"THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE"

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 8, 5 October 1920, Page 7

"THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE"

Sir,—l have "a bone to pick" with you, and when I address myself to you, it is, of course, only in the eenso Clint vou occupy in. New Zealand ft placo similar to the London "Timra" in Britain. I have noted in your pages, on the receipt of important news a curious lull before you comment. To illustrato my moaning, let us tako two important happening, the British Labour Party's "Council of Action" and the Italian crisis. I venture to assert that when the Home files of the daily Press como to liand, that wo shall find that both those events will-have been fearlessly and exhaustively handled, the pitfalls pointed out and their bearing oil future events forecasted. From considerations of space I will touch upon Your criticism of tho Italian business. Although this is, past all question, the most important event in contemporary history, vou have ignored it altogether, exciipt for one short uon-oeinmittal subleader (on September 13). Moreover, in your main p&K® yo ll nftvc roleiffttocl the cablegrams on this matter to a very subordinate position (in many issues). Now, Fir, I did expect a journal fiuch as yours to havo the cournjte to cC iM reader*' attention to the fact (in tho first instant) that things must havo mch«l a pretty pass when "moderate" men like Olynes, Thomas, and Henderson found it ne'jessaty to support "direct action," ind in the latter case to focus your riders' minds on all that was implied m the cabled conversation between some rccruoi trout Italian manufacturers and Giolitti, when the latter, in reply to a demand for ,« "f"^' fll! oxample," said ho would, if compelled to shoot, begin on his qvoationerb factories. You have nothing to say on tbo "spirit of tho ago" invoked by the veteran Italian diplomatist. You aro 601 ivy nothing to . ropare New Zealand for the <in«viiable and startling changes that i.avo already taian piaoe in Eurcr*>. Ha» the "spirit ?f the as*" psssfld N6y.- 7,t0-

land by? Tho "spirit of the age" or, in other words, tho "still, 6ad music of humanity," has superseded the massed trumpet olangour in half a hundred capitals. Whethpr wo in New Zealand like it or not, the Jericho walls of capitalism arc flat in Europe; the rubbish must bo ' cleared away before we can rebuild! I do not say that this warmad generation is capablo of reconstructive effort; wo shall do well if we toi; painfully up tho prophet-haunted Pisgaii hill and get' a sunny glimpse of tho future. But lot us at loast make a start. Although "we, tho brave, the mighty, and the wise—wo men, who in our own morn of youth defied the tempest shock, must vai ish" before the new day is ushered in. t'et us comport ourselves in such a way that we-can take to oureolves the consolation indicated by Wordsworth in his grandest mood! Enough, if something from our hand have power, To live, and act, and serve tho future hour, And if, as toward the silent tomb we " go, Through Love, through Hope, and Faith's transcendent dower, We feel that fre are greater than wa know! I aai, etc., PHILIP KING. [Mr. King will find our comments on the Council of Action in Tile Dominion of August 19. As to our views on "tho 6pirit of the age," no topic has received more prominence in our columns for many months past.]