_ WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11, 1942 PAGE TWO ABBOTSFORD, SUMAS AND MATSQUI NEWS 3 . 2 Abbotsford, Sumas & Matsqui News ‘Do You Remember? editorial Established 1922 Fifteen Years Ano Published at Abbotsford, British Columbi LANG. SANDS, Editor and Publisher Every Wed page eee Subscription Rates: In Canada, $1.20 per year in advance; United States, $2.00 per year in advance. Member of Canadian Weekly Newspapers’ Association and B.C. Division, Canadian Weekly Newsyapers’ Association. Not what to think, but what to think about... Abbotsford, B.C., Wednesday, November 11, 1942 M-S-A Area Flies Two Pennants Response to the appeal issued by Reeve James Simpson, as chairman of the M-S-A National War Finance Committee, for more dollars to be invested in Victory Bonds for the purchase of weapons for the lads over- seas, pulled the Area out of its tail-end posi- tion and droye the Commando Dagger well over the hilt in the last hours of the cam- paign. Salesmen redoubled their efforts and there was a gratifying response to the ap- peal for waiting purchasers to contact the salesmen, bank or committee members, and speed their investment in victory. Congratulations are due to the men, wo- men and children of the Matsqui-Sumas- Abbotsford Area for the manner in which they rallied to the call. The real flood of buying came in the last two or three days, * particularly the last day, Saturday. It was apparent Friday noon when $92,600 was posted on the dagger ““thermometer’’ that the Area would make its original $95,000 quota with a continuance of effort. There was doubt, however, that the additional 25 per cent, $19,000, requested of all districts by Ottawa, could be attained. It was then that the people and their organizations went to work and set a new record, locally at least, for one-day sales. It was possible Sat- urday to push the red paint up to the hilt of the dagger and then above the hilt to $105,000, Saturday afternoon. The first quota pennant was secure. But the real score of Saturday’s effort— the salesmen continued to report until nearly midnight and the Royal Bank in Abbotsford remained open until 4 p.m. Saturday after- noon—was not known until the flood of ap- plications could be tabulated on Monday. Then the ‘‘red’? moved up to $129,000, or 136 per.cent of quota and far surpassing M-S-A inyestment in previous Victory loans. The extra 25 per cent had been provided with a considerable margin and late appli- cations were still being received by mail. Two pennants could fly over the M-S-A Vietory Loan flag on the Canadian Legion hall flagpole. And as if it were a bonus or reward for the home people who had rallied so splen- didly came the news Saturday of the con- tinued overwhelming success of British forces on the Egyptian battleline and of the successful opening of new fronts by Amer- ican troops and the Royal Navy on the French-African coasts. There was a well- merited glow of content over the weekend in the hearts of many cit'zens who had in- vested all their savings in Victory Bonds to back the boys overseas to the very limit. Prohibition Prelude? (Canadian Business) Just before he resigned from the cabinet, ‘the Hon. J. T. Thorson announced that one “‘stage’’ of the government’s plan to restrict liquor consumption would shortly be put in- to effect. The small pressure group which had been badgering the government rubbed its hands. So did shifty-eyed men who saw easy pickings serving the public with ques- tionable liquor in questionable surroundings. Press reports have been suggesting that the government will take steps which, at first glance, may appear to produce little more than inconvenience for the legitimate buyer or the legitimate seller. The only one who would seem to gain would be the boot- legger. Any enforced deterioration in- qual- ity would help him. Shorter hours of sale would react to his benefit, and the elimina- tion of all advertising of beer, wine and li- quor would give the illicit product, that much more adyahtage. é Naturally we are interested in the advert- ising aspect of the situation. Yet wé can honestly say that we. sincerely believe that more has been done bythe liquor people themselves to promote temperance than has been accomplished by the drys with all their distorted arguments. Those who make whis- key urge moderation—sensible moderation. Similarly the beer and wine companies have been equally successful in educating a gen- eration which had come to regard alcoholic beverages as something which must be used to exeess—which was one result of prohibi- tion. Prohibition does not prohibit. Both in Canada and in the United States, records in- dicate that more drinking is done in dry areas than in those which are under sane control. Observation points to more drunk- ards per square mile as well. The drys preach temperance but their real objective is complete prohibition. If prohibi- tion did make for moderation—instead of excesses—there might be a sounder argu- ment for it. But it doesn’t. Prohibition stimulates drinking, and under it the criter- ion for liquor degenerates to its power to stupefy. The dry pressure group, however, has been careful not to advocate prohibition. They know that only 29 per cent of the people. would support such demands. So they edge in with pleas to protect the men in the armed forces. Unfortunately our fighting forces are too busy to send oppos- ing delegations to Ottawa. For a time the drys gave the impression of having had their way. Those who know the technique of pressure groups and the ways of the prohi- bitionists could see the shape of the wedge. As we go to press, however, the voice of the majority is being heard and there is said to have been some delay in the introduction of the new measures, many of which would re- quire provincial co-operation. We are still a free people. We do not want prohibition. Gallup polls reflect this clearly. It is up to our representatives, therefore, to see that the insistent salesmen of prohibition do not work their foot too far into the door which has been opened re- spectfully for them. Discovered -- A Manpower Pool (Lhe Printed Word, Toronto) In all the'discussion of the nation’s man- power resources and the plans for making the most efficient use of all who can work, there has been only casual mention of the Dominion government itself. So far as the publie is aware, there are no plans for put- ting government employees to work if, as is certain, a considerable percentage of them is not now engaged in an essential activity. Officialdom has no pity on the private ¢ ilian employer who cannot get, under pre- sent restrictions, sufficient help to carry on a business which, although it has given him a livelihood heretofore, is not considered es- sential to the war effort. But the boon-dog- gling in the government itself apparently must continue, whether Rome falls or chool keeps, or come hell and high water, as the Ottawa Morning Journal might say in one of its forthright moods. To the casual observer it would appear that there is much government activity that could be abolished for the duration. Some thousands — perhaps many thousands — of persons thus could be released for factory work, It is not suggested that a veteran drone from a government department would be of the slightest use in a war industry. But it is suggested that civil servants now engaged in non-essential government work could be transferred to other work and thus other people, more accustomed to working for their livings, released from or not drawn into, the temporary service of the govern- ment. Governmental waste and inefficiency have existed from the day of the establishment of government. They are probably no worse under one party than another and improye- ment comes only when a useless clerk dies or is pensioned. There ‘are some clerks who do literally nothing for their pay. A few “undoubtedly are grossly underpaid. But the average of efficiency is not high for the simple reason that the maximum of work per employee never has been an objective. Rather the reverse. It might be that whole departments of government could suspegd. operations for the duration. A genuine effort to establish ef- ficiency would, moreover, reduce materially the amount of work in most branches of government. Someone has said that there are more people in the Indian Affairs bur- eau than there are Indians. That exaggera- tion hardly obscures the fact that some bur- eaus have outlived the need for them. There is one vast bureau, not directly con- nected with the war, which has come’ into being since the war started, This is the Un- employment Insurance Commission. It is true that the machinery thereof is now be- ing used to help National Selective Service to function, but employers still have to do the same work, lick the same stamps, as be- fore, and it is suspected that National Sel- ective Service merely adds to the personnel of the insurance commission. The procedure seems highly complicated. TAIL-ENDS OF TROUBLE—To alleviate the risk of holding ships in the British Isles for maintenance and repair, Canada is today playing a major role in overhauling naval and cargo ships of the United Nations. In naval dockyards many types of stores are hous- i for Canada’s ships of war. The worker in this photo is applying a coating of grease to torpedo tail assemblies. Mechanism in tail sets depth of its course. ed, i and LETTERS TO THE EDITOR A BOUQUET Editor, The News, Abbotsford, Sir: Canada’s Third Victory Loan can now be entered on the of the C. record as a hi The r Bu the M.A. Area From the A. S. & M. News of November 9, 1927 Floor directors for the Canad- ian Legion masquerade on Fri- day include J. Aitken, P. Wilson, R. Ralston, J. M. Rowley, W. Cy Blinch and A. Bullock. ene Canadian Hop Co, has request+ ed the assistance of Sumas coun- cil in securing a mail route to serve the hop yard settlement. € fae John Mutch of Clayburn was selected president of the St. An- drew’s and Caledonian Sooiety on Saturday, He succeeds Chas. Wal- lace, who has headed the organ- ization since it was formed sev- eral years ago. eee A. L, M. & D. Co. Ltd. an- nounces that Jos, Edgar Trethe- wey becomes president of the company, . is At the Upper Sumas school Agnes McAdam, Jack Smith, Georgia Parberry, John McDon- ald, Elma Marcy and Glenn Fad- den stood first in the classes. 10 Years Ago November 39, 1932 To celebrate their first birth- day, Peardonville Live Y’s stag- ed their first annual banquet in the community hall. * - R. C. Sibbald, A. C. Stewart, Albert Smyth and Tom Stronge all took prizes with their sheep at the Calgary fall fair. see Contracts, agreeing to grow sugarbeets on Sumas Prairie are being ci by the it. has been worthy of the brilliant victories which are being won by + the fighting forces of the Allied Nations in Africa. The part that has been played by the Canadian newspapers in placing the Victory Loan before the public has been worthy of the cause itself. Our committee feels that we have received the most magnificent support by you and all of the personnel of your paper who were in a position to assist us in any way. We are most grateful to every one of you, and we feel that you are a part of the army of workers who have been responsible for the most gratifying success of the Third Victory Loan. Yours truly, G. LYALL FRASER Chairman, Provincial Public Relations Section Canada Provides Pattern Montreal Daily Herald __It is matter for note by every Canadian, if not for pride, that Canada is today pro- viding the pattern for the United States in more than one field of war administration. In drafting rent control measures and other inflation-curbing legislation, in pre- paring its inevitable program for drafting of wartime mobilization of labor, the Amer- iean Government turns to Canada for ex- amples of such laws in operation, just as it turned to the Canadian example in air training, Of course, this is not entirely because our solutions to the problems involved shine out at the best possible solutions. There are other factors which make it natural that our big neighbor and ally should, to a certain extent, follow our lead in this biggest adventure in history. Canada’s two extra years of war are the most weighty factor. We have had the ex- perience, and even allowing for a lot of pre- liminary bungling, ought to be well on the way to efficent prosecution of total war by now. If we, or our government, have not learn- ed some of the home front lessons of war in two years, we do not merit the victory we are confident will eventually be ours. ‘Then there was the fact that from the out- set we have had a government pledged to efficiency in war prosecution—pledged to avoid the still-glaring errors of last war ad- ministrations. Again, if further explanation be needed, Canada’s war mobilization measures appear, when carefully studied, to have been con- ceived and executed with American co-op- eration and support in mind. Long before Pearl Harbor, Canadians knew they had the moral support of millions of Americans. Our government was in close and continuous contact with the government of the United States. Long before the United States entered the war Canadian troops were drilling with American rifles. So it is natural that our war-making sys- tems and policies, while adjusted to harmon- ize with those of Britain, should pioneer on lines easy for a° Roosevelt-headed Ameri- can government to follow. It is natural, too, that American experts should come to Canada to study the opera- tion of our price control and rationing mea- sures; that with Washington contemplating a National Service Act, American attention should focus on what Canada is alpeady do- ing in the field of placing ‘‘the right man in the ¥ight job’—and the right woman, too. Canadians should note these things as evi- dence of their country’s growing import- ance in world affairs, whether they be af- fairs of war or peace. people tee. see Rose Theatre in Sumas, Wn., is advertising- Harold Lloyd in “Movie Crazy” for this week. eee Miss Ida Horn won first prize in the limerick competition spon- sored by the Canadian Legion in connection with their annual masquerade. Another Victory Loan well completed—but War Savings by Stamps and Certificates must keep going. strictly off the beat... Bil Hambly “But, d-a-a-rling, you can’t have the back door going out through the bathroom—it isn't cone We were I ing and drawing house plans. i They were alleged house plans in three the four pencil-and-finger-print sketch an the fourth of the four couldn’t even be classed as alleged — more likely, alias. Later it go’ around to us taking the living room of one plan, tacking it onto the side of a bedroom from another, then laying a kitchen in the corner beside a utility room, which unless the plan is revised, redrawn and rejected, will be a combination bathhroom, bedroom and dinette. We wanted a vestibule (there was that much to go on) and so that’s where the plans started. The living room, considered by most a necessity but in this case turned out be an un- wanted quantity, was put in directly behind the vestibule and, if the ruler was correct, dead centre on the doorway. From then on it was the same humbly jumbly, try-it-here, try- it-there affair. The closet alongside the bed- room alongside the hallway alongside the living room, is now a blister on the side of the house and will have to be built on stilts and made one foot, the length of two beer bottles laid end to end and half the span from a thumb to the little finger, to be in line with the further- “most corner of the kitchen which puffs out the same way. “Yes, D-a-a-rling,.I like rumpus rooms, but I dont think ‘we need one in the basement. If these are the plans, we'll have one in every room.” ms Be it ever so humble jumble, there’s no place like home. It was like the baking of the Christmas cake, the heartening news at the weekend that gave us a sample of what the final victory will be like. We all tasted the batter to get an idea of what it would be like for Christmas, but we also all hdd to help in some way with the job —even if it was only to carry the wood for heating the oven, help stir the heavy batter, or shell the almonds, * Feee Soon our own little municipal elections. ‘It would be fun to hear a little honest-to-goodness mud-slinging once more. ‘eh ehe The epic of Dunkirk was overcast by a light shadow by the Battle of Britain; Dieppe shadowed the Battle of Britain; and now something to lay a shadow on Dieppe... but shadows only in the headlines, and ones which will pile one on the other until the shadows break into the zillion-candlepower light of victory. eee Mackenzie King first intimated he would leave the breaking of diplomatic ‘relations up to Vichy, but changed his tactics and did the job from this end. ‘Well, it at least saved the ‘Axis puppet from making another break—it has so many others to its credit. ces The M-S-A Area may have bent its bank roll in the Victory Loan drive—but at least its upper lip is stiff and its back straight.