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Page 2, Thursday, January 20th, 1972, WHITBY FREE PRESS Town Fath.ers Where Were You?? The Fr iday night Wine & Cheese Party so solicitiously anticipated by the W h i t b y Storm Damage Re lief Fund's c a mpaign committee was tainted with a note signed, 'Public Apathy!' But the pervading atmosphere of ap- athy will ingly promoted by the total lack of counci1-representation was even more painfully obvious. The p u b I ic, or the faceless thous- ands to whom all advertising of the ev- ent was directed, cannot be individually s p u r n e d f o r mass absenteeism. The head and eleven membersof council with only the exception of Councillor Heber Down (recuperating from an operation), can. Their absenteeism was intensified b y ne g 1ligence, negligence to both the f 1 o o d v ictims for whom the event was held and to the efforts of the campaign commi ttee. Whi l1e the attendance of the public wassolicited with radio and newspaper advertising, council had a personal in- vitation written in the hand of the com- mittee chairman. The wine and cheese party, which was a whole-hearted attempt by the cam- p a i gn comm i ttee to rai se funds for the f 1 oo d victims of August 28th, actually came about because council designated a, group of private citizens to go about the laborious business of fund raising. The Friday night gathering was also an occasion - as far as the committee was concerned - which an appointment withtheFriday night movie or politick- ing at an a r e a ethnic dance could not even excuse. Because of this newspaper's direct involvement with the campaign committee the 'Free Press' should perhaps re- frain from tak ing an editorial stand oncouncil's attitudewhere the committee and victims are concerned. It is one thing to take on a respon- sibility which should rightfully rest on the shoulders of themunicipal leaders.. and still another ta stand by under the stench of an apathy whi ch is made ap- pa r ent even to the publ ic which we as pa r tof th e c om mittee a re trying to serve. It appears that the average man on the street, who does not speak in polit- ical phraseology, was far more accur- ate than we ever thiought when he said: "Council doesn't 'give a hoot' about the storm victims or for the committee for- med to help them. " "Who sez we only ACT on MONDAY nights?" » FROM AiRD'S EYE VIEW A Baron.... and From Toronto Yet! -by jim Quail . . *.Yes, he was a Baron and he came from the poor section of Toronto. In the depression years he parlayed ·$300 to- gether i n to a newspaper empire. Of course I'm referring to Lord Thompson of Fleet w ho appeared on 'Front Page Challenge' last night. I seldom, if ever, watch Front Page Challenge but,1lhappened to catch it last n i g h t . I decided to watch it when they announced that Fleet was the guest. I w a s cur ious a b out the man. Many of his newspapers have been the scene of labour problems after Thompson bought them and so I wanted to get my own im-, pressionof this Toronto raised Baron. Questions welcomed L o r d Thompson was at ease on the show and seemed to welcome the ques- t i on s and attention. He remarked that no doubt some people disliked or hated him but he wanted to be liked. Thompson claims his greatest acc- om p lishment was being made a Baron. He denies that he set up a $3 million charity fund in Britain with the intent- ions of hopefully being made a Baron. But you c o u 1 d t e 1 I1by watching t h a t Thompson puts the dol 1ar first and fore- most in his mind. He is proud to be the owner of over 150 newspapers all over the world and a great many radio stat- ions. Stay out of editorial policy Thompson said he leaves the editor- ial policy of each of his newspapers to th e editors and he does not interfere. He admitted he likes the newspaper end of his business best, but that his tele- vision station in Scotland made him mil- lions. As he put it, "At the time, hav- ing a television station was like having a licence to pr int money. I Pierre Berton asked Thompson if he remembered his poor days in Toronto, and T h o m pson repi jed he remembered t h e m v ery well. He agreed that being poor a t one time affects how he spends money n ow. Thompson said he ate lit- tle more extravagantly now than he did in Toronto but his dress was a little b e t t e r. In fact, he was quick to point out the Saville Row suit he was wear- i ng. Thompson quipped that he still turned ou t I ights today ev en when he wasn't footing the bill. It struck me rather odd that a man who could sit back and enjoy life to it's fullest still seems singularly obsessed withmakingmoney just for the sake of making it. I really bel ieve Thompson g e t s more of a thrill out of seeing a heal thy financial statement than he do es by watching a good Broadway play. Empire staff-controlled Thormpson admitted he does not do much controlling of his empire but leaves that to his staff whom he regards as quite c a p a b eI can see Thompson s itting back at his desk looking at a financial statement and saying, "Our profits are dow n from last year! Why? Get those profits up or l'Il find somebody to re- place you who will1 get them up. " Once you hav e the position and the power it doesn't take much to keep it as long as you can wield your power. And this I believe Thompson does very well. He wasbragging that he could become a success just as easily today as he did Continued on Page 5 SAVE money en DI Premium Buality Fuel Oil DX OIL D TODA 668-31