WORK.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 October 1921, Page 4

WORK.

(Svlm y liulli'tin.)

l,'|.„u" li:is sum'- tt

The ipudpinu admission >if Mi-Ca-liiin | iil tli;il it.' letter l" ""; k than to stnjvc reminds one "l • Paul’s | ioiis. conromi iW.s reI,Iv. ‘ Tis better to iiimry than 1 . burn. ■’ Km Iv Christianity revnlti ip from I’iioaM liceiit-oilsilesS; l.nhol' still smarting from tie- sh-v-d- iver ■- bin--s the attitmle ol one i • ; ' "'1 "'-1 nntemihh' a? that "I the "I*'“''. Till' story ones that man. le-ir •' eml r , rise. Was set to I’ll 111 hi hie ’*l by the sweat of his hrown. Not Men trropeil i-oiiml ami minle tools mi l m-r.l tla-m heeause he wanted to. Ilnie nitv. the lest, triumph of evolotmn. eoiihl no more liml lih- he.- iem -> in an idle paradis,- than it emild :m mi ascetic i-elihate. Vet a himl ehrrlish element paints labor work as a vampire, an um-h-.ni body and .soul-rack ino evil. A neeessarv evil, perhaps, hut to he evur-'h shackled and shunned as mmh as possible; to he performed as a punishmentlather than as a natural function, •‘■a.ly explorers lahelh-d ninny now prosor--o’us. fertile tracts ns ‘‘Desert” and “Knit of Devils” beemi.se tl>e v km w nod, .1 In* Im iid. .£o ba-buir <m gnnisers who know not work, painl it ms n jrj'ad'i ng. 0 hahor, wli.it crimes ire (.oimnUal in tliy name! Tin: long-hour bondage of oilier :-»vs m;i v yvt. lie rivalled in hid r* suits 1.. the bondage of set-time. iion-rnt J shorter hours Freedom t*» work wav yet be accounted ms much worth lighting for us religious freedom, having u vote, or a fair deal in taxation, or home rule. I*or go-slowi>m as allecting production is not such a monaee to t 1 e community ns to the individud ; through the moral deterioration nl tie* go-slo\ver much may happen. Then* is more hope ol the man who knocks oil work to go homo and mend the family hoots or tend the family garden. or (jialify for the ioh higher up. even spruik for picture-sh'ow. than of him who takes the 1 I hours left hy a I I ho'it \\«*«*k as a “holiday. ’* Slmrter hours have come to stay, were i jvently <-:ll«*d for ill m.-t jobs. IJut the shorter hours, were mod-il as a way to more ami larger jobs, t ni-ver-.il train ini; for skilled work is n»vded : perhaps vocational training in more than one oecupation. Short hours supply the opportunity, llow often does the etiihii'dasm of the new hroom Ikilanc<* his want of experience, and square pegs that hav« got into round holes would have another chance to fit their a uoles. A super-rare ol craftsmen might h<* evolved, each man tnkiug to his chosen calling. Not work, but monotony deadens. Net ter that a mao give his best to tin* work iu hand, even if lie be exploited or robbed of the difference between his best ami the merest pretence at wank Tin* exploiter may he worthy of bong crucified hut we crucify ourselves when we heroine loafers. For the withering paralysis of work-inhibition there is scarce hope of cure. We turn in disgust from the Indian monk seeking to acquire merit hy holding an arm in oin* position till atrophies. To shntrt-rat ion onr allowances of work will produce worse —a degeneration ol the mind that is Idle support of the body.