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og Id SRL MII a Sok Crow dni ora rR 3 Ted me ee > EE a ae = Sod Not A Deterrent On December 29, 1972, Canada may reinstate capital punishment. Whether she does or not is up to the individual Canadian. Surely the Christian position is clear. The faith which is based on hope, which seeks a change of heart, a new man, cannot countenance the admission of hopelessness which the use of capital punishment implies. "Capital punishment-is neither a deterrent to criminals nor a protection" for society. It may indeed backfire by lessening our reverence. for life.' These words summarize a statement published in the current issue of the United Church Observer, signed by the Moderator Rt. Rev. N. Bruce MclLeoa, Rev. George M. Morrison, Secretary of the church's General Council, and the editors of The Observer, A.C. Forrest, Patricia Clarke and James Taylor. Asked if it were the first time a statement signed by church officials had been published in the magazine, the Editor and Publisher, Rev. A.C. Forrest, answered affirmatively. The statement occupying a full page, contains these facts as justification for the church's position: Murders in U.S. cities have increased in spite of the death penalty. In fact, "'Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina, who electrocute murderers, have the highest murder rates in the U.S.A. lowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin, without the death penalty, have the lowest." (According to Uniform Crime Reports for the United States, FBI, August 29, 1972, 17,630 murders were committed in 1971, a rise of 90 percent since 1966). penalty, have the lowest." (According to Uniform Crime Reports for the United States, FBI, August 29, 1972, 17,630 murders were committed in 1971, a rise of 90 percent sinced 1966). To those who argue that fear of consequences might deter anyone planning a murder rationally, the statement asks: "Is any murder rational? More than two-thirds of murders happen during impulsive rage, in quarrels with close associates, 'Not many are planned, 'says Toronto police staff sergeant Adolphus J. Payne. 'Only an insignificant number are premediated." A second argument refuted by the church officials is that execution protects society, including law officers, from murderers. "Few murderers are actually sentenced to death," they reply. The U.S. in 1949 had 6,990 murders; 107 were executed that year, and 68 the following year. In Canada, under capital punishment, 80 percent of murderers were either not caught or nc' hanged." 'Observer readers are asked "F -om which killers should our laws protect us by the ir deaths? A bank robber who kills may be hanged. A drunken driver who kills may not. Yet drunken drivers kill far more people than bank robbers.' Proponents of capital punishment who quote the Bible passage: 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,"" are motivated by revenge, the Observer claims, and quotes the church's General Council: "For Christians, revenge should not be a motive. The death penalty, is contrary to the spirit and teachings of Christ." "Reformation is supposed to be the objective of punishment," the official statement continues. "Hanging a man will not reform him. Christians believe that every man is capable of being redeemed. Capital punishment" makes that im- possible." The church asks that hn the present temporary suspension tof the capital punishment bill expires on December 29th, abolition be made permanent. PORT PERRY STAR Company Limited Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association \ Member of the Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association Published every Wednesday by the Port Perry Star Co. Ltd., Port Perry, Ontario © Authorized as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, and for payment of postage in cash Second Class Mail Registration Number 0265 ga 7, + pe <a Serving Port Perry, Reach, Scugog and Cartwright Townships P. HVIDSTEN, Publisher WM. T. HARRISON, J. PETER HVIDSTEN, Plant Manager Advertising Manager RING THEM Chimes HOw To SCRIBRLE FUNNY PRESCRIPTIONS * BUT WERE AFRAID Y0 ASK, dl) THAT'(, BE $Q00, Pieay; ---- TAKE Two ASPIRIN alle < fo A TAKE ONE A DAY AND GO AWAY [] BILL MILEY UGAR AND Serice | EVERYBODY NEEDS IT AT LEAST ONCE It seems to me that kids don't have much fun anymore. Today I was reading a short story with a group of eighteen-year-olds, It was about a shy, fluttery spinster out on her first public date with a widower who was courting her. They went to a dance. She tripped and fell and her man came tumbling down on top of her. It was funny, but pathetic, and the kids, who are sensitive to humiliation, exuded sympathy, especially the girls. We talked - for a bit about the things that make people shy or awkward or self-conscious: acne, obesity, a colostomy. Fine. A good dis- cussion. But then I asked if any of them had had the same experience -- falling flat on the dance floor. Horrors, no! Of course, the way they dance nowadays, it's almost impossible to measure your length on the hardwood. Most of them dance by themselves, and it's pretty hard to topple unless you're blind, stoned. On slow pieces, those rare occasions, they are clutched so tightly that it would take a bulldozer to knock them down. Most of the time, in fact, they don't even dance, just listen to the clangour and thump. And it's pretty hard to fall down on a dance floor when you're not dancing. I mean, it's the sort of thing you have to work at. Anyway, I just sat back, looked them-- over, and shook my head. 'You kids haven't lived. Nobody has really lived who hasn't gone sprawling on a dance floor, preferably bringing down his or her partner in the process." There's nothing like it to pare the ego down to size. And it helps if you do it before a large and appreciative audience. I can recall at least two occasions on which it happened to me. Once was at the 'Cascades, of fond memory. The second was at the Legion Halkin Tobermory. And I have living witnesses. My wife doesn't know about the second one, so keep it quiet. But I can well recall the sensation. One moment you are gliding about, leaping and pirouetting, a veritable Rudolph Nureyev in Swan Lake. The next, your pas des deux somehow turns into a pas des trois, you discover that your partner is not Margot Fonteyn, and you're flat on you back, head spinning from the thump on the floor, and a broad who a moment ago was light as thistledown, sprawled across you like Strangler Lewis winning the deciding fall. There's only one thing to do. Leap to your feet, laughing hollowly, and so quickly that the spectators might think it was all part of the performance. They never do, of course. And it's pretty lonely out there in the middle of the floor when your partner, who has been shammed for life, gives you a look like a cold shower, and stalks away forever. "What? Don't you people ever go to a country dance and get hurled about?" I badgered my students. Nope. : So I had to tell them what it was like. When I was their age, we used to strike off many a Friday night. Usually for Wemyss, where they had the prettiest girls (Jo and Vera Dewitt, Ursula Brady), and the best music (Lorne Consitt on the piano and Mr. Dewitt on the fiddle.) There was no question of taking girls. We couldn't afford it. But there was always the hope that you'd "get to take one home. However, they always seemed to have several huge brothers or cousins lurking about. It was bout $1. 00 for the evening. Fifty cents for the dance, eighty-five cents for a micky of gin, split four ways, and the rest for gas for somebody's old man's car. "Have you never got into a square dance and been literally swept off your feet?" I questioned my girl students. Nope. But some them looked as though they rather liked the idea. And I thought of 'those burly farm boys, getting into the spirit of things and whirling the girls around until the latter were actually flying. Occasionally, sweaty hands spelled disaster, and one of the girls would go flying off into the lunch the ladies were organizing. The lunch was part of the admission fee of 50 cents. And I thought of occasions when I had got into a doh-se-doh with a particularly enthusiastic and buxom farm wench, and, because I couldn't foot it like the farm boys, been swung around in circles with both feet three inches off the floor. A couple of belts of raw gin, and a couple of dances like that, and you were ready and willing to go out into the snow and gaze, palely and greenly at the moon for a half hour or so. Inside the hall, with a wood stove almost red hot, and a hundred or so bodies steaming, it was always about 130 degrees. And this was in the days before ultra-dry deodorants. But I don't remember anybody smelling anything except hot and perfumey. Eventually, there'd be a fight, or lunch would be served, then it was into the Model A and shiver home through the winter night. No heater... =. But, oh, what a night we'd had, and oh, what 'stories we regaled our less venture- some school-mates with, when we fore- gathered at the pool room on Saturday afternoon. Poor modern kids. Do they have any fun? Institutions. "desk set by Mr. 50 YEARS AGO Thursday, December 7, 1922 A Star article reported; "Port Perry's Ross Roach has captivated the sports loving people of the West by his brilliant. goal-tending"' during a hockey . series - against an Edmonton team. . It . continued, "it is not possible to express in mere words the wonderful work he does in goal." Port Perry councillor Nasmith had to set his alarm each morning for an early hour. According to the Star; "It seems the councillor's ® orchard is infested with field mice. He's trying to ex- terminate them with owls and he has to get up at four o'clock every morning to change owls." 25 YEARS AGO Thursday, December 4, 1947 Miss E. Audrey Kent, Port Perry won high honors with her Angora rabbits at the Royal Winter Fair. She won 4 firsts, 6 seconds, 5 thirds etc. ete. . ., making a total of 109 points. This was equivalent to the combined winnings of all Angora competitors. She also brought home the Silver Cup for the best collection. The Municipal Board passed a By-law authorizing the bringing of pure water to Port Perry. The final cost was $65,000, considerably lower than was first. estim- ated. The Star stated, '"'this will add greatly to desirable living." 15 YEARS AGO Thursday, December 5, 1957 Port Perry Public School - held a Parents Night during which a speech was given by the Hon. M. B. Dymond, M.P.P. Minister of Reform "The speaker emphasized the great need in child training for parental love and affection and the realization of being wanted and appreciated." John L. Sweetman of Port Perry, R.R. No. 3, a former Reeve of Scugog Twp., was elected President of the Ontario Progressive Con- servative Association after serving for two years as secretary-treasurer of the association. Mr. R.H. Cornish, Prin- cipal of the Public School, was honoured in a crowded ceremony at the 'school for serving as Principal for a period of 30. years. In recognition of this service, he was awarded a beautiful Storey Beare,chairman of the Pub- lic School Board. 10 YEARS AGO Thursday, December 6, 1962 Reeve J. Gibson and Deputy-reeve R. Kenny were both returned to their re- spective positions one week before municipal' elections by acclamation. This was the seventh term for Reeve Gibson. A spectacular barn fire drew a large crowd to the farm of Mr. Joe Cervenka. Due to the gallant efforts of neighboring farmers, all but five calves were saved and the milk house was kept cool until the men could retrieve the bulk milk cooler. Earl Martyn was elected Reeve of Reach township. The vote was very light, with only half of the ratepayers exercising their right. J Pn a Ce hi