YOUTH AND THE FUTURE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 28, 13 March 1942, Page 4

YOUTH AND THE FUTURE

Six*, —A report of a speech by, Sir Stafford Gripps appeared in the Herald a few days ago in which the . new Parliamentary Leader stressed the need for closer co-operation be-r tween the youth of England, Russia, America and China with the object of building the 'new order' we jj* have heard so much about. The fact that the future lies in the hands of youth is okvious, but what many of us tend to forget is that youth must have leadership and inspiration and that can only be provided by the fathers of youth. Therefore it is u,p to us, the generation born during the last war to prepare the blue prints for youth to follow. If Ave fail in that, the blame for future wars, poverty and human misery will rest upon our shoulders, as the blame for this war and the conditions which led up to it must rest on our fathers who experienced the last war and failed miserably > to correct the conditions that led up to it. The mistake laj*- in clinging desperately to worn out traditions and an obsolete financial and economic system. Our mistake will be In doing the same again—a mistake we must not repeat. The youth of Russia, of Germany are examples of the response of youth to leadership and , inspiration. In both countries youth was called upon to build a new type of system. While in Germany the leaders used that wonderful enthusiasm of, youth to - their own ends (which was merely strengthening the old system by means of terrorism), in Russia, youth was called upon to build an entirely new system, calculated to draw upon the very best, because of the promise of greater things for the future. Hence the of Russia fighting gloriously, led by men only a generation removed from them; men who still retain the drive and ambition of youth and acquired that experience that pnly 'living' can give. While our own youth, just as gloriously energetic and idealistic ► have their own ideals and ambitions, they are smothered by the manmade blanket of economic insecurity and disillusioned are led off into battle by men two generations removed from them. ; Therefore I say it is lip tc. us the fathers of the rising generation to give youth the chance to live fully and gloriously by destroying the present s.ystem and by laying the foundations of a neAV based upon man's equality and the' right of each and every individual to a full share of' the production of the nations. Then and then only will we serve the world's xiroblems and save our own souls from the responsibility for ; human wars and misery. Yours etc., S. MAYOW.