The Ottawa Journal from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • Page 8

The Ottawa Journal PfJounuUfLtiaA Company Ottawa. Limtit. FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1942. Proof of the Pudding. Dominion Bureau of Statistics reports the efncial index of living costs unchanged on April 1 from the March 2 figure oi 119.9.

In other words, the cost of living is not going bp. One thing this seems to prove is that Mr. Donald Gorton's prices ceiling works. The ceiling may involve grief for some, and bring problems for the Government; may not in the end be the full answer to inflation. The fact remains that through five months which have seen money plentiful and goods scarce the cost of living has been kept down.

This is something which could not have happened without a prices ceiling. Can any one imagine that, without pegged rentals, a housing shortage and more money in more people's hands wouldn't have brought soaring rents? Or that a scarcity of wool and cloth wouldn't have brought sky-high prices for clothes? And that, without a ceiling, prices generally wouldn't have jumped tremendously? Prices wovld have gone up. And as prices went up there would have come successive cost-of-living bonuses, and perhaps demands for in- creases in basic wage rates, with the inevitable consequence that in the end prices would be chasing wages and wages prices in a dizzy spiral of inflation. It stands greatly to the credit of Canada's war leadership, and to the credit especially of Mr. Donald Gordon and Finance Minister iLSLtY.

that there was wit to devise and courage to execute a prices ceiling one; of the most revolutionary economic. experiments' ever attempted in a democratic state. It wis an experiment calling for boldness, for disregard of political consequences, and for willingness to learn by trial and error; and it was an experiment above all which banked heavily upon the willingness of a democratic people to make heavy sacrifices voluntarily. Thus far it has succeeded: and no finer tribute to its success could be given than in the decision of great American neighbors to copy it. To copy it in essentials, at any rate.

In Montreal on Monday Leon Henderson, United States Prices Administrator, spoke to the Canadian Club, admitted frankly that one of the main factors in shaping the prices ceiling of the United States, with an alignment of controls in the two countries, was a suggestion of Donald Gordon. The suggestion was that there should be as far as possible "an equality of burden on the citizens of the two This surely is something for Canada's war story. A War of Words. Editorial writers on three newspapers one in Toronto, one in Winnipeg, and one in Ottawa seem to have been writing verbose letters to each other, more or less abusive, through the medium of their respective leader columns. In the old days it was a common practice that facilitated the filling of the daily portion ol editorial space.

In these times when the as is so much of moment to comment on there appears to be' little excuse for it and the practice must be boring to careful readers. Perhaps the aforesaid editorial writers fine fellows all of them take themselves, a bit too seriously. Carrying it Too Far. A Canadian editor returned -from a visit across the border says: -The tragedy is that at the present time Canada is lotinf the respect of the people of the United SUtes. The American public right now does not think of as carrying our full weight in the war.

In its mind the name of Canada does not stand high, and is dropping lower all the time." Frankly, we don't accept this. The Journal has urged air along that Canada tell more of its war story to our neighbors, but it doesn't believe that failure to do so has lost or is losing us the respect of, the American people, or anything like that. After all. there was not much sign of a lack of respect for us by the United States when it copied, as it did last week, Canada's prices ceil ing policy. Nor is lack of respect implied in this week's elevation of Canada to a seat with Bri tain and the United States on the Munitions Assignments Board making us one of the "Big Three' among the United Nations in the mat ter of munitions production.

Finally (we are not recanting on anything we have said in the past about need for more publicity across the line), we must not get too humble in this matter of our war relation to the United States, or court too meekly its good opinion. After all, we were in the war before our neighbors were in it Bicycles Also Are Vehicles. 1 Bicycles are vehicles, unfler the Ontario Traf f.e and subject therefore to the regulations made for the public safety. The great recent increase in the use of bicycles makes it im portant that their riders should understand clearly that they as well as persons operating motor vehicles must obey the law. Thus the bicyclist is under legal compulsion to obey the basic rule of the road that on ap proaching an intersection traffic on the right hand has the right of way.

Bicyclists must signal their turns, must obey signals and lights, must keep to the right in general must have as much regard for the rules as the driver of a ten-ton truck. And it is specifically ordered that a bicycle built for one person must not, carry two. land that a bievclist must not hitch-hike by holding on to. another vehicle, that after dark a bicycle must be equipped with a lighted lamp. Some' common practices of boys on bicycles illegal, and highly dangerous to the riders Clowning on a bicycle riding without having at least one hand on the handlebars comes in the class of extreme hazards.

Turning in front of heavier traffic, swerving from one line of traffic to another, travelling two or three abreast, or even four all this sort of riding is done at grave risk to lifj and limb. Tj Eastview's Slot Machines. Members of Eastview council, asked by Police Chief Mannion to adopt the Ottawa sys tem of keeping slot machines out to cancel the municipal license of any premises on which one of these devices is permitted to operate refused to accept the one sure way of control ling what the news columns call "one-armed Instead there was much criticisrri of I the Ottawa newspapers for showing some in terest in Eastview's slot machines, and a de cision to leave the question of their extermina tion, if they are to be exterminated, with the Ontario Government Chief Mannion referred scornfully to "one of the local rags', meaning an Ottawa newspaper which' he did not name. Mayor Grand-maitre said he didn't see "why we should be the and Vice-Reeve Cantin said the area from Oshawa to Toronto was "wide presumably' for slot machines, so why should anybody "pick on All of this is, of course, merely an evasion of the issue. Interest of the1 Ottawa newspapers in the affairs of Eastview surely does not need to be explained or defended.

Slot machines are a pest and a nuisance, and certainly no one ever would claim that they are an elevating influence in a community. Ottawa has shown the way to keep them out, its method has been ap proved by the courts, and that method is open to any community to copy. Thus it follows that if a community has to put up with slot machines it is because the local council is' not interested in keeping them out. Certainly that is a fair in terpretation of Eastview council's attitude, on the basis of Wednesday night's discussion. Silly Talk About Quebec.

An all-time high in silly talk about the plebi scite result is the suggestion, heard in some quarters, that in view of Quebec's majority "No" vote the people of that province be exempted from conscription. Action of that sort, if any Government or Parliament were mad enough to take it would break up Confederation. Actually, in our belief, the people of Quebec themselves would be the first to oppose and resent such a step a step which would tell them they were outside the pale of Canadian citizen ship; outside its responsibilities. Perhaps it would be a good thing for this country if all of us could stop emphasizing or implying that Quebec is a sort of distinctive or separate part of Canada implying that the peo ple who live in that province are a different sort of Canadians. The eternal political ques tion, "What will Quebec do?" has done a lot of harm in this country.

Things Have Changed. Strange things are happening to our economic thinking. Here is the Government of Quebec announcing that it plans a provincially owned hydro-electric system, involving the taking over of great private power companies, and not even in St. James street is there as much as a murmur. Twenty years ago, even ten or five years ago, such an announcement in Quebec would have been called revolutionary, with St James street seeing a dark plot to (Change the name of Montreal to Leninville or Marxville.

Thus is the pattern of our livds, and the pattern of our thinking, being made over for us. The old shibboleths are rapidly losing their meaning, the old war-cries beginning to sound far-off and faint; the hCrcsy of yesterday becomes the commonplace of today. Let none of us, no matter how conservative our instincts, be too much alarmed it. Matthew Arnold once wrote of men standing between two worlds, "one dead, the other struggling to be Today our pre-war world is dead, and another world, 4he nature of which we cannot yet know is struggling to be born. We can only surmise that it will be different from the world our own generation knew, hoping at the same time that it will be braver, and wiser.

Notes and Comment. Canadians in Britain who voted. No on the plebiscite perhaps were registering that same impatience with inactivity which soldiers demonstrated' on a certain famous occasion when they booed the Prime Minister. "Leftist and liberalist" elements in Japan made a poor showing in Japanese elections last week. With Hlrohito on one side, firing squad or concentration camp on the other, probably the Jap who wanted to remain alive had little choice.

Award of a Pulitzer Prize to Larry Allen of the A.P., whose stories of the sea war In the Mediterranean as seep from British battleships have thrilled readers of The Journal, will be heartily approved by everyone who can appre cia'te good newspaper reporting. Once more lovers of wild flowers are urging people not to pick tnlliums, which in a bouquet are lifeless and fragile things without any of the charm they possess in their natural state Moreover picking the flower of the trillium de stroys the bulb and this lovely Spring visitor ought to preserved for the enjoyment of all Admiral Darlan, commander of the Vichy naval forces, makes a particularly bitter attack on the British in connection with the Madagas car episode. His utterances and those of Petain and Laval, suggest that among a good many French military, naval and political leaders there must have been a deep-seated mean jealousy of Great Britain for no good reason, prior to the present war. THE OTTAWA JOURNAL Side Lights Bearded Britain. Letter to London Daily Telegraph.

Sir: Now that soap is in short supply, is it not every true patriot duty to grow a beard and moustache? He will save not only soap but much valuable time. Again, is it not a duty for all heads of departments employing women to lift the ban on un- stockinged legs? This, too, would save them money arid vast amount of time spent in darning, and save us all the sight of much-patched hose. Yours faithfully, GEORGE CHAMBERS. Temple Fortune-lane, N.W.I 1. What Hitler Would Pay.

London Statesman and Nation. I hear from our radio talks to Germany that Hitler's private Income, derived from the Nazi publishing company, which pub lishes Mein Kampf and all the Party newspapers, and from the Hitler levy on the wage bill of German Industry, is calculated to amount to no less than 10 million per annum. This is his personal income; some of it is spent in huge presents or bribes. He is certainly the greatest war profiteer in history If he were in England he would be subject to 9,743,000 income tax annually. Adolf a Trap.

New York Times. Adolf Hitler's latest speech reminded Representative Wilbur Cartwright, Oklahoma Democrat of a story: In his regular letter to the folks back home the Congress-roan told it last week, thus Grandpappy Morgan, a hillbilly, wandered into the woods and failed to return for supper, so young Tolliver was sent to look for him. He found him standing in the bushes. "It's dark, the boy said. "Yep." "Supper time, Grandpi." "Yep." "Wal, ain't you comin' home?" "Nope." "Why ain't ye?" 'Standio' in a b'ar trap." Fishing Holiday? London Free Press.

From Owen Sound comes refreshing Spring-like sugges tion. Mayor Garfield Case would declare May 1 a school holiday in order that schoolboys might go trout fishing. In order to give his new holiday some semblance of respect and community effort every boy would have to plant 10 trees in the local reforestation project before going fishing. Mayor Case says frankly It Is the Inalienable habit of small boys to play hookey from school when the' trout season starts and all he Is doing is to "legalize a practice that has long He adds that "a boy, a fishing pole, a Spring day and running water are an unbeatable combination in which he is right. Mere Fun for Motorists.

The Printed Word. If the decrease in motor traffic on city streets really in dicates a lasting resolution of motorists to conserve gasoline, the oil controller has had a great deal of success with his rationing system. However, the rationing will not achieve perfection until next January, when motorists of all categories will realize how truly humorous the controller is. The ration books are designed to last unUl March 31, 1943; but in Ontario, at least the Department of Highways sets a date in January as the deadline for buy ing new licence-plates. The driver who ignores the deadline renders himself- liable to prosecution under provincial law; but if he buys his new licence, the number will not correspond to that on his ration book, so he will not be able to buy Fewer Shop.

Leeds Yorkshire Post Here is a sample of how In some areas shopkeepers, especial ly smaller ones, are being nit by the war. Between January, 1940, and December, 1941, 19 percent of the shops in Leeds were closed down. Non-food dealers have been the hardest hit Thus half the city's small jewelers and 45 percent of the small retailers of household goods closed' in the twe years. Small fruiterers and dairies were rapiaiy intnning oui, inougn survivors were obtaining more Hew business. Some 43 percent of those who went out of business blamed "bad including shortage of supplies.

Among this category were some who went into munitions. Fourteen percent, closed down owing to being called up. Another 14 percent went out because of demolition of premises due to re housing and, in one case only, to bombing. Ottawa In 1917 rr.m Tkf iMtlil May 1111. CTEWART McCLENAGHAN and Alderman Dave Rice were reelected president and secretary of the Ottawa Liberal-Conservative association.

There was developing a short age of hairpins and corset steels. A Boston man urged that men joining the armed services should be compelled to marry before signing up. Mrs. N. C.

Smillie was elected president of the Protestant Infants' Home at the annual meeting at the new quarters, 403 Queen street The British Cattle Supply of Toronto, offering stock at par, $100, it was reasonable to expect net earnings of 50 percent per annum. J. F. Clancy, manager of the Dominion Theatre for five years, had moved to Toronto. From a Window In Fleet Street Wrtttta la Tk Jaaratl't UaSaa Mrtta.

LONDON, April, 1942. CLUBLAND these days promotion is rapid among the ser vants, for there are few of' them left and nevertheless the more responsible work remains. 'So the junior of last month may be that most important official the Hall Porter tomorrow. Under such conditions it is no surprise to see a hall boy develop overnight into a fullyfledged Smoking Room waiter. But it is a thrill to have the lad coming along with the drinks, not in his Club garb, but in the uniform of a Home Guard.

Such is the com prehensiveness reached by our re-1 cruiung. Another of Clubland's surprises not to find middle-aged or elderly fellow members in the Home. Guard, but to discover for the first time through the ribbons on their tunics that they were in the last war, and also on inquiry that some of the "Misters" were militarycaptains and colonels and one even a brigadier general. We are truly a retiring and uncommunicative race. Bachelors' Club.

JT HAS not taken long to find a new use tor tne out neaaquar- ters of the Bachelors' Club, -The premises suffered' some damage in the raids, though there is little sign of it today. The Bachelors' Club, however, has joined up "for the duration" with the St James's Club in Piccadilly, though it still retains its separate entity. It could hardly be otherwise, with a membershio subject to such, odd The club, moreover, i has traditions which none of us would like to see disappear. It was one of the first clubs to offer hospitality to ladies, though there was a sort of unwritten regulation that the guests must be of -a social standing that would entitle them to presenta tion at court! The club's former home is now an American club, where officers passing through London may spend the night without hunting round from hotel to hotel in search of a bedroom. The rooms avail able are not numerous, but this difficulty has been overcome to some extent by installing more than one bedstead In each room Chamberlain's Man.

QIR HORACE WILSON, who sue ceeded Sir Warren Fisher as Secretary to the Treasury and head of our Civil Service, retires next August under the age limit. It is quite Tkely that there will be any suggestion for extending his official term. Sir0 Horace is not of the old- school-tie and elder-university Whitehall type. He was rather successful in negotiating settle' menU to one or two trade disputes, and apparently on the strength of this Mr. Neville Cham berlain imagined that Sir Horace, who became his Fldus Achates, knew more about International di plnmacy than Lord Vansittart and people who had spent a lifetime studying European affairs from the inside.

He took Sir Horace with him on both the Munich pil grimages, and once. In 1938, Sir Horace went by himself to discuss affairs with the Nazi leaders in Berlin. When Mr. Churchill succeeded Mr. Chamberlain, the Secretary to the Treasury reverted to hlsi proper orbit, and has not since emerged.

But he signs all war saving certificates, though, unlike Lord Bradbury in the last war. not Treasury notes. Air Equipment JNEVITABLY there is strong criticism of our lack of dive- bombers and more efficient tor- pedo-bombeis. Lack of the for mer has undoubtedly exposed our fighting forces, by sea and land, to very onerous handicaps. Had we possessed the latter our success with such equipment as we have already, at Taranto and against the Bismarck, suggests how effectively we might be turning the tables on Japan in the Indian Ocean.

But it is well to view these questions intelligently and not too impatiently. Our fighter planes are the best in existence. There' MOPSY- fore, it is- best we should concentrate more especially oh producing fighters, and that America, which claims the best dive-bomber in the air, should make that weapon its specialty. We can supply America with the finest fighter planes, and the U.S.A. is already sending the first of a big consignment of dive- bombers.

Such ah arrangement is surely the most economical and efficient Father and Son. LIGHTS LONDON, a popular greyhound favorite just re tired from racing, is owned by Mrs. William Rhodes-Moorhouse. Daughter of Sir Stephen Demet-riadi, and eminently Grecian in her impressive beauty, six years ago she married William" Rhodes-Moorhouse, himself an extremely handsome young RAT. officer, who won the D.F.C.

in July, 1940, and two months later was first reported missing and then killed. He was only 26. His father was Lieut W. B. Rhodes-Moorhouse, the first airman V.C., who died of wounds received in circumstances of great gallantry during the last war.

His son, the D.F.C. pilot was still at college when at the age of 17 he obtained his pilot's certificate. His mother gave him a Moth, in which on many occasions mother and sbn flew about together. At the age of 19 young Rhodes- Moorhouse came into about a quarter of a million. The oppor tunities of eager life this wealth held out to him did not swerve the young air enthusiast from what he recognized to be the dangerous path of patriotic duty.

Meat For The Trobps Tnm it orrtcUl lmr ml Ihk Cni tn Stay f-JON. J. L. (Minister "of National Defence) Then there was a recommenda tion (from an Inter-dcpartmentar tub-commlttee) with regard to meat supplies. The sub-commit tee recommended that considera tion be given to a proposal sub mitted by the packers for the saving of fat from beef carcasses by having such fat trimmed from the carcass at the packing plant and the purchase of pork in trimmed cuts, leaving with the packer such parts as spareribs, tail.

fat. skin, hocks, bones, scrap and belly. The action taken was that after careful study of this proposal it was decided that to provide the greatest possible variety of meat dishes it would be more advan tageous to continue the purchase of beef and fresh pork in sides and carcasses. So that there is no waste, steps are taken to ensure the use of all the residue parts of the beef and hog carcasses; mincing machines with sausage attachments are provided, to gether with authority for the pur chase of sausage casings, season ings, et cetera. I remember in that connection meeting with a cook on the Pa- dfic coast who wanted, a sausage machine.

I promised to get him one. and it has gone to him. The machine is very useful, in tact from the point of view of dietetics, and also from that of saving. Recipes have been circulated to all units, giving complete instruc tions for the making of beef and pork sausage, headcheese, pickled pork and corned beef. The issue of three' ounces of lard per man per day has been discontinued, so that cooks are now compelled to obtain this supply from the drip ping and rendering of fats of meats to which reference has been made.

All other residue of meats from kitchens, such as bones, rough fat, and kitchen grease Is disposed of by sale under arrangements approved by the chief salvage officer. The next recommendation was that some system should be de vised whereby the quality of meat furnished' could be on by government inspectors prior to' the carcass being cut up. The action taken was this. The question of the inspection of beef at packing houses by Department By Gladys Parker JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE A 4F, BOB, THAT'S NO REASON WHY YOU CAN'T HELP 7 I I i OUT FREDDIE WHEN SSSgd i Other Views VICHY AND TBI U.S. New York Herald Tribune.

It Is unnecessary to gb to war with Vichy: it is necessary from now on only to disregard it The main point has been established. We have no wish to fight the col- defeatism which out we can no longer afford to risk our survival upon its confusions. The United Nations simply must act in their own defence wherever, they are threatened by this soft spot of corruption; we can feel reasonably confident in the meanwhile, that to most Frenchmen the truth will be as clear as Darlan and the others have now made it to us. ALL THAT IS ASKED. New York Sun.

Lord Beaverbrook sounded a note all good Americans were glad to hear. He was in favor of at tack. So are we. He believes that the war can be won only- by the most aggressive tactics. So do we.

His argument nevertheless leaves us a bit up in the still do hot know. where or how or. when a second front can be opened on the continent of Europe. If through joint command the United Nations can show a feasible way, they can depend tlponithe enthusiastic co-operation of the United States. By feasible we mean that it must be a way which practical men can follow practically with reasonable prospects of success.

Not a guarantee of victory but fair chance to win through to victory is all we ask. BRITAIN'S RECORD. Toronto Telegram. It is worth recalling just now that of aU the anti-Axis nations Britain was first in the war, that she was the only great power to fight for freedom without waiting to be attacked, that she hss borne the burden of the war longer than any of her allies, and that for more than 12 months she bore it alone, except for the British Dominions and two tiny Balkan states. It should be remembered that her population is scarcely more than a third of the American and about a quarter of the Russian, and that she faced single-handed two of the strongest military powers in the world, one with a population equal to her own and the other with a population almost twice as large.

To all this it may be added that the nation which was the first to declare war on Nazism, and which has been living on the brink of catastrophe for two years, is more eager than any other to finish the fight with- victory; that its leader is a man known for the quality of intrepidity and for his readiness to take risks from which others would shrink; fend that its army, weary with waiting, is chaf ing to get at the foe. These things should not be forgotten. To re member them may prevent FARMER. He may not know war's gain or loss. Nor tread the glory road to fame.

He will not win a ribboned cross; No marbled shaft shall bear his name. But he must fight from dawn to dark When famine stalks its helpless prey: And hunger's victims, thin and stark. Die that a madman have his way. The farmer's weapons sun and rain, And soil with plenty's potence stored. His legions are his fields of grain The sttining plowshares are his sword.

Hnx Virlcy stha Htw York Harald Trtboa. of Agriculture inspectors to' ascertain whether it conformed with the specifications of contract prior to its distribution to the supply depots was under consideration at the time, the sub-committee considered this matter of meat Inspection. In the Spring and early Summer of 1941 a system was adopted whereby all beef. destined for the army supply depots inspected at point of or igin and found in accordance With departmental specifications was stamped with a Department of National Defence prick stamp which designated that at the time of inspection, the beef was In accordance with' government specifications. This Inspection, however, does not In any way relieve the officers of any of their responsibility; they make, their own inspection when the beef arrives at their supply depots and.

if judged by them to be below contract specifications, their duty is im mediately to reject such beef, regardless; of the fact that it may carry the stamp of the. agriculture inspector referred to above. FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1342. Letters To the Editor Of The Journal "NO MORE FROM FRANCE." A PRIESTS APPEAL. The following pathetic letter in French has been received by The Journal from India." Sir: This is the first time I send a letter so far, to Canada, and it isn't to tell you of, but to cry out my distress.

An old veteran of the last war, with the military medal, of French origin, I was ordained in India, and for the last 21 years I have been rector of the little seminary of Ste. Teresa d'Ajmer. We're in the midst of the missionary country, and there are no more missionaries from France. The old ones die and so we need souls, and priests. Our new Christians do not have faith that' is strong enough to give us sure vocations, and we have to take our seminary students from the South of India and they're- all poor.

Since 1925 we have had IS priests from and all are fervently We also have 30 young seminarists, and 18 older ones, but we cannot Continue to maintain our work. The alms and offerings for massed which came from France no longer come. What can we do? "Monseigneur" talks of lessening the number of seminarists; which means that in three years, because we do not have the means, we shall have no one left. In kindness, and for the love of pod, please help us by sending your aims, ana ouenngs lor masses. Invest your money at 1 percent for the cause of God.

Do not rely upon others to be more generous than you. A glass of water deserves Heaven, so pray for us. Can I count on you? I can because, my cause is yours. FATHER DIEGO JOSEPH. O.F.M.

Teresa's Seminary. Nurohali, AJmer. Rajpulanl. India, Feb. 22.

1942. "FANTASIA" WAS CUT. Sir: As to Fantasia" recently shown (and heard) in Ottawa, the truth' is that what' the' Ottawa people saw is not what Toronto and New York' audiences paid $2.50 to see. Or rather, its only a part of it. It is obvious that any picture or musical selection which is just right when complete cannot be so effective as a whole if parts of it are removed, simply because It is no longer complete; and "Fantasia" in being cut suffers, in the first place, the loss of its impres-siveness.

In its original form, the introduction is gradual and striking, and particularly highlights the great conductor, StokowskL It comes slowly upon you: there is no rush about it; and it has meaning. And all the intervals between selections are like it: they, take their time, discuss the last selecbons a little or at least show aftereffects of it, justabout the same as your own; and go thoroughly into the next one.r In. fact the. whole effect is that of an actual concert, except that no concert has ever had the color and life and complete mastery of medium that even the intervals in "Fantasia" have. Not only is the -allegedly "popular" version fess impressive, but it is less- intelligible: in the complete picture.

Deems Taylor describes and explains every thine that is to come in the next selection, so that as each new character appears you' are already familiar with it, even to knowing its name as for instance the great killer-reptile in the "Rite of Spring" number' Tyrannosaurus Rex. And in the Pastoral Symphony which Mr. Disney sets on Mount Olympus, there must have been many people in the audience here who did not recognize Jove, Apollo, Difena, Vulcan, -and the rest to say nothing of the superb Pegasus and could not understand what they were doing and why. This would make aa enormous difference in their enjoyment of the picture. And then there is just the plain fact that a lot waa missing such as the graceful dance performed underwater by little fishes with great veil-like fins, in the Nutcracker Suite; the whole introductory number, Bach's, which is pure color form to express purr music and which is pure delight: the pretty story of the mating of the centaurs and centaurettes.

helped by a host of little cupids. in the Beethoven number; and-Other smaller bits here and there which didn't matter so much perhaps (such as Mickey Mouse shaking hands with Stokowski after Ihe "Sorcerer's Apprentice" num ber), but whose absence gave the picture a jerky, unfinished look the Ave Maria, for instance, didn't have that tacked -on air in the original picture. I don't know why the shortened version should be considered more suited to popular taste. L. SCOTT.

469 Albert street Ottawa, May 5. 1942. Troops Learn Chinese Tnm Ik Brill. gRITlSH sailors and airmen are learning to speak Chinese by gramophone. A big demand has grown up in the last few months tor gramophone language courses, not only in Chinese but also in Russian.

In many parts of the country men in the services have formed study groups to help them to learn French and German as well as Russian and Chinese. 'Policemen in Britain are forming groups to give themselves a knowledge of German and Russian. Home Guards are also occupying their spare time in picking up German at their guard posts. The Friends' Ambulance Unit which worked on the Burma Road has had courses' in Chinese. Courses in Spanish have been sent aailrin Baltelip.

out to U.S.A. for the air force, and other U.S. forces are learning Russian. A gramophone course in English is popular with sailors in the Norwegian and Dutch merchant services; and French Canadian soldiers are also using the gramophone record system. The Free Services of France, Norway, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Holland are about to learn to speak English in a gramophone course which is being recorded with the aid of BBC announcers.

Nine out of ten of the language, courses now being produced in Britain are going to the services. The chief demand is for Russian. Chinese and German, although courses in Arabic, Hindustani and Japanese have been taken up by certain service personnel..