THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 290, 5 September 1942, Page 6

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

Comments —Reflections Intercession. O, God, the Father of all mankind, hear us as wo intercede for those who, separated from us, face the perils of land and sea and air. Endue them with Thyi power that they may -withstand all the forces of evil, and let nothing separate them from Thy love which is in Christ Jesus.— Amen.

Over-feeding has destroyed ‘ many more than hunger.—Proverb.

“If -the only reason for respecting Truth is that in most oases it is convenient to do so, ire shall ignore it when we are convinced that we can serve our purpose better. ‘Mein Kajnpf’ is not a close-knit logical treatise; but it expresses a single apprehension of life; it is a consistent expression of a view of life for which there are no immutable principles to be regarded. The mass of mankind is regarded as gullible, so the sensible man will dupe them for his own ends. There is no consciousness that this is a degradation of the sensible man as well as an outrage upon the deceived majority. Hitler has done no more than epitomize a certain tendency in European civilization. He has accepted ,a secular view of mail and worked out its logical consequences with logical ruthlessness. If we are to save civilization from Hitlerism as well as from Hitler, we must see -that the roots from which it springs are removed.” — Archbishop of York.

‘‘One essential clause, therefore, to be binding upon all ’States in a World Union must be that insisting on absolute freedom of trade. The effect of this covenant will be that the richer nations will suffer at first and the poorer ones will gain, but is not that fair? Equality of sacrifice must be the payment for the privileges of peace and freedom from fear and destruction. Ten or perhaps even 20 years later, through the reduction of the expenses of war and armaments, the advantage of such a policy will become felt. Is 10 or 20 years too long to wait in possible hardship and endurance of discomfort for the peace and well-being of the entire world? During tlie early years, through free trade, the standard of living will become reasonably universal through all member States. But the advantages will outweigh the disadvantages, and after a time the average standard of living will have reached a much higher level than it would otherwise have done. Freedom to trade is a long-term policj’—l had almost said an insurance policy—which even if looked at from the purely selfish standpoint, and the bulk of the world’s population is hardly yet sufficiently civilized to appreciate the ideal • aspect, will prove to be a paying concern.’! —From "Alternative to Chaos,” by Andrew G. Elliott.

"One of the most conspicuous sights of Ottawa’s smart suburb of Roekcliffe is the new French legation, only surpassed in size by Ridenn Hall, the home of the Governor-General. The legation, was built 'by the Republic, but it is controlled by Vichy. Canada has ' full diplomatic relations with Vichy, and the apologists for the Petain regime have a pretty free run for their money. We should not be -surprised that there is Vichy sentiment in Quebec; we should be surprised that there is not much more of it. For Quebec is far more involved in this war than in the last. It provides more recruits, is more interested in the issues, lesiil ready to listen to preachers of internal dissent. With its background, it was impossible to expect a majority in Quebec to vote Yes on the manpower plebiscite, but that any serious number of Canadians should vote Yes would ihave been a miracle only a few years ago. The -great change from the last war has several causes, the fall of France being one of them, the openly anti-Christian character of Nazism being another. But most important is the political skill of Mr. Mackenzie King. In 1914, Canada was governed by a Conservative party which had hardly any hold on Quebec. Today Canada is governed by a Liberal party which has its core in Quebec. The mistakes of tact which provoked so much opposition in 1914-18 have not ben repeated. Mr. Mackenzie King is the heir.”

‘‘Peace may form the foundations upon which can be built a new world if only we realize, each in his own small way, the opportunities it will offer us. We have not all got to be great statesmen or clever scientists, physically powerful or mentally brilliant. No army is composed solely of generals. If we take a greater interest, keep ourselves better informed and think and talk about the new possibilities, we shall find ways and means of being helpful, perhaps hit upon valuable suggestions or evolve some creative ideas. By mere indifference or self-seeking we shall act only as a drag on the wheels. There is no magic switch with which we can Hood the world with light as we can lloodligbt the facade of a building or the stage of a theatre. There will be spadework in plenty before the ground is prepared, hoeing ito aerate the soil and check the growth of weeds, and fertilizers needed to ensure a satisfactory growth. We know peace»will come sooner or later, but it can come in various shapes. A b(|d peace will be no better than war, and we must work as hard to win a good peace as to win the war. True victory will lie in the triumphant achievement of a.really sound peace and a guarantee of a satisfactory future for our children and our children’s children. Thought must precede action, and -while it may be ‘never too late to mend,’ it is also ‘never too soon to think.’ So we may as well begin to think about it now.” —Mr. W. W. Ward, in “Winning the Peace.” You Who Follow After. You who follow after shall eee the gleam of morning rise, Because of these who lie with the last darkness in their eyes. And you shall find a world of justice, peace and brotherhood, Because rather than be slaves, they have perished where they stood. And you shall never know the iron heel, the hand of hate— Because of those who went with ribald songs unto their fate. These are the fallen ones, their days of youth and love are done— They leave to you the rising light and glory of the sun. —Max Press, in the "New York Times.”