PARLIAMENT'S FAILURE.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2594, 16 October 1915, Page 3

PARLIAMENT'S FAILURE.

Sir,—l * noticed your complaint in your issue of October 11, that our statesmen (?) have spoilt their time in frivolity, bickering, talking on petty questions, etc., in this time of national crisis. What do you oxpect? Can the Ethiopian change his skin because the enemy is at our gates? Want of wisdom may be the cause of war, but war cannot suddenly make brains to grow, and I don't think calling the Cabinet national transforms ordinary politicians into national heroes. However, as the people seem to have implicit faith in our politicians to adapt themselves to the exigencies of the position, there is no use complaining. We aro a democracy, and tho people's (?) will must he done. Wo are beginning to get a slight inkling that popular politics while very nico to play at ill times of peace, to secure temporary favours or gain, and pile up debt withal, are worthless when something real needs to bo done. The truth is we have lived wastefully, wantonly, and wickedly, like other civilised people, and tho national reaction has come. Of course we can hardly expect those who have pandered to our foibles and follies in our day of grace to be our protectors and deliverers in our d;w of visitation.

That is not in the nature of things. When we have done scrambling ovor one another for governmental favours and advantages; when we get a little comwant to deal fairly with ono another, no popular code of laws can compel us_ to do so; when we realise that service, honest labour, work of any sort, is' the only justification for our existence;. when each individual sees that he must make an effort to prov.e himself a necessary unit of 6ociety, and j not expect a Government —more stupid than himself —to carry him through life; when Governments learn that the individual is something and Governments 1 are not everything, and when giving to, instead of extorting from the communitv is tho order of the day, then wb may begin to lioue for peace and better |times-~notuntil.-lam,etc., baer