THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 34, 4 November 1942, Page 4

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

Comments —Reflections Most of us have five senses —taste, smell, sight,, sound and touch. A chosen few have three more— a sense of proportion, a sense of humour, and common sense. —Anon.

“From the public admissions of Hitler and Goering in their last two speeches, in which they do not disguise the fact that in the winter of 1941-42 the German Army was very nearly involved in a catastrophe, and from their last extremely pessimistic public utterances, in which all assurances regarding the certainty of victory have disappeared, and are replaced only by threats regarding what would happen to Germany if the war were lost, it is quite clear that this realization—that the war cannot be won in military terms—has been reached not only by the German generals but by all the important Nazi leaders.”—President Benes, of the Czeeho-Slovak Republic. * * v ■•. Mr. Gandhi’s political declarations get more unhelpful every day. Here are two pronouncements by him in the .May 24 issue of his paper ‘Harijau’.: ‘Leave India to God. If that is too much, then leave her to anarchists.’ ‘Their [the British] withdrawal does not by itself bring Independence. It may induce unity or it may lead to chaos. There is also the risk of another Power tilling in the vacancy.’ “But at least India will be free of British domination, even if she falls under Japanese. No wonder the prospect of a return to Gandhi leadership threatened a Congress split.”—“Janus.” in “The Spectator.”

“Dusk was falling when they came to the long elm avenue of the Fairralle, leading back to Henley. The glimmer of something on the roadside caught Auntie Janet’s eye. “ ‘Whatever’.? this? Why, it’s a tombstone ’ she exclaimed. “There was no doubt about it... “Charles stepped into the road to examine this stone so curiously placed... “ ‘There’s an inscription,’ he said, stooping to read. “ ‘What does it say?’ asked Auntie Janet. “ ‘To Peter.’ ...Then, with a quiet voice: ‘There is not enough darkness in all the world to put out the light of one small candle,’ he quoted. “They neither of them spoke for a time. At last Auntie Janet spoke, resuming her walk, and slipping her arm in Charles’s. “ ‘That’s true — every word of it .’ she said quietly.’’— From “One Small Candle," the latest romance by Cecil Roberts.

“I submit that 72 hours per week is far too much,” said Sir F. Sanderson, M.P., in the House of Commons, “and I suggest that in cases where it is necessary to work 72 hours those factories should consider adopting the two-shift principle. During the course of this war the development of the twoshift and three-shift principle has materially progressed, but it lias not developed at the rate I should like to see. I believe, and I can speak with some experience, that the most effective way to run a factory is, wherever it is practical, to run it on the three-shift principle—4o hours a week per man at eight hours per day for five days in the week—ls shifts per week—and when necessary 154 shifts per week compared with 5i shifts. The result is almost incomprehensible. There is a vastly increased output, and the costs of ' production are very materially reduced. ”

“After more than three years of war,” says the “Accountant,” (Loudon), “the comparison between the position of Britain’s ‘prestige industry,' the film trade, today and in 1917, is as heartening as it is instructive. Then production in this country had virtually ceased save for a small number of propaganda pictures, and the supplyof new films for the British market was a virtual monopoly of Hollywood. Today our studios are making more pictures than in 1939, of better quality, and of a higher average cost, and a number of these haVe proved ‘good box office’ in the United States, not merely on account of their topical interest, but also because they are of first class entertainment, All this is the more remarkable in view of the shortage of players and technicians; on the other hand, the cinema lias never met with as much official recognition and encouragement in this country.”

“The accountant should be a tile to tackle the ethical supervision of industry just as well as any other layman' —provided, of course, that the ethical standards are first established by the appropriate authority. The standards themselves would bo negative rather than positive: that is to say, they woulddefine socially undesirable practices. If that were done. Hie professional accountant would lie able to take in his stride the task of seeing that the individual units of industrial activity did not indulge in anti-social behaviour. It was suggested that a select body of persons thoroughly versed in the ramifications of business should analyse our industrial abuses. For example, the Eighth Commandment might be translated into terms of- modern opportunities for industrial and commercial stealing. That done, and even in tlie absence of legislation to prevent, theft of that nature, n united auditing profession could still serve a useful purpose by giving full publicity to instances of that, typo of abuse.”— By a group of accountants, authors of “The Future of Auditing.”

Fresh Air. “The sunlight, shining 'iietith a seagull's wing. A gold-tipped whiteness o'er the ocean’s bine, A cleau g.'nd clearness, and a lovely thing I’oised In the air, swinging in bnlauce true : A bird in flight, yet hold in open space. In perfect stillness, 'twist the earth and sky, Held by a laughing breeze as with a . trace. Tlie waves below, the racing clouds on high. So should man balance both his hoiiPt and mind, Himself in steady hold and trembling joy, In coolness, calmness, and in service kind, Intent on what his thought shall then employ : With heart on lire and airy joy awing. An inward peace which grows tlie power Io sing.” From “Fresh Air,” a book ot' verse by 11. Milville.