th shore news

____ MAIL Box

Supercab XLT, 2 & 4wd, loaded,
4.0L V6 TP. $7236

Dear Editor:

My father was James
Morton, whose book
Capilano - The Story of a
River was recently praised by
Douglas Collins in the North
Shore News. My father was a
real hero to me; a pioneer of
pulmonary medicine in
Vancouver who managed to
write four great books about
B.C. history in his spare time.
He was also a wonderful fish-
erman, gardener and Man of
Letters.

Above all, he was an bon-
est man who fought for justice
in what he saw as a declining
civilization.

At exactly the time the
Capilano book was being
published — almost 28 years
ago — I had another hero in
the making. I had just read
the most extraordinary truc-
life account of a British Army
sergeant who broke out of ten
Nazi prison camps. That man
was called Douglas Collins
and his book has remained on
my bookshelf all these years

later — only a few feet trom
my father’s books.
of my nwo heroes
untarnished.
Unfortunately Douglas
Collins’ dashing derring-do
seems to have come to a com-
plete standstill around 1945.
After the war he reverted to
carpet bombing anything he
imagined encroaching upon
his world, and to this day, he
takes no prisoners. I find him
a hurtful bombast and a crude
writer.

The really interesting thing
is, my father had a fot of time
for Douglas Collins, especially
for his views on immigration.
I learned this after Dad died
in 1986. However, I find it
very hard to believe, knowing
the kindness and intelligence
of my father, thar he would
truly subscribe to the inflam-
matory style Collins employs,
if, indeed, you can call it style.

It is therefore a curious
sensation to read Collins
praise of my father’s book. On
one hand, it is pleasing to see

my father’s work is still appre-
ciated. On the other hand, it
is dep Collins
spoil things by inf ine that
immigration is largely respon-
sible for the destruction of
beauty spots fike — the
Capilano.

My father would never
sully the memory of his majes-
tic river with such triteness,
even if, on some fundamental
level, he agreed with it. It is
just another shame in Collins’
litany of shame, that he can’t
keep his big, mouth shut long
enough to simply honor a
book he obviously admires.

Anything for a platform.

I guess in those Stalags you
learn to scavenge and exploit
any opportunity to escape.
After ten tries, Collins is still
digging tunnels, and you
know what kind of vision that
gives you.

In my next life I promise
to be more careful in my
choice of heroes.

Ian Morton
North Burnaby

‘ait Danny McDonald at csa7aree
“Cell 649-5414 or 1-800-993-3673

wet”

pases

Se i ee a ee ee ee

V6 engine, dual sliding doors, air
conditioning & nay much more

lease te
“SD smo.

(vehicle not exactly as shown)

Official mini-van of

The telephone can’t replace personal service. That's why doing business . "
Molson Indy Vancouver:

with us makes a lot of sense. We're ready to meet you face to face and we
know ICBC programs inside out. Like RoadStar, the good drivers’ initiative

that offers special discaunts and allows you ROADSTT:
ry RR

one at-fault accident without losing 40%. So = .
when you need auto insurance, come see us. < Rewards for Good Drivers

Open 7 Days Per Week
Mon-Thurs. 9-6, Fri 9-8, Sat 10-5, Sun 11-5
Private offices for your comfort

}

j-

(Since 1968)

230-15th Street, West Vancouver 903-3899

Chrysler's discount superstore SMB),

ce ee ee ee eee a ee ee ee ee pe ee es oe od

Ate you reads: for tea iininys witha diffe retive? Ov er 552 7 Lal
“Join” Elderepllexe for a stimulating prograty of discussion: groups and |,
vtec tures; prese nted i ina relaxingesetting with an emphasis on partici ation.
You van find out mere ac our Open ‘House (On September T3) = call
"984 “4903 nd More inform ition OF fo re equest a trey programy beoclnite.

cc Ca ilano.
c= esis

Coininuing Educ: ation .