PUBLIC OPINION

Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1925, Page 4

PUBLIC OPINION

>—«o a «►—< NOT THE OFN. HIT Til F MAN. ■■ Material disarmament (lor which the Ircatv provides) is one tiling, moiii| disarmament .lor which the treaty does not piovidc) is allot her. We* mas enforce disarmament to lhe last hunt sanctioned hv the treuiy, hut ran ih 1 | ;i . sure that the next v.ar will le one of shells ami guns and all the other familiar paraphernalia ol Mars which

the new Note specifics:' A fiustiated will always seeks an alteinalitc. Whether Oermany’s will-10-war has been di.-armcd none knows. We simply trust it may he so. Ii it lias not, it will eail for other methods than Notes. |; v all means di-arm Germany. even down to the last limit* button. Fet Its. however, not forget t!*.o man who once wore that tunic. Wo have got to wm him over to peace.”—-The “ RMiy (I raphir.” l)fl{ XF. W F.AT DA NO HR. ••The Oermaa Navy lies at the hot1, m of the sea. The Oerman Air Forte i- practically non-existent. We are on admirable terms with .lapau. War with America is nnlhinkahle. and although We have occasional differences of polity with our late ally. Frame, in one thinks we are likely to he at war with her in this generafii.li nr the next. Vet the danger surrounding ns is a far mere serious menace to our commercial prosperity than submarines or aeroplane- or poi-i.n gas or tanks. lime and again Fnglaml lots been encircled l,v a host of armed fees, and time and again lias defeated them and escaped. To-day. in Germany and France, .Japan A uteri a. Italy, and all other nations of the world, she is surrounded by peaceful people who work. Who work hard and long. Who Work localise thev know their national existence is dependent on their working. Who look to no State tu provide things for I,hem. hut who g p t them lor themselves. This is a greater danger to this country than any she has encountered before*.”—‘‘A Business Alan,” in l.ontlon “Truth.” SELF II FI,I’ IN HOUSING. ‘AVe want to see more and more people owning their own houses. I believe it is correct that in America some do per tent, of the families there own their own houses. In Fnglaml we are a long way behind that record, hut we are lining .something. I believe that din ing the last four years | over £10.000.000 of money has been | advanced by the State under the Small , Dwellings Aenuis.itiiMi Act. and tht* Housing Act. 1923. to enable people , to own their own houses. That figure . i- insignificant beside the great as- | sistanee and great help given by the I building societies of the country ill j that connection. 1 believe seme £lO.01)0.000 was advanced last year by the huMding societies. I hat i;s a veiT great record.” Sir Kingsley Wood. Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministrv of Idea I 111.

PRESS ANO PUBLIC. “The first function of a newspaper is to tell truly the nows of the day. to give a faithful record of events published apart from any attempt of propagandism. leaving that to the loading articles. The newspaper thus enables men and women to view the happenings of their time in calmness and with deliberation, and. tints guided, to take action accordingly in whatever sphere their interests or duty lies. It is the duty of the Press not onlv to give the news fairly and as fully as possible, hut to present the news of the day in proper focus. The newspaper is not serving the public rightly if it gives undue space to the ujrlv things of life, and ignores or gives comparatively little attention to matters of a more elevating and inspiring character. At the same time. Ido not believe public interest is served bv the suppression of news simplv liecan.se it deals with the unpleasant side of life. Public interest should he the guiding donstideration." Mr Arthur .Mann, editor of the “Yorkshire Post.”

CHINA A FAB-EASTERN TURKEY. ••China is in a state of confused anarchy. in which it is almost impossible at any given moment to say what the Government is, to wljicli military lead-,

or it may he subservient, or bow far its power extends, "lo the Chinese themselves this seems to be of comparatively little importance; and if they were cut off from the rest of the world and dealing only with each other, it would probably make little difference to them whether there was a central Government in Peking or not. But in dealing with the foreigner it is of immense importance, and the weakness ol absence of anything that can he called government is at this moment the point of danger both to China herself and to the Powers which are concerned with her affairs. In such circumstances she may easily come to play the same part in the Far past as the Ottoman Empire i„ Europe, and her disintegration he tin; cause of unceasing rivalries and strains, if not of actual conflicts, between the Powers which arc watching the process.”—Mr J• A. Spender, in the ’• Westminster Gazette.” MG? BALDWIN SALUTES A JOG BN A LIST’. “ Journalism and the conduct of a m u-paper fundamentally implies hon-c.-tv, cleanness, courage, lairue-s. the sense of duty to the reader and the community. The newspaper is ol tieressitv something of a monopoly, and its first duty is to shun the temptations of immorally. Its primary 'office is the gathering of news. At the peril of its soul it must see that the supply is not tainted. Neither in what it gives nor in what it does not give, nor in the mode of presentation, must the tni- < loaded face of truth suffer wrong. Comment is free hut facts are sailed. Propaganda, so called, bv this means IS hateful. The voice of opponents no less than that of friends has a right to bo heard. Comment also is justly sub-

jert to a self-imposed restraint. It is well to lie frank. It is even better to ( l»e fair. Those are noble words, ami it is counsel possibly <d perfection, lmt ill that is the ideal *>! th * highest type of English journalism, which is the highest type in the world, and they nre the words of Scott, of lilt* .Manchester Guardian.’” —Mr Stanley Baldwin, British Prime Minister.