THE PHILOSOPHY OF SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 50, 23 November 1918, Page 8

THE PHILOSOPHY OF SERVICE

Sir,—ln business, in society, in fact in. life itself, tho philosophy of service ia paramount in its widespread infiuencer for good. To.help those in distress,.to render assistance to the needy, shows nobility of purpose, and calls for the praise and. recognition-of tho community. This has been made evident.during the great war, but more especially has it Ijeen brought home to us during the present epidemic. To-day when men are lequired to assist to combat this disease they' show their truo calibretheir willingness to place themselves at the disposal of those in need calls for groat praise. Of course t'bfi quality was ever evident in tho life of our boys at the front. It became'port of their routine. Big. burly men from the inland towns, who , were hardened to tho rough ..dflft of life, showed the gentleness of a child. Young men from the cities became hardened by the many hardships and inconveniences they experienced. The soldiers' life does not tend to level down as so many _ imagine. The everpresent tendency 'is to build up to a uniform level. The principles of true Socialism have been portrayed in a remarkable ninnner. Throughout the whole army there- has crept a. sense of brotherhood that will remain—and live on. through the years to come. Thissense of brotherhood conies home to us at the present time of stress. Even more so n« this, epidemic manes us lace tremendous possibilities, u'he nar brought home to the soldiers the necessity of ■forming a huge brotherhood where every man was on an .equal fooling. This present epidemic siioms the necessity of forming a similar motnerhood in this country. An excenem start has beni made by the formation of committees, the organisation of iieipurs—and the number of those willing to assist has been heyoiirt expectations— ail tilings tend to show that the community is ripe for such a progressive move. The opportunity should not l>e missed, as the benefits derived will be stupendous. Out 'of such a movement ninny other improvements will follow. The ideal community is not a futurist dream. It may become a reality as so6n as the citizens are unanimously in favour of such a state—clean streets, dean, homes, ; clean-living people—will make it clean, wholesome life. Ureat Britain Has tackled the. important problem of housing her population—housing them m clean, modern homes. 3\'ew ftealaml should follow her example. .'

To-day makes this necessity evident. The Government should immediately get to work to build homes for the. workors. They should assist them by advancing sufficient money to build,' arid should allow them-to make repayment on easy turns. This would he advantageous .to both' the Government and Hie citizens. The housing problem would be sol fed and tho community-would become more thrifty. Thrift is 'a quality that shorild be • encouraged. At the present time it is handicapped by the monopolists, and this should not be allowed.

State control has proved entirely successful .in so many businesses. Uniformity has been obtained in many institutions which are behijr carried out under State control. The ideal cjininnnity vhoro ovorythinir is ront-ollnl from . ,i centre which represents the wish of tho whole population must prove the most economical, the most•' practice.*" ,, , snul the most efficient. Tho cerVa which controls is carrying out a service to the country. One instance alone will illustrate this. The Public Trust Office, an office, working in (he interests of tho people, mnkes a huge profit yearly, which aili's to the wealth,, of the ■nnimi'nmt.v, and at the sanie'time pnvs liberal bon« uses to its clients.'. If (he community was. organised and businesses wcw ?ys-,/ roiiiaticnlly. controlled, tim» would brinsr Hio. formation of the ideal eomuiiinity which hns been the dream of the great- ■ 65t..inimWhe world has known. Tho philosophy of service 1 , should, bn tnuH't niore. widely—Hie'.benefits derived would bo well wo'lh while; a'.finer, l.obler ("onuiiuniry won'.! be the result. A now era is creeping, in, and it, is 1h» ('uty N r>f everv mnn to put his imoulder to p<« tn=k Wore him. Are- jie toing to Vllow the lessons of. the,, war to bo for "niiP'hK or are we roin?';tq neent for i l s full vnliio. the . finest. iniVenilve fir "■"id that tho W' rid has yet>cs"' , ri'V'"ed ? The corner-stone Ims been hid. Tfc ;<! ni) ; to I's to. set'to wovV _ «r.d huiM nroutid if , a Mimmunity of \r"!<>)i no >rj)l lie prond.-l cm. rfc. PIIOGRESS.