BLEAK YESTERDAYS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 71, 25 March 1933, Page 12

BLEAK YESTERDAYS

" [By J. T. Paul.]

The world is too much with us; late and

Geltinc and spending, we lay waste our powers.

Among the factors which contribute to our present community sickness fear is not the least. Some men are afraid of what they can actually see—nearly all men are timid when faced with forces which they cannot measure. At this moment uncertainty is the chief obstacle to the very necessary faith in the future. That is, of course, presuming, that f we really expect to recover. One man will go through an ordeal which means death to another simply because the one has./implanted strongly 'the will to live. The nation is a collection, of individuals arid its virility depends on the character ;of the individual, mental as well as physical. .

I New Zealand has been experiencing adverse economic conditions. So have other nations. Our troubles have not been greater than those of others and they have been less serious than those of most.» And yet our chorus of whiners is probably as large as that-of the most [distressed country in the universe. It is much too large, and for that two chief reasons may he cited.". "We have enjoyed a record Teign of prosperity and we have no adequate historical background. History is- the measure by which we can estimate thepast, -value present, and prepare for the future. Those of us who know nothing of the past will-naturally be lost in the difficult present..- We shall 'have neither sense of proportion nor. accuracy of perspective. ' :

Let us for a moment glance at the world of today compared with that of yesterday in the matter of communication. Today -we have the woes of the world served up to us morning and evening, and if disaster be of unusual magnitude radio will give us something in. between, times. Within the lifetime of many still with'us the news of world happenings which, reach us in a few moments did not reach them for weeks or sometimes months, and as the newspapers were small and .difficult to procure in remote districts" many never heard of them at aIL And so today we have our own worries and the world's worries and ery-in'despair that the worhi is in a ferment as -never before—and we are fearful for, the future. Well, the world has always been in process of; change and italw.ays will be. The comparatively permanent' in Nature is of slow growth, but-of Sefinite growth nevertheless. And. as.the first recorded turmoil occurred in the Garden of Eden, we shriuia at this aistant time have learned that change is the order of ■'evolutionary Kiel*' ■'■ This world which -will never, he: -the -same again-7-and indeed never was—provides lessons from, the .past which Trill at least help ns to .comprehend, if not to bear, the present.. , '. ■ WIt is the experience of all of us to have to -listen interminably to people bewailing the awful times in which -we have.' to live, quite forgetful that our forebears had any difficulties. . An appeal to, British history may help to-, wards a truer perspective.' This is the year of grace 1^33. In' 1833 .the Commissioners on the Poor Law reported in these termsiT— .. The condition of the. tuxal labourers is brutal.and. -wretched,-their children during the day struggle'with the pigs ; for food and at night huddle down on damp straw under- a ToOf "of rotten-thatch. /;..'-., : , • ' ■" -~•■'■'.'■■ ?. ■■ '.•', '-V v'.::»r; :\y-~:*-':.y. ..' There were the "Hungry forties," when "relatively to the population there were more paupers and more criminals than at any other period in our history." There was the fight for the ten-hour day because' children of tender years were forced to work longer hours. It.is not yet 100 years since in some coal mines in Britain 'children of five were employed, sometimes even babies-were taken-down -the mine to keep the rats'from their fathers' food." There have been riots, and killings, and hangings. There have beeri. periods -whei responsible British public. ;men: despaired of any reasonable future" for Britain or for British people. And.yet she has grown and the measure of individual prosperity and happiness -has increased. Industrial and-political;, history; reveals the periods of stagnation and Joss of hope and courage. History also.-tells the eloquent story, of: triumph; over difficulties and: the- long'march on the uphill; road;tofTbetter'times! -Let \ us realise; this 'fqctt-.Swtten in Coui"-. most pessimistic moad:"that' thoiighithe present economic/difftc^ty: is -stnp^ the world s was ineyer'betterli^guipped to meet' any crisis^thanit: is today. : ;

This is au age' when .people are inostimpressed by the spectacular. In tho past .several days -our newspapers have contained many . columns giving details of the financial blizzard which lias overtaken. America. I Jjave .even heard a man of substance declare that Hie United States was bankrupt and lost. Even here history supplies some light and much hope," because -in a literal sense history is simply repeating itself. For instance:— In 1857: '' Eighteen banks in. New York City failed in one day, including the oldest and strongest bank in the city. Mobs carrying banners marked "Bread or Death" paraded the streets of the larger cities; threats were made to plunder the banks and tho sub-Treas-ury, and Federal troops were called out to protect them. In 1873: "Masses of labourers were out of employment—there was no relief in sight—the European' countries wore suffering and we could expect no. help from them—tho days were dreary and there was no ray of light—failures were the rule and some predicted universal bankruptcy." Banks universally suspended payments for forty days. In 1893: - . In one month's time, 407 public and private banks failed. "Men lived like flies under the strain of these terrible times and suddenly grew old, haggard, and thin." "It seemed as jf all the inhabitants of all the towns were idly walking the streets and >the manufacturers were doing nothing but sending delegates to the President asking what could I=be done about conditions." There was a widespread-distrust of currency and everyone who could get his hands upon a dollar immediately hid it away. In,' town after town, every mill and factory was shut down. Federal troops hurried from city to city to protect property against the riots and desperate demonstrations of the mobs of hungry men thronging the streets. ; In 1907: "Poverty faced the nation—we had been overspending, overeonsuming, destroying; more iwealthvthan was produced. I' : ;.Western; governors appointed "holidays'?;tO;proteet.State'banks.''The outlook -was, bminpus|..-'iiiin|'.iiqnia..' j rapi-talr:^^^absorbea:;-.b7y-.tne-,feqin.eiiabus" financial operations,?^promotions,;■• and consolidations of the pa^st year." The Baltimore fire and San, Francisco earthquake -added to the universally pessimistic outlook, ip v :-;. ; : . r';. :

These latter extracts, are from ' & publication issjied Teceritly' by the, Insurance Besearch ana Review Service of-Indianapolis, ■ entitled "History Speaks," _ the purpose being to; show that amid the -economic storms life insurance has weathered them. They .conia be multiplied many times were it necessary to quote more in proof that mankind has suffered successions of "bleak yesterdays." History shows, too, that this interesting old world has a habit of recovering and that if its people do suffer privations they also enjoy periods of prosperity. And to the wise to say sufficient is to have said all that is necessary.