Word: newfoundlands
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...uproar over whether, at 71, he might somehow hear a call to remain in politics, or even wangle his way back into office. Narrowly defeated by his Conservative opponents last October, he had challenged the results in court and held on to the premiership until mid-January. Newfoundland's Liberals named as party leader Smallwood's former executive assistant and onetime local health minister Ed Roberts, 31. Said Smallwood: "There's no future for me whatsoever. I'm through with politics...
...little man with the face of a thoughtful, testy owl, Smallwood ran his "poor, bald rock," as he once called Newfoundland, as a personal fiefdom. Nonetheless, he was dearly loved by most of the 500,000 Newfies-"a community of Irish mystics cut adrift in the Atlantic," in the colorful phrase of Novelist Paul West-and his picture adorned the poorest living rooms in tiny fishing ports with names like Blow-me-down and Come-by-Chance. Newfoundland admired Joey simply for being his outrageous self: he would sneer at the Tories for being the "waffle-iron salesmen...
...died of alcoholism, Joey was a school dropout at 15. His first full-time job was as a reporter for a newspaper in St. John's. Smitten with socialism, he emigrated to New York City, where he wrote inflammatory stories for the socialist daily Call. Returning to Newfoundland in 1925, Joey became a labor leader and at one point "walked myself down to skin and grief" over 600 miles of railroad track to organize the section...
...Newfoundland was a British dependency at the time. When Britain offered the islanders the choice of independence or union with Canada after World War II, Smallwood saw opportunity, rallied the proconfederation forces to win a hard-fought referendum and took over the premiership...
...benefits Joey brought Newfoundland created the beginnings of a modern society-and one that no longer needed him. By last fall Tory Leader Frank Moores, who is now Premier, was able to find a ready audience for his promise to end "government by impulse." Joey, of course, left a large legacy; before giving up office he endowed friends and supporters with judgeships and other appointments and granted yet another government loan to his friend Doyle. In retirement he plans to write "an autobiography or a great history of Newfoundland." Either way, it will undoubtedly be the same book...