PLAIN SPEAKING.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 166, 16 January 1896, Page 2

PLAIN SPEAKING.

In a recent article on the probable war in Europe, it was pointed out that England might—and probably would—sutler from insufficiency of food supplies. In this connection the Times says: - Both in Germany and France it is held an essential part ot the duty of the State to second, and riot only to second but to. stimulate and direct, the efforts of private; enterprise. In England, though State interference witli commerce is being

carried to a dangerous length, State assistance, even in the way of collecting information, is regarded with stupid distrust and disfavor. Our home industries themselves in many cases languish for want of intelligent direction. Our agricultural distress might be alleviated were the State not far above the education of the population in the minor agricultural arts and the organization of agricultural industries after the manner in vogue on the Continent. In the same way, although nothing can excuse the shortsighted folly of our manufacturing classes in not providing,for scientific research in the various branches of industry, yet it is the duty of a wise Government to take measures to counteract the folly of classes when it threatens the general interest. In one word, Great Britain stands at this moment in imminent danger of being beaten out of the most lucrative fields of cojnnierce, simply because it does not recognise, while other nations do, the value of scientific organization in the field, in the workshop, in the laboratory, and in the conduct of national policy.