Page 6 - Isabel Bartlett Remembers George

ISSUE : Issue 43

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1986/8/1

Hhe" Beckoning Country' WE'RE PROUD TO SHARE. . . the extended hand of hospitality sunrises to savour the flowing and ebbing of tides breathtaking headlands the silver flash of salmon. . . . Scottish and Acadian Festivals Hiking trails, picnic and camping parks Museums and heritage The warmest beaches north of the Carolinas! Cottage crafts and works of art The Cape Breton Highlands National Park Fresh and salt water fishing Horse racing, canoeing and other sports Fine accommodations, gift shops Restaurants Wildlife "'i' aj Copt Bretori ASK US FOR OUR NEW VISITOR'S GUIDE TO INVERNESS COUNTY FOR MOR?? DETAILED INFORMATION ON THE SIX TOURS ALSO, REQUEST THE SUMMER EVENTS BROCHURE INVERNESS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION AND TOURISM P. 0 • Box 179, Municipal Building, Port Hood, Nova Scotia BOE 2W0 902-787-2274 this person came in and he asked me what was wrong, "You're not laughing like you usually are." And I said, "I feel so awful? ly bad about what happened." "Oh dear," he said, "they're godless communists--they should have wiped them out." And I remember at that time, George had met Norman Bethune, you know. Dr. Norman Bethune. He came to Sydney Mines to speak in the union hall. Our minister was very good with young people. He had a Young Peo? ple's Society, and we were encouraged to talk about all these things. We'd argue back and forth. We were awfully lucky, I'm telling you, who we met when we were young. I never saw Bethune, but George was all ex? cited when he came to visit me, telling me about him. He mentioned about how he had been a quite well-to-do doctor, specializ? ing in treating people with TB, if I remem? ber right. And he mentioned about the blood transfusion stuff. And he mentioned about his disillusionment with the medical establishment. You know, he was supposed to tell people they had to get this medi? cine, they had to take time off. And he said, "There was no way they could possib? ly do it. They had to keep going." I don't remember how Bethune happened to get interested in Spain. But I think there was a fascist group in Quebec or Montreal. And he had seen their leader, it seems, at- tact a Jewish man, and he started looking into things. I'm kind of hazy about some of it. But I remember George was terribly impressed by Dr. Norman Bethune. He had been working in Spain, and he came over to see if he could collect money for them. And he spoke about transfusions, and how that was just new, and how he had trans? fused (blood) from himself directly into other people. And I remember, the next week, George was up (to Baddeck), and I took him to Young People's Society with me. The first night I met George--my cousin in? troduced me to him--he was coming home from being an agent at this Nelson MacDon? ald 's election--Rev. Nelson MacDonald. I don't know if you ever heard of the Recon? struction Party--it just ran that one time. R. B. Bennett was the premier of Canada. That was at the worst of the--that was a- bout the time, I imagine, when they did such terrible things to Rev. Woodsworth, the leader of the CCF. But anyhow, Ste? vens --I don't know what would be the word-- he was in the Conservative party. Anyhow, he broke with R. B. Bennett because of the way he was handling the poor people and the unemployed and all that. And he tried Miners' Village Restaurant A uniquely warm and pleasant atmosphere, at the MINERS' MUSEUM, GLACE BAY, N. S. (902) 849-1788 (Private bookings available WE WELCOME CAPE BRETONERS AND THEIR FRIENDS' OPEN: June 8-Aug 31, 1986; Mon-Sun 9 a.m.-10 p-.m. LICENSED Meais by Lamplight (6)

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