PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY JANUARY 12, 1983, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitby Voice of the County Town The only Whitby newsDaDer indenandentvle nI blished every Wednesday Michael lan Burgess, Publisher - Managing Editor nn.A n t. .... ss.. wun,: . -- -. ...-. by M.B.M. Publishing and Photography Inc. Phone 668-6111 The Free Press Building, 131 Brock Street North, P.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. LESLIE BUTLER Community Editor ELIZABETH NOZDRYN Advertising Manager Second Class Mail Registration No, 5351 Small business getting a raw deal: columnist By W. ROGER WORTH Syndicated Columnist Small business is in trouble, as are big business, homeowners with high mortgage pay- ments, consumers struggling to keep up with in- flation and, most of ail, the nation's 1.5 million un- employed. But the crucial cogs in the scenario are the small firms that, believe it or not, have for years created a majority of the country's new jobs. These are also the entrepreneurs that hold the key to a quick turn-around when the economy im- proves. So how is the nation's establishment treating these unsung heroes? In a word: lousy. Governments, in their wisdom (and a lot of I recently finished a book called SOJOURNERS: A FAMILY CHRONICLE, by Arie Verduijn. I won't say I couldn't put it down. I did, frequently. But for the past month or so, I have kept coming back to it with interest and pleasure. SOJOURNERS is the unabashed biography, of a man and his family, past and present. Mr. Verduijn came to Canada from Holland with a wife and family 20 years ago, and soon established himself at Stelco, in Hamilton, as a professional engineer. Deeply religious, thrifty, hard-working, musical, stubborn, opinionated are the adjectives that leap to mind about Arie Verduijn, but loveable for all that, as a fellow sojourner. His accomplishments in the 20 years he's spent in Canada are impressive. He arrived with some packing crates and a boundless enthusiasm which wasn't diminished by the rebuffs he ran into, personal and professional. In 20 years, he contributed mightily to his community, through his church, the credit union, the Optimists Club, his company and a variety of good works. He acquired a house, built a trailer, raised an active and successful family, and when his first wife died tragically, married again, and started a second family of robust and intelligent young Canadians. Although he is a man of many ideas, advancement was slow at Stelco, and his salary was never large by Canadian standards. That didn't prevent him, however, from laying a solid financial foundation for his old age. An admirable life, but hardly remarkable except for one thing. Arie Verduijn put it all on paper and had it published, privately. Partly, I suspect, because Mr. Verduijn knew he was at least as good as the next man, and perhaps a good deal better; but also because despite his share of troubles, he has always relished life and living. SOJOURNERS will never be a best seller, but it has not been a futile exercise, for a number of reasons. Needless to say, it will be treasured by his own children and generations of Verduijns to come. And in a hundred years, Arie Verduijn will be a celebrity, at least among social historians. They're rarely lucky enough to have such an exhaustive view of the life and times of ordinary people. Mr. Verduijn tells us everything, sometimes in embarassing detail, from the joys and difficulties of marital sex to the total cost per mile of running each of the family automobiles. Not a decimal point escapes the Verduijn record, but he is not a man with a narrow vision. He lards the account of domestic doings with bulletins from the outside world, a world in which Mr. Verduijn has a certain propriety interest. No one would ever accuse him of being a mere spectator. He is always, through letters to the edîtor, the Prime Minister, and Revenue Canada, an active participant. If you get the idea that I like Arie Verduijn, warts and ail, you're right. Reading his book is like finding a new friend. That's not news but that too is reality. monied political pressure), have caved in to big companies like Massey-Ferguson, Dome and Maislin Transport, spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on bailouts, while telling small business that the "survival of the fittest" principle exists. Small business has the right to fail. Big business is to be subsidized. Yet it's not only government, but the banks, that are using their immense power to stifle smaller firms. Simply put, the bankers do not understand their small business clients and what makes them tick. Consider one simple exampIe. A small business is in difficulty. The proprietor talks to the banker about a government program that subsidizes in- terest rates for such small firms in difficult straits. The business person fills in an application for the needed support. But before the application is pro- cessed, the bank requests full payment on its loan to the business, thus driving the firm into bank- ruptcy or receivership. This sort of thing does indeed happen, and it's a messy and not altogether honourable situation. The problem of course, is that in many instanc- es, bankers simply don't understand. Even though the financial institution may be able to salvage the small business and the attendant jobs, it's easier to pull the plug. There was a time when bankers were trusted. Virtually everyone, particularly in smaller commu- nities, received and respected advice from the banker. The banker, in a lot of cases, was like a father confessor. That's not the case anymore. A great many bankers have proven they don't care. Now, when people present problems, many times the banker uses the information to the advantage of his or her employer. It isn't right. If the banks (on behalf of their shareholders) want to make ridiculous loans to faltering big businesses and countries such as Poland, Mexico and Argentina, so be it. But con- sumers and small business shouldn't be asked to pay the bill when losses occur. Like consumers, small business wants to be treated fairly. But these days, fairness is a com- modity that is in short supply at the nation's banks. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Sir: The Whitby Iro- quois Swim Club extends thanks to the Oshawa Aqua- tic Club and the Pickering Blue Dol- phins Swim Club for sharing their pool time with W.I.S.C. swimmers during the recent difficulties regard- ing repairs to Iro- quois Park Pool. In addition the club extends its thanks to Head- master Craig Kem- pke and the stu- dents of Trafaîgar Castle School in Whitby for the use of their pool facili- ties. Whitby coaches and members were higherly impressed with the courtesy and deportment of Trafalgar pupils which made our swimmers feel wel- come and added greatly to the enjoy- ment of their prac- tice sessi.ons at Tra- falgar. The assistance of these organizations in keeping W.I.S.C. members 'in the swim' is greatly ap- preciated. Yours truly, Thomas J. Goulding, President. 0 uwlieu anu operatea ny vvnitny residents fOr Whitby residents.