take in education will stimulate the efforts of both teacher and students to at- tain the highest goals. From time to time, education nas come under fire on the grounds that the present system is not providing enough guidance for living. If the Canadian educational system is to turn out responsible citizens, it is in~ cumbent on parents to enlarge their own knowledge of the day-to-day ac- tivities in our schools. It has rightly been said that a nation is no better than its school. How good our schools are can be determined, then, by the measure of our own enlightenment concerning educational problems and methods. Editorial Opinions Telephone, Richmond Hill 9 F. J. PICKIN G, Managing Editor What has this to do with conser- vation, particularly as applied to such areas as the Don and the Humber valleys, where attempts, which are unfortunately meeting with unin- formed opposition, are being made to further the reclamation of those once important streams and their water- sheds? Obviously a great deal â€" for only through a well-planned sytemat- ic and long continued program of cofiiisrvation can the situation be rec- ti ed. Gift other firemen had. to be summoned, who had to make their way to the fire hall from their homes and places of business, get out the truck and pro. ceed to the scene of the fire, the elapsed time is a tribute to the speed with which the firemen work. Nine minutes might seem a 10mg time to the individual whose proper- ty is being destroyed. It might too seem like a long period to the profess‘ ionals who stand on guard day and night in fire halls. But for men who drop all other activities to do a vol- untary job for their fellow-citizens it strikes us as pretty good going. vu ‘Lu; v.;v-._ ...v..vu v-v-uvl‘u nu .. ..... J J strikes us as pretty good going. * * =. 3* it If a little knowledge is a danger- ous thing, where is the man who has so much that he is out of danger 2. Plants should not be planted deeper than they were growing in the nursery, neither should they be too shallow with the soil heaped up around them, as this will cause all moisture to run of But to succeed in its ultimate ob. jectives such a program must be backed by an enthusiastic, informed public opinion. The fact that a con‘ servation program means more than the provision of a few playgrounds must be emphasized. Fortunately there is a growing number of people who have become conscious of the need and who are doing something about it. It is to be hoped that through their efforts a public con- sciousness of the fact that conserva- tion is a national necessity and not a fad will grow up and that soon we shall have as strong a realization of that fact as exists today in the United States. It’s useless to say “It can’t hap- pen here.” It’s the hope of all Can- adians that it won’t happen here. But in the meantime there is a tremend- ous responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who, holding office, are responsible for organization and defence of the civilian population in case it does. The second is “Total war to the Soviets makes no distinction between civilians and military.” Those who are responsible for civilian defence should read, mark, learn. There will be no distinction in attack -â€" there should be none in defence. One of the greatest weapons of Hitler’s Gerâ€" many as its armies swept westward through Europe at the beginning of the last war was the disorganized refugee mass which, in its tragic he- gira, hampered the defenders and, of itself and through its effect, was worth an Army Corps to the enemy. Theirs is a fearful responsibility. It should be discharged now. Tomor- row, after the event, there will be neither time or opportunity for re- grets, recriminations or action. dry stream beds in summer. And it is because forest cover which former- ly trapped the winter snows and held them for slower melting has now van‘ ished that snows on open land, aug- mented by rains, run off with great volume and velocity into the stream beds â€"- and a flood is born. Forest cover would have stored that excess water to feed streams and wells. Since earliest pioneer days, our schools â€"â€" large and small -â€" have served and strengthened our country. They have justified our faith in a free nation. If all of us, individually, have a clear conception of what we expect our schools to do, and if we steadfastly support them, not only with our money but with our faith, our Canadian schools will surely jus- tify that faith in the future. This is another way of saying that our schools will always be as good as YOU, your neighbours, every mem~ ber of our community want them to be. The slogan that has been adopted for Canadian Education Week is most appropriate: Education is IEvery~ body’s Business! ponsibility as citizens of a free world?” Canadian Education Week is a good time to pause for an answer to this all-important question and to learn, too, what our educational sys‘ tem has accomplished, and where it is heading. And it has seen the men who ran those older businesses, lived in those older buildings, pass from middle age to the quietness of their later years. It’s watched the happiness of newly-wedded couples as they passed by on their way to a life together â€"- (has cast its shadow over great and small of the community as they were carried to their last long rest. From where it stands it has had an intimate view of community comings and goings -â€"- has seen the mother nervous- ly awaiting the vehicle which would take her to the bedside of the sick child in hospital â€" has watched that same vehicle pick up the entertainment-bound citi- zen off for an evening’s fun â€"â€" has watched the harassed and the weary, the hopeful and the jubilant, come and go on those errands which form part of the pattern of life. Where is it? What is it? Every citizen knows it. Every citizen has seen it, although per- haps many have taken it, as so often happens, with the ordinary, everyday things, for grantd. Im- mobile, unchanging, it has be- come part of the scenery â€" the big pole which stands at the northwest corner of Arnod and Yonge. There’s nothing partic- ularly beautiful about it, eVen in spite of the red and white paint which marks it as a. bus stop â€"â€" Dear Mr. Editor: Planting Instructions There cannot be too much em- phasis placed on the importance of proper preparations of beds and borders for planting, espec- ially evergreens or plants of a permanent nature. Beds should consist of rich loam with a good dressing of well rotted manure and peat moss well mixed in. I am addressing the following remarks to you in the hope that something may yet be done, or at least, a communal protest may be registered. I speak of course, of further operations of the Hy- dro in our neighborhood. My writing to you at this time is prompted by observing the la. test activities of the Hydro along the recently widened highway be- tween Tliornhill and Richmond Hill. The wholesale butchery of the trees bordering the East side of the road is enough to arouse the ire of even the most phleg- matic individual. I need 'not remind you of the crass indifference and at times frank incompetence of some of the personnel of the Frequency Conversion programme. I nave my own bitter recollections of their conduct in trying to convert my electrical equipment. I fully realize that we must bow to the march of progress and I certainly appreciate the ad- You Will find it much easier to apply and dig in when beds are unoccupied. When preparing these beds if you find the soil hard, consisting of too much clay or as in the case of new houses, full of left-over or broken build- ers’ materials, remove to the depth of about a foot and fill with the aforementioned mixture. It has watched the school children of yesterday grow up â€"â€" has witnessed their children go to school inturn. It has stood there while old businesses slip- ped into the discard â€" has wat‘ ched a newer order of commerce and industry take their place. Buildings which were old when it was Settling into its position in the earth have fallen to the wrecker â€"- the age of chrome fixtures, of glass, of gloss and glamour has caught up with it. ’Dhere’s a pole standing on Yonge Street in Richmond Hill which, if it could talk, could tell many a tale of the municipality’s history. In its forty years on that road it has seen thousands, tens of thousands, come anu g0 while it has stood through the storms of January, the heat of summer days. “’Dear Mister Editor” The Gardener’s Column A COLUMN OF VIEWS AND OBSERVATIONS From The Hilltop (By F. J. Picking) (By Al Rice) and they will dry out. In the case of evergreens leave the burlap covering on, untying‘ at the neck of plant and fold back after placing in hole. This cover. ing' keeps the small fibre roots from being disturbed or becoming dried out and it; will soon rot away. Dig the hole large enough so that the soil just covers the top of the ball, give a good wat- ering, fill in and pack firmly. Water well at frequent intervals after planting. Its sides have been the notice- board of a community, as the thumb-tacks indicate. What dra- mas, tragedies, hopes and ideals those notices could tell about if they could be recalled and stud- ied. What names and forgotten aspirations in the history of Richmond Hill they could recall. Shrubs are treated a little dif- ferently. When digging the hole leave large enough to allow the roots to be spread out in their natural shape, fill in be- tween the roots and pack firmly, water well before finally filling the hole with soil and water fre- quently after planting: Shrubs should always be planted in a prepared border, as they do not thrive spotted in grass and are difficult to maintain. What do they mean? What story do they tell? Imagine their use and you have the an- swer. They have held in their place the cards which urged el- ectors of Richmond Hill to vote for so-and-so. In the fields f municipal, of provincial, oi fed- eral government they have play- ed their inconspicuous part. As invitations to a dance were ex- tended, as notices of meetings were put up to call citizens to do a job, as drives for one thing and another succeeded each other, as the multifarious notices which play a part in community life have lived out their short day be- fore time and weather destroyed them, the thumbtacks have played their part in the job for which the old pole has been used since it was placed there forty years ago. In viewing this mutilation of the countryside and at the same time observing the ubiquitous Hydro equipment lining- most of our streets and roadsides, I am tempted to offer the following paraphrase of one of Winston Churchill’s famous sayings: â€"- “Never was so much resentment aroused in so many by so few.” vantages of electrical power, but at what a. cost- It is more than just a few cents per kilowatt hour. The Liberal has sponsored a campaign to brighten up the community by floral displays in the summer, yet look at the ex- ample that is being set by a Gov- ernment industry. Perhaps a little publicity and concerted action may yet help to save some of the trees and shrubs at the northern end of this road widenmg. .Not much, is it? Just a big, crooked pole. Just a few hun- dred rusty, weatherbeaten thumb- tacks. But they bring back lots of memories when you stop to think of the part they 'have play. ed in the long years of the ville age on the hilltop. Take a look at the old pole next time you go by it. See how it’s studded with them. Some of them, unquestionably, have been there for years on years. One coat after another of paint has covered many of them. Others have aged until they merge with the wood itself. From a little way above the ground to the height that a tall man can reach they have armour-plated the big stick. the big “25” which describe» its place in the scheme of things. But it has a significance all its own. But, it may be asked, what has inspired all these nostalgic dreams? A very simple uttle thing â€" a thumbtack. Or, to be more correct, hundreds of them. Yours truly, H. A. HUNTER, Stop 17A, Thornhill The repayment of loans has been very satisfactory and the net claims by the chartered banks on the government in the period, the Act has been in force has been $19,154.18. This is considered a very satisfactory record and meta has been unanimous agreement here in support of the govern- ment’s action in continuing in force this very practical and use- ful legislation for the benefit of Canadian farmers. Of all these loans 85 per -ent were for the purchase of imple- ments and machinery. Other loans were for purchase of live- stock, electrical installations, fen- cing, drainage, construction or re- pairs to buildings. The history of the Act is one of constantly growing and incleas- ing usefulness. In the first full year of its operation there were 13,050 loans amounting to $9,- 880,656. In 1950 there were 58,- 970 loans amounting to $63,517,- 310. The Farm Improvement Loans Act passed in 1944 and which since that time has extended credit to Canadian farmers to the amount of more than $170 million will be continued in force another three years. Legislation to pro- vide for extension was brought in by the government this week. to secure bank credit for these purposes. It aims, moreover, at providing credit in a form and under terms and conditions which are convenient and suited to the needs and conditions of the par- ticular farm borrow'er. The primary purpose of the Act was to fill a gap in the credit system which has been developed in Canada to meet the needs of agriculture. That gap related chiefly to the provision of inter- media credit and certain types of short term credit to farmers, for the improvement and develop- ment of farms and for the im- provement and development of farms and for the improvement of living conditions thereon. I‘he act aims at assisting, particular. ly, the average farmer who in the past has frequently not been able But there wouldn’t be anything unnatural about it, for the early years of the man who has seen his school nearly double in size since he took it over two and a half years ago were spent in a land where Arabic was the rule rather than the exception â€" Morocco. Born in Tangier, where his parents were missionaries, he stayed there'until, at eight years of age, he was sent to England for his education. Before that education was completed he covered a lot of territory. The elementary section of it started at Bristol, was finished at Park Rapids, Minnesota. Secondary school education took place at Pilot Mound. Going on to university he w0n his BA. degree at McMaster University, Hamilton, took a postâ€" graduate course at Ann Arbor, Michigan. His profess- ional training was received at Regina Normal School. After that he taught in a boys’ school in Morocco for a couple of years, then came back to Canada to at- tend the Ontario College of Education. The following years saw him teaching in schools in Orangeville, Sud- bury, Lucan, Smithville and Richmond Hill, in the last three of which he has served as principal. Mr. Elson came to the Hill in September, 1948. At that time the High School had 209 pupils. Registration jumped to 340 last fallâ€"is expected to be 400 this com- ing fall, when the new extension will be in operation. There were twelve teachers when he came here w- a, number which will rise to sixteen next September. Pupils of Richmond Hill High School might be sur- prised if their principal, Mr. A. S. ELSON, pictured on the front page of this issue as the week’s “Neighbour,” suddenly started talking to them in Arabic. His interest in his profession is disclosed by the fact that he is president of the Northern Local of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation. He also organ- ized the Headmasters’ Association in North York and District and was its first president. One of the out- standing projects of that group is a schme by which leading pupils from district schools go to New Yorx to see the United Nations organization at work, the first trip taking place last month,‘with local service clubs and school boards co-operating. He is also a member of the education committee of the Richmond Hill Lions Club. Naturally he’s keenly interested in the bigger school of which he will be in charge. That interest has ex- pressed itself through his summer activities, when he has qualified as a specialist in agriculture and in guid~ ance through summer courses in order to aid in organ- ization of the type of school which the local High School will be. A further evidence of his interest in those under his charge is given by his captaincy in the Cadet Services of Canada, reflected by the Richmond Hill High School Cadet Corps success. Modestly, he gives credit for that success to members of the staff who, he says, “have done the hard work.” Naturally Mrs. Elson is interested in his work â€"- but there’s a double reason. She, too, as Kathleen Ca1- houn, was a former High School teacher and a graduate of the University of Toronto. > Talking about the local High School â€" which he’s ready to do at the drop of a hat â€"â€"- he emphasizes his aim to create even greater co-operation between home and school. Stressing that is the fact that in the sum- mer he visits hOmes of present and prospective pupils as part of a regular summer program. Adult education and education of “new Canadians” is another of his ideals and he stresses the part which the new school can play in community activities through the many types of course available through the Community Programmes branch of the Department of Education, such as arts and crafts, sewing, design, woodworking and many similar subjects. “There are great possibilities,” he asserts. _-_‘l DLUJJCLIUD. LLAVLV «4v 5-v-v r ............ , __- His hobbies, he says, are wood-working and read- ing, and in addition to that in what seems to be a Pr€tty full life he manages to find time to serve on the Unlted Church Session. "Know Your Neighbour mm LETTER 1, Jack! 5 m'i't/h, M. P} North York The Department of Trade and Commerce has reported that there were 823,083,000 pounds of but- ter consumed in Canada in 1950, an increase of 2 and a. half per cent over the previous year. Mar- garine consumption totalled 93,- 648,000 pounds, an increase of 30 per cent over the previous year. A return tabled in the House showed that shipments of live cattle to the United States in 1950 numbered 456,718. The num- ber shipped in 1949 was 417,648. Butter and Margarine This move will not mean any great inconvenience and it will result in a saving of some three and a half million dollars a year. Cattle Shipments To help pay the rapidly rising cost of Canada's defence program the government in every depart- ment is reducing expenditure and carefully reviewing all estimates with the aim of bringing about every possible economy. To save money and man power the Post Office department has reduced letter delivery service in urban centres from two deliveries to one daily. In the years 1946, 1947 and 1948, a special joint committee 01 the Senate and Commons made I very thorough examination of In. dian Affairs. Representative In. dians from all parts of Canada were here, in Ottav.a, last week consulting with the Minister and it is hoped as a result of these conferences a new deal will bu given the Indian, giving him the measure of self-government which his status now requires. Latest available figures show that we have in Canada today about 136 thousand Indians. Postal Saving Indian legislation in Canaua i almost a hundred years old, thI first Indian Act having been pass- ed in 1857. Hon. Walter Harris, Ministe of Citizenship and Immigratio: has introduced a measure to am end the Indian Act. Indian Act