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Page 6. THE OAKVILLE-TRAFALGAR JOURNAL Thursday, March 2, 1950 The Oakville- Trafalgar Journal Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association Published Every Thursday Morning in Oakville, Ont., by Oakville-Trafalgar Publish 7 Dunn Street North S. Casey Wood, Jr, Vincent H. Barrey Managing Editor Advertising Manager Bill Cotton, Editorial Assistant Phone 1298 A AI GIVI] Trafalgar Tales BY BESSIE CAIRNS BITS AND PIECES I feel badly sorry I feel bad. Matter of fact I don't know how I feel. The other night I listened to a radio play in which, the her- oine, a script writer, remarked to her husband, a school teacher, "I feel badly," and received the For Increased Safety We don't usually address an editorial to. one in- dividual, but this one is going to he our first of this type. We want The Honourable BE. D. Doucette, Min- ister of Highways in the Provincial Government, to be the recipient. The announcement of the large sums to be ex- pended on highway work in the Province, with espec- ial mention by the minister of the highway between Toronto and Windsor, immediately brings to mind the delayed Clover-Leaf for the Oakville-Queen HRliza- heth Way intersection. The Minister also announced that materials were in Detter supply now, and as the Deputy Minister had advised that this undertaking was being postponed be- cause of steel shortage, we would like to bring to the minister's attention that now there is no longer any excuse for delay. The intersection is a very busy one, with many school children and the town bus crossing there every day. Traffic on the highway travels at high speed, and even with the stop lights, turning off the highway to enter town is a hazardous undertaking. There have been too many accidents at the intersection. A clov- erleaf will eliminate most of these. It is to be hoped that among the first projects for highway improve- ment in the area between Toronto and Windsor will be the Oakville Cloverleaf. The Minister can authorize immediate commencement of work once the weather is suitable . . . it should be so authorized. The Cloverleaf has long been a pet improvement desired by the Chamber of Commerce, and they de- serve credit for their attempts to have it built. We feel that as a result of their contacting of the department, the Cloverleaf may well be high on the list of improve- mients. The Chamber should put the heat on again to have priority given to their request for increased safe- ty. ; The Story Of The Cross BY K. W. MacTAGGART It is less than 100 years since international con- vention -created an organization that has become the largest association on earth, which knows no borders even in wartime, and which thas become so common- place in our lives that we tend to take it for granted. When disaster strikes, when emergencies arise in re- mote areas, when first aid crews are needed immed- iately, it is assumed that the Red Cross will act. And when it acts, most of us think little of it; that is, what it exists to do. But why? Why the Red Cross? What is the Red Cross? Why is it important in peace, as well.as war? Every school pupil knows the story of Florence Nightingale. Not many know about Dumont, the zea- lot who gave his life to preaching a cause which found acceptance only shortly before his death, who spent years trying to reach the ears of statesmen and mil- itary leaders with an idea that was regarded as out- landish but which embodied so much of charity and decency by today's standards that its lack in inter- national relations would arouse horror. Dumont and Nightingale were contemporaries. Dumont was an, unknown civilian; Nightingale had gone to the Crimea as a result of a wave of dismay aroused in Britain by reports in the august, thunder- ing Times of the suffering of soldiers. Her work pat- terned a development of better medical services in the army and navy. But it was national. Dumont had wandered to a battlefield, had seen hundreds of men in the dusk lying untended. Horri- fied, he had organized a few volunteers who minis- tered rudely to the soldiers' wants. And then he had developed his idea: A service for wounded and sick soldiers, provided by an organization with no national animms, which would be non-combatant, which would be respected by all combatant forces, and which would serve the needy of all combatant forces. Tt wasn't until 1864, many years after his first attempts to reach national leaders, that his articles and speeches bore fruit. Representatives of several nations met in Geneva, with sufficient official backing to assume undertakings for the respective govern- ments, and there wrote the convention for an ambu- lance service which, with amendments, still forms the foundation of Red Cross the world round. By that convention the new organization was recognized as the only service of its kind; it would automatically form a non-military wing of national military medical services when war occurred, yet it would he accepted as non-combatant. As the meeting was closing. the idea occurred that a distinct emblem to identify the members and eauipment would be needed to protect them from attack. So. in courtesy to Switzerland, the form of that nation's flag was chosen. but with colors reversed: The white cross on a red field became a red cross on a white field, with the cross, as is that of the Swiss, formed of five equal squares. Tn the 86 years since Dumont's dream came true, the duties imposed on the organization have grown far beyond the original concept, yet always with in- 'ternational acceptance. Prisoners-of-war receive mail and parcels only through the international organiza- tion with its headquarters still in Geneva. Peace over- tures in the last two great wars were conducted through the same offices. The importance of the or- oanization has become so accepted by nations be- cause of its unique structure and facilities that it has heen described countless times as essential, irreplace- able and vital to international relations. As Oakville is asked to respond to a Red Cross appeal next Monday, when a one-n ght canvass of the community will be made, it is interesting to recall the above history of Red Cross for one important, reason. if for no others. On this continent was developed largely the idea that the Red Cross organization could be, and should be. a peacetime service, wholly apart from its wartime functions. Tts vast team of voluntary workers could serve peacetime needs. , "I feel bad dear; after all as a teacher of English even if, T am forced to listen to its abuse over the radio I trust I can at least correct my own wife." Mind my inquiring how my read- lersifeel? The above is reminiscent of the drowning school teacher who was thrown a rope and advised by her rescuer to hang on tight. With a gasp she called, "Tightly, my good man, tightly." Wonder if he let her drown! One of the most difficult tasks in to-day's political field is that faced by United States Senator Brien McMahon who is not only chairman of the joint congress- ion committee on Atomic Ener- gy but holds a similar position on the committee on Prevention and Punishment of Crime of Gen- ocide. As the New Yorker so suc- cinctly prts it, "He has to choose between the armament race and the human race." This quote from "German Fam- ily" dy L. C. Stone published in 1934, strikes a somcwhat ironical note in the light or blight of A & H bombs. "What a good thing that there is no more war, and that we Ger- mans can sit up here on an Eng- lish hill, and dream our dreams of happiness just as contendly as if we were at home in Germany. Ah, the stupidity of all wars!" "They are the games of poli- ticians who do mot climb hills and see the world happy and at peace," said Ernst. "My people, they wantéd me for a politician But I said, no, thank you. I would rather benefit mankind than help. to destroy it. So I turned my at- tention to science instead." I consider the following as the prize remark of the British elec- tion. Thursday night my old Scoteh housekeeper and I ere huddled around the radio listen- ing to the returns about 11 o'clock I turned to her and said, "Well Joan it looks as if old Churchill has lost." "Is he conservative?" was Joan's only reply. Thanks to Jack Milne, 'whose innate sense of humor and keen eye were responsible for the fol- lowing, T don't have to work at being a columnist this week. Friend Jack found this gem in an advt. published by J. J. Ron- an and Co., a New York firm of master colour grinders. It needs no introduction, so: Parr HOW TO GUESS YOUR AGE It seems to me that they are building staircases steeper than they used to. The risers are high- er, or there are more of them, or something. Maybe this is because it is so much further today from the first floor to the second floor, but Tve noticed it is getting hard- er to make two steps at a time. Nowadays it is* all I can do to make one step at a time. Another thing T've noticed is the small print they're using late- ly. Newspapers are getting far- ther and farther away when T hold them, and T've got to squint to make them out. The other day I had to back halfway out of a telephone booth in order to read the number on the coin box. It is obviously ridiculous to sug- gest that a person of my age needs glasses, but the-only other way I can find out what's going on is to have somebody read aloud to me, and that's not too satisfactory because people speak in such low voices these days I can't hear them very well. Everything is farther than it used to be. It's twice the distance from my house to the station now, and they've added a fair- sized hill that I never noticed be- fore. The trains leave sooner, too. Tve given up running for them because they start faster these days when I try to catch them. A lot of other things are differ- ent lately. Barbers no longer hold a mirror behind my head so I can see the back of my head, and my wife has taken to keep- ing the tickets lately when we go to the theatre. They don't put the same material into clothes any more, either. I've noticed that my suits have a tendency to shrink, especially in certain places such as around the waist or in the seat of the pants, and the laces they put in the shoes nowadays are much harder to reach, Even the weather is changing. It's getting colder in winter, and the summers are hotter than they used to be. I'd go away, if it wasn't so far. Snow is heavier when I try to shovel it, and T have to put on rubbers when- ever I go out, because rain today is wetter than the rains we used to get. Drafts are more severe, too. It must be the way they build windows now. People are changing, too. For one thing, they're younger than they used to be when!I was their age. I went back recently to an alumni reunion at the college T graduated from in 1943--that is, 1933--T mean, 1923--and I was shocked to see the mere tots they. are admitting as students these days. The average age Of the PUFFS FROM THE COTTON GIN more than seven. They seem to be more polite than in my time, though; several undergraduates called me "Sir" and one of them asked if he could help me across the street. On the other hand, people my own age are so much older than I am. I realize that my genera- tion is approaching middle age (define middle age roughly as the people between 21 and 110) but there is no excuse for my class- mates tottering into a state of advanced senility, I ran into my old room-mate at the bar, and he'd changed so much that he didn't recognize me. "You've put on a little weight, George," I said. "It's this modern food," Georges said. "It seems to be more fatten- "How about another Mar- "I said. "Have you noticed much weaker the Martinis are these days?" I got to thinking about, poor old George while I was shaving: this morning. I stopped for a mo- ment and looked at my own re- flection in the mirror. They don't seem to use the same kind of glass in mirrors any more. saree Thank you, brother Milne, sir! This week ideas weren't percolat- ing as freely as they used to, and I found my typewriter keys were harder to punch than usual. So you helped me out no end. Gratefully Yours, BILL COTTON CANNING VARIATION Announcement that canned live lobsters are now being shipped great distances reminds one that live humans, on occasion, also get themselves canned. After which, like the live lobsters, they also get into hot water. OAKVILLE'S BLITZ WARCx es Pate! MONDAY NIGHT MARCH 6 A Complete Investment Service BONDS STOCKS on all Exchanges MACRAE AND COMPANY Investment Dealers 80 King St. W.--Toronto PHONE: EL 3374 freshmen class couldn't have been Padding The New York State legislature has instituted an act to absolve New York City from any liability arising out of the city employing a "Rainmaker" to help it with its water short- age. The legislature should be a busy place if they intend to enact legislation for New York every time that city plans something other locations have been usirg without benefit of protection. Many an Indian "Rainmaker" has been missing out on publicity by not having a state legislature indemnify the area he was going to work on, \ There's a "Red Riding Hood" theme to the plea of Toronto that in taking over the suburbs she is "Doing it for their own good." It's funny how often people like to lead their own lives without "The bet- tor to eat you with" desire of another to "Improve them despite themselves." We're all for the mainten- enance of the individual smaller centre . . . especial- ly when so many people are skittering their way out of the large cities because they don't like big-city life. So why not confine the big metropolis to her share, and let the little fellows have their place in in the sun. BURROS' SPECIALTY SHOPPE SPORTWEAR SERVICE LINGERIE QUALITY HOSIERY VALUE 136 Colborne St. E. Phone 423 ORDER NOW For Spring Delivery MILLWORK Be Sure Of Delivery When You Are Ready! Screens Frames Sash Combination Doors Picture 'Windows Cupboard Doors Garage Doors -------- Expert Advice Gladly Given Chas. F. Doty & Son DUNDAS ST. N. After Hours: PHONE 76 558-W or 670 It is an unfortunate truth that many serious illness- es might have been averted if people did not attempt self-diagnoses, but consulted a doctor instead: For self-diagnosis is self-deception. Too many people | shrug off persistent aches, pains, nausea, faiftness, | and other supposedly minor troubles as things of no | consequence. But these minor irritations are often | the danger signals of approaching major illness. So | play safe! Consult your doctor when symptons show persistent or recurring tendencies. His advice may | ward off serious trouble. J I * Oakville Drug Co. Limited Phone 94 Colborne St. E. . Len Hope, Mgr.