Whltby Free Prose, Wcfresdy, February 21,1996, Page il Groupssay proposed efrms corn p hf by Jil Mlntosh L ove,(? stories Valenttine's Day was lait week. Now you might think that with this being a car column, I mldght not have much to say on that subject. Looking back in history, though, I found that love (or lack of, 1t) made for some very interesting etories about our early carmakers. Henry Ford found a helpmate in Clara Bryant, who stood beside herhusband and dropped gasoline into hie prototype engine as h. fiddled with. it on theirkidtchen sink. They were abways sifectionate and Henry showered her with expensive presents, and he was such a prude that he criticized now fangled dancers who held close ta each other. Still, ho broadly hinted ta friends that ho addreesed hie more intimate neede olîewhere. - Any doubts were erased when, at age 60, Henry openly carried on an sifair with 30-year-old Evangebine Cote. His chauffeur Ray Dahlinger was made manager of the Ford Farme providing ho married her, snd Henry's generous w eddi'ng' gift included a houe. right next to tue Ford estate. It is halieved that both Clara Ford and Ray Dablinger knew about and accepted Henry Ford'. continuing visite ta the new bride. It i. also believed- that when Evangeline gave birth to a son, proud "Uncle Heny" wae also tho fathor. Honry was very much a part of young John Dahlinger's upbringing, which included playing alongside the Ford children. The grandchildren were the sons and daughter ofHenry and Clara'. only child, Edsel Ford. Thoy had. expected that Edeel woubd liv. with them forever, and were not thrilled when he began dating Eleanor Clay. They were married In 1916 and unlike hie father, Edsel erijoyed a happy relationship with hi wife. When Edsel died of cancer at age 49, Eleanor was so dlstraught that after hie funeral she plunged into Lake St.Clair and had tabe reecued. Henry Ford outlived hie son by four yeare and when ho died, Clara Ford, spent her remaining time eitting on the porch, abone and bonely. A few day. after her death fi 1950, Henry's grandson Henry Ford II angrily evicted the Dahlingere from their home.' Henry II might have been disgusted with hi grandfather's miitres,but he walked in thoe. familiar footeteps neverthebess. Married in 1938, hoproposed ta hie second wifo at a party, while stilb married, as his current wife watched from acrosthe room. Ho met hi. third wife when she was lnvited ta another party hosted by wife number two. Another porion who shared Henry Ford'. traite was archrivab, William Durant, founder of General .Motora. Like Henry, Durant married a woman named Clara. Ho died in 1947, the same year as Ford. Unlike hie rival, though, Durant divorced Clara in 1908;- the day after the decree was granted, the 47-year-od Durant married Catherine Lederer, who wae ail of 19. Juat as bizarre was the Dodge family. Brother John and Horaco both married at age 28, but that was ail they had in, commnon. Horace wae married only once. SEE PAGE 12 The proposed auto lnsuranoe reforme tablod by the governrent of Ontario represent a significant backward stop and -a massive betrayal of innocent motor vehicle accident victime and their familles, saye the Fair Action in Insurance Reform (FAIR) Committee, a victime' rights organization. Lawrence Mandel, counsel to the commiittee, said that "Contrary to the government's assertions, this legielation effectively liminates, rather than restores, the right of inn ocent accident 'victims to sue for economie bs. "Such dlaims are to b. reetricted to 85 per cent of net income. Once the appropriato deductione, are applied, the average wage earner in Ontario would have littie or no practical grounds on which to base a dlaim under the proposed, reforme. He adds the legielation would further restrict the, definition of persons eligible to dlaim for economic loi. Non-earners, such as students, children« or persons who have tomporarily left their jobs to raie children but who intended to return to the workforce, would ail b. unable to pursue a dlaim for boe of income through the courts. "And worst of aIl, the proposed legislation would not even shlow a dependent spouse or child to claim for economic loei if the faxnily bread winner is kilbed in a motor vehicbe accident," he says. 'TMe is nonsense, not commnon sense. The average wage earner, as a practical matter, wibl be denied a dlaim for economic lois, will face an increased deductible in dlaims for pain and suffering, and wibb receive significantly reduoed accident benefits under these so- called reforme. It i. clear that innocent accident -victime will suifer under this legisiation.. I urge the government to indicato that it will amènd these ,ý..jrLE PRICE from $24r9W or ig25 (Buy Back of S8,950) per montWr, proposais and keep itz promise to restore the eigmificant rights of innocent accident victime. The FAIR Committee is comprised of lawyers, health care professionals, victime' xights group and thousande of individuals across the province. Many innocent victim left with limited benefit The Canadian Bar Association - Ontario, in conjunction with the Advocates' Society- and the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, believe that the government plan th reform- auto insurance i. a step in the right direction, but does not go nearly far enough to, restore the rights of innocent accident victime. 'The governient plan will leave many innocent accident victimi with, very limited benefits to help themn recover from their injuries3," said Tom Andrews, chair of the CBAO Auto Insuranoe Committe. CBAÃ" president Doug Low notod that "much more oeuld have been, done for victime wlthout increaslng premiurm for the driving public." The main problema with the governmentplan are: the rlght to sue forIona of income, promised by Premier Harris beforo the élection, has flot been Mfuly restored; the, provisions rolatod'to lois of income- continue to be unnecessarily complex, a major flaw in the exieting law; the deductible for pain-aud suffering dlaims has been Increased by 50 per cent, to *15,000, Whlch will deny reovery to innocent accident victime who have suifered quit. eeriouslinjuries. 1 It appoars the roduction of benefits for accident victime ha. been made necessary by the nd'w- tai belng lmposod on the auto insurance isystem, apparently rolated to OHIPs expenee," said .Andrews. "This tax was flot a feature of either iaberai or NDP auto insuranco systeme and makos les. money avaflable to vlctlms." OBAO has been aesured by the government that the* upcoming begielative hearinge willbe aa genuine opportunity for improveknents to be made to the draft legislation. CBAO wlll be making detalled submiseione ýta the committe studying the draft begislation li the hope. that the defecti in the bill can ha remedied before the introduction to the leglelature. 24..hour race to ýbe ai Mospofl Moiport Park wibb hold a 24- hour race sancioned by. the International Motor sport Association, Imc. (BA).; The. "24 Houri, of Moepýortr will take place June 21-2 and feature. »MAs endurance chaniplonslp, a eeries for efreet stock cars in four classes of competition including grand sports, sBports, tauring and compact. The serie, making its début in Canada,, showcases the boit American Japanese and Europoan sport ýcoupe. and sedans, such as PontiacFirebird, BMfW M3 and Ford Mustang Cobra. SIn' addition. IMSA's newest serbe,. the Slick 50 Pro Serie. for Toyota-powered. Worbd Sport. Racers and Fôrd-powered Sports 2000 cars will compote in a sprint race at both the 24 Houri of .Mosport and the Chryslerý Mo.port 500 weekend, Aug.23-25.