The Ottawa Journal from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • Page 6

The Ottawa Journal Published by The Journal Publishing Oo. of Ottawa Ltd. 365 Laurier Arenue West, Ottawa, Ontario THURSDAY, JULY 13, 1972 In Success, Did McGovern Fail? The issue in Miami Beach was not who would win the Democratic nomination. Senator George McGovern really captured it months iago' in winning primary after primary. It was inconceivable' that having come within a few votes of a mathematically certain vic- tory that Mr.

McGovern could have lost at the convention to someone he had decisively defeated in the field. The excitement over the division of the California delegates and the other procedural questions was largely synthetic. No, the real question at the convention was how George McGovern would win. Could he be nominated in a way which would unite his party' behind him and give the Democrats a reasonable chance of winning in November? The answer is clear. He did not.

Despite the ritualistic closing of ranks and the nomination-night rhetoric. Mr. McGovern isjthe leader of a party deeply divided within itself. Senator Muskie didn't do many things right from the beginning to the end of his own campaign, but he was right in warning that the Democratic party is splitting into "armed camps." It may have been good tactics in the -securing of the nomination, for the McGovern camp to, take on the CIO-AFL in. open, uncompromising battle.

The liberal wing of the Democratic party may have taken satisfaction in the unseating of Mayor Daley of Chicago. The McGovern forces won their vie--torjrby scorning compromise, even for the sake of holding, together the disparate elements which traditionally have been the strength of the Democrats. Offering a real alternative to the policies of the political establishments is an important part of Mr. attraction, and his supporters are counting on that appeal in the igot ahead, But the experienc1 of U.S. politics shows that the only way to win a presidential election is to be the candidate of consensus.

Mr. McGovern believes that standing for tax reform, a redistribution of income, a quick end to the war in Vietnam and drastic cuts in defence spending will allow a new consensus to form around his candidacy. He may be right. This may be no time to argue with success which took him from nowhere to the titular leadership of his party. Convention wounds have cut deep before, and they have miraculously healed by election time.

But it is a desperately long gamble the Democrats have taken: asking the country to support a man who has not yet won either the affection or the approval of a significant part of his own party. Mr. Goyer Changes His Mind Through the last week of heavy pressure from the i i General Goyer and Prime Minister Tru- deau steadfastly refused to investigate charges made against the RCMP by a former coporal of the Force. Said Mr. Goyer in the House on June 26: "The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is an extremely valuable organization which Canadians recognize as being very honest and very efficient.

I do not intend to initiate procedures after articles published in the newspapers." Mr. Goyer twice told the House he had not read the article an incredible bit of stubbornness! But even after the Minister had read the criticism, both he and the Prime Minister stuck by their belief, which may have been correct, that there was no basis for an investigation of Force morale and discipline. If all the force of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition could not persuade the Minister and the Government to look into serious charges made against the country's most respected police force, what then could? Apparently only a few min-. utes' conversation on a radio program in Calgary with the author of the article, and a short meeting with him afterward! Mr. Goyer came away from the exchange promising an "in-depth" study, of RCMP discipline.

The Minister's action is an insult to Parliament, and must have done many times more damage to the morale of the RCMP than the original criticism. Finding A Spot For People to Live Public agencies in -other parts of Ontario have turned to rehabilitating older housing as a source of low rental accommodation. It is an alternative to the clustering of low-income families in large housing projects a practice now widely condemned' and takes advantage of all 1 services in established neighborhoods. Ottawa has neglected' this source because thecity does not have a large stock of salvageable housing. So much was swept away by renewal projects the shortage of public housing sites has become Peter Burns of the Community Renewal Branch at City Hall, goes so far as to say that Ottawa has run out of suitable land for family housing.

Most public housing now being built is in high rise buildings which are suitable for elderly persons but are not desirable for families. Public housing is not the answer to Canada's housing problems. The country needs housing policies which will make decent accommodation available to citizens 'without a means test and without wui always ue neeu direct subsidy fnr enmp rmKli June, under fortress is 'dead. diu.aiih.15 mcic hasa good niore family National Douglas include public of Lebreton it was major source of it substandard replaced. Even, urban renewal families were housing only 450 which Mr.

Burns Control that responsibility. in housing away from and shopping, has become The federal ahead with the of the Flats that, and more have to go into housing on an The Price When 14 what the country security prison for tough authorities. lapse in both a new prison to be operated and when 14 sets of fences noses. But the be blown up What shouM and cannot is that in an cannot be such prison. opposition in iiere is ii from the public treasury.

i i hnitcino ftt-foura wVtiYi record should be providing accommodation. Capital Commission Chairman Fullerton has promised to housing in the redevelopment Flats. cleared this area was a of cheap housing some and it has not been in the Lower Town area where displaced "given priority for new 317 units were built to replace were has suggested to Board of housing become a regional There is doubtful wisdom low-income families convenient transportation but a regional approach necessary. Government should press public housing portions, redevelopment. More than urgently, the city will the market for existing aggressive scale.

of Prison Reform dangerous men break out of considers a maximum there is ample cause questioning of our penitentiary There has obviously been a planning and security when yard is apparently allowed with inadequate lighting men can slip through two virtually under the guards' Millhaven escape should not as a great scandal. have been obvious before help but be obvious now age of prison reform there a thing as an escape-proof The age of the prison to any-hope-of-rehabili- tation, criminals can no longer be kept in cages "behind 20-foot walls. Escapes from prisons that have replaced stone walls with wire fences is an occasional price we will have to pay for prison reform. But it is a small enough price-considering the potential good to society as a whole which could come from an emphasis on rehabilitation instead of retribution. Moreover, the great fortress prisons, even the infamous Devil's Island, were never, "escape-proof." Notes and Comment i i.

"I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all. to myself than to be crowded on a velvet cushion." Henry David Thoreau. One might have expected to have read something like this 50 years ago, but the Hamilton Spectator reports "people who ride their horses on the sidewalks of outer Grimsby are not strong on courtesy, observed a gentleman whose lawn has been cropped by grazing steeds." Add to the fund of penological-. psychiatric double-talk, Millhaven's Dr. George Scott's comment on recent escapees: "They wouldn't be given the freedom which led to their escape if "they were not to be trusted." Old Party Bosses Believe McGovern Wrong About U.S.

Mood MIAMI BEACH. QEORGE McGOVERN's real battle is now beginning. He has mastered the intricate techniques of the state primary elections, and the power struggles of the nominating convention here in Miami Beach, but now he has to console his defeated Democratic colleagues, and win the allegiance of the majority of the voters in the nation. This is a very different and difficult problem, for his in the primaries and in Miami Beach may very well have complicated' his major objective of defeating; President Nixon in the general election in McGovern has defeated, but he has not persuaded his opponents in- the Democratic Party. They are doing and saying all the conventional things.

Humphrey and Muskie have withdrawn, and some of McGovern's other antagonists are making the usual statements about "closing the Democratic ranns ana supporting 'the will of the convention," but nobody and least of all McGovern's anti-establishment supporters -should be fooled by these anA rnnvntinnM statements of support The party political question of the nomination has been, settled for McGovern, but the national question against Nixon in November has'not been settled. The old democratic professionals, who helped keep the Democratic Party in the White House for 28 out of the last 40 years, feel that McGovern is wrecking the old 'Winning Roosevelt coalition. Most of like McGovern personally, and admire his guts and his organization, but they think he has misjudged the temper of the country, and will, lose, not only the presidential election, but hurt the Democratic Party in its race for the control of the Congress and the State Capitols. "THIS is not merely" the sub-; jective judgment of the losers though there are plenty of sour grapes in the convention hall here but even many of McGovern's friends in the Democratic Party, who admire his victories in the primaries and the convention, think he is dead wrong about how to win the election. There is general agreement here' in Miami Beach, even among Democrats like Mayor Daley of Chicago and George Meany of the AFlrCIO, that McGovern is in the reforming tradition of the Democratic Party for which they have fought most of their lives, but they think his timing and his tactics are wrong, and mat he is wrecking the old Roosevelt coalition before he has put together a new effective coalition to take its place.

The Democrats have gone through this kind of struggle many times before. They have been the innovators and pathfinders of American politics, from Jefferson, the anti-federalist to Roosevelt, but some of the Democratic reformers have been a spectacular success, like Roosevelt, and some, like William Jennings. Bryan, and Adlai Stevenson have been eloquent disasters, who havi won the arguments but lost the elections. McGovern, of course, rejects ell this at least he rejects it here in Miami Beach during the struggle for the nomination but he hasn't been a teacher, a minister, and a lonesome Democrat in Republican South Dakota for nothing. Now that he has the nomination for the presidency, he knows he has win the allegiance of the people he has defeated, and By -A James Res ton this will take all the political and philosophical skill he can muster.

rrosT nf nil he is im aeainst fm.H,H. rnn. within formidable forces within his own party not only Daley of Chicago and Meahy of the Humphrey, Muskie, Jackson, and the i Democratic governors and Congressmen who think he is being too extreme. Second, he has also to deal with the "new Nixon," who has moved smartly to the left, embraced the "New Deal" welfare state programs he opposed for a quarter of a century, proclaimed himself a "Keynesian," and made dramatic journeys to Peking and Moscow to negotiate, a "generation of peace." Even the most optimistic Democrats, who think the Vietnam War, five million unemployed, inflation and the high prices of beef and groceries are sound anti-Nixon- election issues, still "that even a United Democratic Party would be in trouble. But the Democrats have dramatized here in Miami Beach that they are not only not united, but that they are deeply divided on policy, on tactics, and on the priorities before the nation.

McGovern has won here by emphasizing the importance of the young, blacks, and the women. Under his rules, this Democratic convention is tin-' doubtedly less boss-controlled, more representative of the Democratic voters as a whole than the Democratic convention in Chicago in 1968, but by dramatizing the young, the women and the blacks, Then 25 Years Ago From Tlx Journal of July 11. 1947 TERESA O'ROURKE and Paul Moussett were acclaimed most popular woman and man on the staff of the Civil Service Commission. Agriculture Minister Gardiner announced that plans were under way to spend $100 million to provide Western Canada with water conservation projects. John 'Ayers of Toronto was appointed presiding steward at Connaught Park.

Ward Market for 35 cents for a five-pound bag. this convention has in effect established a quota system that minimizes the power of a lot of other voters maybe the majority of those who will decide the election in November. pOR example, the more Mo uovern nas mea to mane this convention "more rep-' by bringing in more women, blacks, and young people, the more he has to deal with the charge that he is leaving out many other groups who have the right to' be represented. This convention has obviously emphasized the young, the women, and the blacks, all of whom bad been under-represented in the past, but in the process it has done two unintended tilings. It has ignored other powerful groups, who were also under-represented, ana by accommodating the young, the women, and the blacks, it has infuriated a great many, voters, maybe a majority, who resent the whole idea of a "quota system," partly because they are are left out of it This is only one example of McGovern's problem after his victory in Miami Beach.

What he felt he had to do to dominate the primary elections and the convention to win in the spring and the summer is now bis problem about how to defeat Nixon in November. He is in real difficulty now, within his party and against" the Republicans, but he is gambling. Humphrey, Muskie and Jackson obviously oppose him in private if dot in public The old democratic power centres in the and in organized labor are against him, but he is gambling on the young and the issues of the future, and he may have struck the mood of the voters in- 1972 or misjudged it altogether. And this is really what is at issue in this convention. (C) New York Time 1 Sidelights This England fjew Statesman Councillor Hurst, faced with another Labor attack on 'the recently announced council policy of selling 330 flats in two-storey blocks as well as houses, claimed that children are one of the root causes of the housing list Wanstead and Woodford Express and Independent.

and Noiv and Today With Ben 'Wake up. It's time to talk peace City's Weeds Sirs: A black-bordered "Notice re Obnoxious Weeds" over the signature of A. T. Hastey, City Clerk and Pierre Benoit, Mayor, dated June 1, 1972 appeared in your paper. I quote "Notice is hereby given to all property owners in accordance with the Weed Control Act of Ontario, Sections 3 and 13, that unless obnoxious weeds growing on their lands within the City of Ottawa are destroyed by June 15, 1972 and throughout the season the City may enter upon such lands and have the weeds destroyed, charging the cost against the land in taxes as set out in the Act." Also, under Section 19, the said Act provides "that every person who contravenes any provisions of this Act or of the regulations, or of any order made under this Act is guil.tr of an offence and on summary conviction is liable to the fines set forth in the Act" These are harsh words.

Should they not apply equally to our civic authorities who al- -low obnoxious weeds to grow unabated on city properties? One-glaring example of this neglect is the land which borders the NCC Ottawa River Parkway. All the land on the NCC 6ide of the metal fence which extends along the Parkway is well kept but that on the other side of the fence which is civic property abounds with obnoxious weeds sow thistle, burdock, milkweed, etc. and unmowed grass. No attention has been paid to this property since the -snow melted, and it is is now almost mid-July. Ottawa residents and visitors.

to our capital city are fortunate in being able to enjoy the beauty of the NCC driveways parkways. However, in such areas as that referred to above, home owners who take pride in their city and their personal property are discouraged and angered by the failure of our'1 civic authorities to keep city-owned property mowed and free of obnoxious weeds. Surely the regulations under the Weed Act of Ontario apply to negligent civic authorities as well as the negligent home owners. A.T. Ottawa.

Artistic Frauds I have choked down so many artistic frauds in Ottawa over the years that I've grown speechless, but the recent Ben Jonson swindle, abetted by your witless critic, is the limit. If the Arts Centre wants to run contemporary "rewrites" of great plays then let them be honest enough to advertise them as such, and not pretend are giving us Ben Jon-son's "The Alchemist" when they are dishing up Joe Leech-well's brainless and unfunny variations thereon. Two points are at issue here. One is the question of honest advertising, and on this point the Arts Centre has in effect told the Ottawa public to "lick figs." Are we now to expect Topper the Clown to be a transvestite show, and "the Marriage of Figaro" later in the month to be "mostly" by Mozart and da Ponte, but of, course with "additional mate-' rial" to make it com- ible to us gulls? I realize that the matter of "pure" versions of great clas- I SS inis Letters the Editors ska from the past is a tricky one, and I ara not questioning the right of contemporary art ists to "play with" traditional works. What I am.

questioning is' the honesty of the Arts Centre in presenting such a "played with" play with no advance warning, and further the validity of the Young Vic's" version, which was an boring, super--vulgarized piece of tripe which would have been ruthlessly cut from even the Carol Burnett show or Pompeli', but which was foisted on us gulls in the name of that (still) rare master, Ben Jonson. T. J. HENIGHAN. Department of English, Carleton University.

External's Periscope? Sirs: I ara very curious to know if that is a periscope shooting out of the roof of that offensive External Affairs Commune on Sussex Drive. If it Is, which way is it facing? Towards that forbidding grey stone, building on St. Patrick Street or toward Hull and the provocative province, of Que- fm 1 L. uevi wi is iv JduafJ3 ail mmir for star-gazing so the Minister can seek some of the answers he does not give to questions? As an unwilling tax-payer, I would like to know. RITA McELROY.

4 Ottawa. Status of Scots Sirs: I am 'astounded that to date there has been no comment in vir naner. Itfwv editorially or from readers, concerning the recent extraordinary press release from the Secretary of States office, stating that the Scots on Mr. Pelletier's orders are now considered "ethnics" in Canada, along with "East Indians, Arabs, Chinese, Poles, Hungarians and others." Are not the Scots, who were indeed among the most intrepid explorers and pioneers of our country, especially in the rugged west and north, worthy of at least equal official, status with the English, French, and Irish? I bold nothing against men of any race for reason of their race, but I know of no vast geographical areas, valleys or rivers named after "East Indians, Arabs, Chinese, Poles, Hungarians and other ethnic groups." My Scottish forebears must be turning in their graves. R.

(MacKENZIE) POPE. nrr tii i a ncmoiey Ave. Scots as Entity Sirs: With reference to the piece "Pelletier flips his kilt!" (Journal, July 7) I would like to say: "Thank you, Mr. Pelletier!" I am glad someone recognizes the Scots as a separate entity, a race in our own right. "You're English aren't you?" or the more tactfully vague, "You're from toe old country?" are infuriating, if innocently ignorant I would rather be a dollar-worthy "ethnic" any day! E.

MacLENNAN. Ottawa. Art School Sirs: I believe there ii a erearneed for an ArTSchooI in Ottawa. At present there exists the Municipal Art AUUV.UUUUIK wiiii pmu teachers but administered by volunteers in an unstable little building abandoned by the Humane Society some years ago. Ottawa is growing rapidly with many fine new buildings.

At a time when the National Gallery is discussing an ap-1 propriate site on which to house its valuable collection, we should not neglect artists of the future who may wish to study here rather than elsewhere. Artists need well -lit studios for sculpture, pottery, ceramics, murals etching, weaving, batik, drawing, painting and other art skills; a space for meetings and exhibitions; and a continuous variety of classes open and available every day. All major cities abroad have Miu4i cut ffvuww. fiuw la UUIE Ottawa has sadly neglected: this aspect of its culture? -MONICA PINE. 176 Powell Ave.

Acknowledgments The Journal wishes to ac- knowledge letters of thanks from the following organiza-tions: Ottawa Senior Citizens Council; IODE, Countess of Ashburn-ham Chapter; Ottawa General Hospital; Our Lady of Anunciatlon Parent-Teachers Association..