| {the herald) PAGE 4, THE HERALO, Tuesday, October 18, 1977 Published by General Offlee . 635-6357 Sterling Publishers Circulation (Terrace) - 635-6357 (Kitimat) - 432-4209 PUBLISHER... W.R. (BILL) LOISELLE MANAGING EDITOR.., STU DUCKLOW Published every weekday at 3212 Kalum St. Terrace B.C. A mamber of Varified Circulation. Authorized rs second class mall. Registration number 1201. Postage pal. cash, return Portage guaranteed, NOTE OF COPYRIGHT The Herald rataine full, complete and sole copyvight in any advertisement produced and-or any’ editorial or photographic content published In the Herald. Reproduction Pane armltted without fhe written permission of the \. - A milestone not worth celebrating Canadian television is celebrating its 25th year in business in the usual banal way it marks every non-event. Now far be it from the modest Daily Herlad to go snorting in disgust at CBC's orgy of slef-glorification through it series of glittery specials, but we think the medium is forgetting some of its less specacular achievements. We don’t, for instance, see TV celebrating the fact that children take longer toleam how toread tothesedays. _ Nor do we see the the stone-faced newscasters taking resposnibility for the increase in hijackings and other acts of terrorism by groups seeking live, on-the-spot coverage of their demands. Of course, it’s too easy to blame TV for an increase in terrorist activities, but { 5 criticism: television, by its very nature, is too dramatic and too shallow to be trusted as the sole source of in- formation about anything. Yet 60 percent of the people in this country admit TV is izvir major source of news. Now should we blame the tube for our ever more materialistic life style. All advertising in no matter what medium tends to increase the acquisitive value of a society. It’s just that TV ads are more powerful, if less informative, than their counterparts in print. And the five-year-old kids who will be demanding Barbie Dolls this Christmas didn't get their ideas from ads in newspapers or magazines. Nor is TV solely responsible for the increased sterotyping we have recently become sensitive to, We know that men aren’t always loud and aggressive, that women aren't always pretty, mindless and helpless and that cutesy, flaxen-ahired moppets don’t always live in crisp, white mansions on sunny, tree-lined lanes populated by happy, loving families with two cars in each garage. In its eagerness to shatter the images it created in its youth, American TV producers have populated the tube With a collection of neurotics, bigots and social deviates whose sterotyped played in Father Knows Best. At least, however, the roles played won many current progrmas are 80 outlandish they cannot be unquestioningly adopted by members of the audience not mature enough to be sure of who they are or what they want to become. It’s regrettable that TV has becomes established in our society as a major social force without a conscience. It was inevitable that American TV networks would follow this rout because their income comes fromadvertising and programs have to be made for mass appeal. But CBC, a government-owned network, has becomes more and more commercial in recent years and more and more popular as well. A case in point is the coverage of the Manitoba election. There were no election reports on the people's network until the regular news hour. We got the world series instead. , By the time CBC gets ready to celebrate 50 years in ess, we hope they'll come to grips with the respon sibilities associated with the inherent power of the tube. Until the, the best way to celebrate any of TV’s self- proclaimed milestones is to turn it off, if only for a week , and see how little you're missing. Injected with typhus Epidemic saved doomed villagers By Lioyd Timberlake LONDON (Reuter) — Two Polish doctors have described how they protected residents of 12 villages rom forced labor in German- occupied Poland during the Second World War by creating a false typhus epidemic. Accounts of the trick appear in a recent issue of AMS News, the bulletin of the American Society of Microbiology, much of which was uoted in the British Medica ournal (BMJ). The two doctors, E, S, Lazowski, now in Chicago, and 8. Matulewicz, now in Kinshasa, Zaire, do not say why they waited so long to report their life-saving hoax. In its account, the BMJ says that during the German occupation 20 pet cent of the Polish population was murdered and many Poles were made to do forced labor in Germany. “Meanwhile, epidemic typhus broke out, and doctors were re- quired toreport cases to the German authorities, who confirmed the diagnosis of specimens of blood posted to them,” the article said. SPREAD BY LICE Epidemic typhus, a deadly form of the disease, is spread by lice. * tested with proteus The blood test the Germans were using is known as the Weil-Felix reaction, in which blood serum is mixed with a kind of bacterium, proteus X19. If the serum contains the rickettsia which causes typhus, it also, by a coincidence of nature, contains the antibodies agains roteus X19. Thus when mixed in the aboratory with proteus X19, the serum from a typhus victim gives a Positive reaction. The two doctors met a Polish - laborer on leave from Germany who, they wrote, ‘was ready to do anything, including committin; suicide, to escape the misery -of slavery in Germany.” With his permission, they injected him with a dose of proteus X19 bacteria, against which his body would develop antibodies. They then sent a sample of his blood to the Ger- man state laboratory. When it was 19, the reaction proved positive, exactly as if the worker had typhus. He didn’t and remained quite healthy. The Germans exempted the man and all his family from any further ’ work in Germany or detention. WIDENED OPERATION Lazowski and Matulewicz then widened their operation to other villagers. Using the proteus in- jections, they increased and decreased the number of typhus “victims” in their area to match the normal seasonal rises and falls of an epidemic. “Soon the number of reported cases was sufficiently large to declare the area of our practice (about a dozen villages) an epidemic area with relative freedom from: oppression,”’ they wrote. The hoax was almost discovered after two years when a collaborator tipped the Germans that something _ Was peculiar about the “epidemic. A German army medical detach- ment entered the area to in- vestigate. However, the Germans were apparently so afraid of infection that ey did not visit homes, but took blood samples in their own lab. The samples all proved positive and they were convinced. British experts say they are more specific tests for typhus today and it would be hard to use the same ruse again. is validity to the of-repeated . yoyer EPPOnTON ODIRNAL “Why don’t you find a trade to be unemployed from?” Today in history Rev. Isa j Oct. 18, 1977 Vv. ac ogues, 768 AD—Charlemagne founder of the Mohawk and his brother Carloman Mission, was martyred 331 ears ago today—in 1646. ather Jogues arrived in Quebec in 1636 and was cap- tured and tortured by the Troquois in 1642. After his rescue in 1643, he went back to France but returned to Canada in 1644 and was murdered two years later while carrying out a mission in the heart of Iroquois country. HERAAR were crowned co-rulers of the Frankish Empire. 1636—The new Book of Ca- nons was ordered to be used jn Anglican churches. 1817—The national flag of Chile was adopted. 1898—-Puerto Rico surren- dered to the United States. 1962—Ranger 5, the American lunar probe, was launched. DIOFT Unwersa! Press Syncheate IM, “Mal | just mat this new guy. He’s not good-look- ing or anything but he’s an accountant.” From Toronto to Montreal | They go against the flow MONTREAL (CP) — While the anglophone exodus from Quebec makes headlines across Canada, at least one couple has decided to leave Toronto and live in Montreal. Gordon Whatman and his wife, Beryl Watson, say they feel that Montreal’s assets more than cancel out much of the negative perception much of Canada has of the city. They say they have made sacrifices to move to Montreal but were happy in Toronto and that their move should not be considered a rejection of that city. Whatman is the chief executive officer of Itel Canada, a wholly- owned subsidiary of Itel Corp., the U.S. computer leasing company. A nalive of Ontario, he lived in Montreal for seven years before moving to Toronto eight years go. He returned here in September and says he intends to stay. His wife’s move meant giving up her own design business in Toronto and now she must start again, building up contacts and soliciting work, However, she has no regrets. ‘BORN IN QUEBEC “I was born in Quebee and lived here until I was 15,” she said. “I have been away from the province Several times, but each time I left I said 1 was coming back. I have lived in four provinces and one state but this is where I want to be.” They said their decision touched off a great of deal of unpleasantness in their Toronto circle. “People seemed to _ feel threatened,” Whatman said. ‘We had everything going for us and there we were, proposing to move back to Quebec. ‘At parties people would come up to me and become downright in- sulting,” said his wife. “They would use language they probably wouldn't dream of usipg normally, we knew said to one ers, ‘Do you realize nts are doing to you?’ Ms. Wats@isaid: ‘‘The irony of it all is that e had said we were moving to Mexico they. woulc probably all have congratulated us. There has always been a half-joking jealous relationship betwee Montreal and Toronto, but the joke seems to have gone sour. “It’s sad that Canadians should feel that someone moving to another part of their country is threatening what they stand for.” SOUGHT FRENCH SCHOOL . The couple have three daughters and were fully aware that the move meantthey would be wrenched from - their school and their friends. However§ the oldest, aged 17, now is attending a French school at her own suggestion. The others are in English schools with bilingua programs they can move into when they are ready. Neither Whatman nor his wife has any sympathy for separatism or the government’s educational policies. However, neither feels particularly threatened. “J didn’t come here for the politics,” said Whatman. ‘‘Bu remember, as an anglophone I’ve got it made. From a purely selfish Point of view, I have nothing to lose. have my English culture—which is beyond question. And I have a chance to take part in another culture, French, which 1 wouldn't find in Ontaio.” His wife agreed: “The English- speaking Quebecer has the best eal. He can send his child to a French school if he wants, while the French speaker is being denied the right to send his children to English schools. The person who is losing his fundamental rights is the French- speaking Quebecer,’’ They said what really brought - them back to Montreal was their erception of Canada and its story—a pull they readily admit is hard to explain. “Quebec is what Canada is really all about,” said Ms. Watson. “The people know who they are.”’ “What I most admire about French and English Quebecers is an intensity of spirit,” said Whatman, “They have both been here for generations, and they are quick to stand up for their rights. This is home to them and was to their an- cestors as well. “Throughout most of the rest of Canada a rootless society has developed, Quebecers stil] have. roots,’ Cyril Shelford, MLA Victoria report It has been same time since I wrote a report to my con- stituents, the reason being my travels on the Agricultural Committee. . . ; I have found being on this committee very interesting, mainly because of the variety of iPecple you meet, Travelling around the province with the committee was also a welcome break from the unreal world we have see at the sessions in Victoria this past eight months. Hopefully we will never experience another session like this, as the province will lose many of its best represen- tatives if we do. Anyone who wishes to see the business of the people move ahead efficiently finds it very grustrating to watch. The sessions should be kept as short as possible so that MLA's and especially ministers, can get out into the countryside, find out what the people are thinking and get themselves back to the realities of life. No one party is responsible for the present situation inVictoria. All must share the blame for the situation where all members seem to be unwittinlgy destroying a system they all profess to uphold. Some changes must be made or there is no doubt the system will be destroyed from within. I suggested a committee be set up oa fil parties to try to resolve our present problems and attempt to streamline and spped up the business of parliament. It seems such a shame, with all the serious issues facing this nation that the legislature should be wasting so much time on delaying tactics and petty bidkering. ; In contrast to this childish behavior, the members of the agricultural committee sat down together, regardless of rty, and worked for possible pertaining to all levels of the food industry. Nearly all producers Groups came forward with ideas for the future, but very little was heard from the wholesale and retail level. The committee has adjourned until November to give our research team and the mem- bers, a chance to look over the vast quantity of material that was gathered, so that certain groups can be called later to fillin any gaps in the information so far. One thing that is clearly obvious is that Canadians are better off than any other country with the exception of the USA and even this is questionable with Canadians enjoying one of the best health schemes in the world. The average Canadian worker and salaried employee spends 18 per cent of his disposable income on food, compared to 30 per cent and 40 per cent in most European countries, and higher in other countries of the world. it is interesting to note that an . averageind ustrial worker in 1951 could buy 142 dozen eggs with one hour's pay and today they can buy 6% dozen with one hour's pay. Reasearch into the broiler chicken industry indicates the producer price has gone up 27 cents in the last three years, the wholesale price 11 cents and the retail price 16.5 vents. This dees not prove anything in itself except the producer increase is not excessive. The other levels will no doubt bring in a lot of information showing increased costs of all kinds. A 10 per cent increase in wages at all levels of the food chain means a one per cent increase in food prices. It dis also interesting to follow a chart of food prices since 1947 and relate it to wage increases since that time. You will find that if all food prices had gone up at the same rate, eggs, which were46 cents a dozen in 1947, would be selling for $4.60 instead of 97 cents, which is the average price across the province. Broiler chickens which sold for 39 cents a pound in would now sell for $3.90 a pound instead of $1.09, which is the present average price. This at least does show the increase in efficiency of farm production since then. One thing that haa come out clearly is that the average working person is better off than his counterpart elsewhere in the world ard spends less of his disposable income on food, but the same can not be said: for‘those in fixed in- comes, pensions and welfare. For these people the cost of food is taking a bigger slice of their income all the time. I feel deep sympathy for this group. I don't know how the make ends meet and I hope both levels of government will review these findings and bring about a more realistic assistance rate for people in this position, so that they too can share at least in part the gigh standard of living working Canadians enjoy. : Unemployment benefits you wouldnt believe PARIS (AP) — Unemployment for a fired Frenchman may mean a one-year sabbatical on 90-per-cent pay and then a year retraining in a new profession at 100-per-cent pay. The system, introduced at the height of the 1974 recession, : has become entrenched in the French unemployment scheme. A tentative suggestion by the government recently that it should be dropped because the economy was turning up was met by such howls of protest that it was rapidly forgotten. Francois B. is a ‘90-per-center” as are one in 10 of the one million-plus unemployed in France. New technology in the printing industry made his old job redundant. He got one month’s salary for each of the 25 years he had held his old post and his union won an extra five months’ “golden hand- Shake’ from his company. WENT FISHING The unemployment office agreed he was a victim of eco- nomic retrenchment and put him on the 90-per-cent roll. Francois went fishing. He explained how the system worked. “‘T could have started retraining during the first year,- when my 90 per cent would have gone up to 110 per cent of my old pay. But I know that at 55 I'm going to have a tough time gelting a new job anyway, so I might as well make the most of the system.” Every three months, Francois went over his file with officials to see.whether he was still eligible. They checked forms he had submitted during his ‘job hunting.”’ The idea is that when you apply for a job and get turned down, the firm stamps the form, ‘No job at the moment,’ You also show the employment agency letters you have written and replies you have had. That's the theory, at least. One of my friends ignored this whole process and stil] pot his 90- month.” D got his 90-per-cent pay every. TURNED DOWN OFFERS Francois was not obliged to take any job offered. “To take me off the roll, I would have to turn down a jab at an equal wage to my old job,"he said. So he turned down several offers at $400 a month, not much more than half his old I 088 poy with overtime and other benefits, and tess than Last July his 90-per-cent year ran out. Then I cropped to 35 per cent, regular unemployment pay, until October, when I started a language course, which put me on the 1t0-percent deal. It was vecaton time and my unemployment cheques were a month behind because ofan administrative hassle, so it didn’t hurt too much.” He can take a year’s retraining spaced out over four years after being fired, at 100 per cent of his former pay. If a tempting job comes up, Francois can try it and if if doesn't work out, it's back to school and no great loss. If he fails to flnd a job after his retraining, he will be on 35- per-ceht unemployment benefit for 16 months, and then down to the basic public assistance of less than $100 a month, plus small amouns for each dependent.