LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 288, 1 September 1919, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AN URGENT NEED. Sir,—Wo have just emerged from a titanic struggle for supremacy and freedom! It has been a gigantic fight, but we have won out! We have suppressed, thanks to the wonderful spirit and the "eleventh-hour" assistance of Uncle Sam, a nation overburdened with egotism, greed, and brutal lust! But, I say again, the fight was a rigantie one, and it was only the preponderance of men and material that secured for us the victory so essential to our welfare aud to that of other nations dependent upon us. Had the Central Powers been equal in man and material-power to the Allies, then I fear we Britishers would have now been under Germany's despotic rule. This is not a supposition, but a real faot! Only when prejudice has blinded the eyes of common sense and reason will this assertion be contested. But why is it that this should be so? Why is it that Germany, though at loggerheads with almost the ontiro world, kept it at bay for four years before being coipjielled'to throw up the sponge? Because, apart from its wonderful organisation, the German Eni•pire gave to its men not only military training but also physical education! The much-taiked-of, and, by us, laughedat, "goose-step" was but one phase of this education! Aud physical education is the great key to success audi efficiency in any walk of life be it military, business, <ir anything else! Nature decrees that tho fittest shall survive. But it was our superiority in numbers that told! We were superior in men and material, but we had not the physical fitness that the Germans had. lam not trying to argue that the Allies did not possess great organisation and efficiency, but I ao contend that they could have developed to a much greater degree theso two assets had they commenced this preparation earlier. Britain relied too much on her reputation and her naval power! She. was inclined to overlook the physical education of ,her defenders! On the other hand, Germany was planning, training, and "speeding up" operations for "der tag!" War is continually raging in this world, whether it be amongst plants, bacteria, insects or animals—'higher or lower. It is but a provision of Nature's to prevent the over-population of this earth. Therefore, war will continue to exist as long as there is life on this globe, and any attempt to eliminate warfare—the League of Nations, for example—will be .hopeless! We will always be cursed (?) by it, and to that end we must prepare to defend our. selvos. And the best preparation is physical preparation!'' All the military training on earth will be of'no use unless reinforced by a good physical foundation! In other words, we must not only educate or train our men to march the length of ,a drill hall or an encampment, but we must also train them to "keep on keepin' on" for miles without fagging or lagging—iiead up arid baok! chist up! arms swinging freely! breathing, steady and deep! stepping it out as though they were bound tor the cookhouse or Kaiser Bill's scalp! It is this steady and resolute advance of infantry that carries thfoi over mite and miles of tho enemy's territory, inspiring him with fear,, and taking everything in tho line of advance 1 It behoves us to cultivate health, efficiency, and endurance in our soldiers if they should be successful as such. The present military training sys-tem in New Zealand does' not make for these three essentials exoept to a very small extent. Physical trainers are needed to build up this deficiency into a proficiency. The expenditure inourred through ongaging these men will be compensated for bjr the benefit that our young auanhood will derive through this form of education. In fact, physical education will actually lower cost 6i training, because it makes for keen .perception and adaptation—two necesary essentials bo the quickness of receiving instruction and putting it into practice. Instead of these night parades —resultant in an enormous 'waste of time, energy, money and material—a mouth each year could be set aside for this training, each day of that month being utilised in training the men in , moral, physical, sanitation and health matters generally. This should complete 75 per cent, of their training, the .remaining 25 per cent, beint' for military matters. And, instead of a medical examination only once in a "blue moon," it should bo made a point of thoroughly examining'every m.au, be he Cadet, Territorial, or Reservist, at least once every year. Theij any deficiency can be rii>ted and improved! Tho liability incurred through the care and treatment of soldiers who have contracted disease or illness will be greatly alleviated through these prophylactic methods. Not only i that, but the elßcioncy of these men will be kept up to the 100 per ccnt. standard, making them useful as civilians .as well as soldiers. Just a word to M.P.'s! For heaven's sake introduce this subject into your politics and don't let it drop until you have formulated some plan such as 1 have outlined. You, who are supposed to bo tlie safeguarded of our welfare, should look to it that we are compensated for the time and energy expended by us in training for the l defence of this country. it you shirk this duty ro us, then you are not fulfilling the purposo for which you are intended ami tor which you wore piami in the House! Therefore, wake up! ileed this cry which is but the cry of the people—your supporters! There are stacks of literature dealing with physical education, so that the knowledge is there, but awaiting application. Issue pauiph-1 lets into every liome! The United States Government is doing this, and tho NewZealand Government can, and will, do it, too!

I plead to tho editors to use their influence to further the jiromution of physical education in our training camps, and in our ordinary life also. '"The pen is mightier than the s.rord." and should, he wielded to advocate stnietbiug elfo tlijit is "mightier than the swoid" —physical education! On.this subject you will find data for editorials of unlimited length and value. This is for the publio interests, and you should fignc for it! To clergymen also I appeal! Tiiey should bear in mind that a clean mind and clean soul never existed in a c'irly 01 uneured-ior body! Health promotes thoughts of the beautiful and eliminates all desire for sin. Therefore, you will be doing a greater service to humanity and God by preaching the gospel of liealth than you would be nreaohiag the Gospel of Heaven! God gave us a body (mi asserts theology), and ile inteuded us lo care-for it. Preaching 011 His, and llis disciples', doings will never r.mke a people sin not—on the contrary, it has u tendency to make them morbid and nar-row-minded. But by making i'Jinu understand that tho gospel of clean living and clean thinking can be found 111 the science of right living you »vill have struck ad original note in pulpit pleaching, and will find the attendance at your church considerably increased—likewise the receipts! And for this reason: people appreciate listening to anything tlfyean understand and that they will benefit by. They will inconvenience themselves to attend such a discourse! You, also, oan use great influence in putting physical culture into its rightful place in jhjsical, mental, moral, and military trailing as well as spiritual training! Do

so | The common sense of the masses will perceivo the need and efficacy of this class of education, and it is to this same common sense that'l noiv appeal for the advancement of physical training in military and civilian life.—l am, etc., MARCUS L. A. TOZER. I'alsierston N., August 26.