KILL THE RATS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 19, 29 October 1943, Page 3

KILL THE RATS

In a powerful allegory which Ihe Moral Rearmament Group has de-. vised to bring the truth about Britain's strength and weakness before the people, a master rat named "Gimme" exhorts his helper rats, waste, fear greed, gossip and lying, to get busy amongst the people in the hour of pride in their men overseas, says the British "War Cry." They are to work quietly, undermining the new greatness, bringing disaster in the most promising hour. They are defeated only when the people, realise that the change they feel is needed to unstop bottle-necks, free the wheels of industry and establish inner strength must occur in 'themselves. '•Gimme*' is changed into "Give." There are rats everywhere, eating into the new fabric of great nationit! endeavour. "Kasy money" is making hands hitherto content to serve into gasping talons. Commodity shortages are bringing the temptation to pilfer, and. with pilfering and smart dealing comes lying and petty selfishness. Every street and factory has evidence of this. "Every

business and professional man Avill agree" said the new Methodist President in his induction address, "that not within, living memory was it so easy to go wrong, so difficult to do right." More than tools and goods are being stolen. Vows are being broken, loyalties forgotten, under pressure of war-time conditions. The great rat hunt to safeguard the nation's food needs to be accompanied by a ruthless hunt for "Gimme's" I'ou! brood. If our sense of obligation to God is too weak to compel us to join in, pride in the illness and courage of the men upon whom all eyes are fastened calls for an immediate facing of the truth regarding ourselves. Events speed up. U may be that the hour of greatest trial of inner strength, when rebuilding a shattered world must begin, is closer than we think. Are we ready?