PUBLIC OPINION.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 September 1925, Page 3

PUBLIC OPINION.

COAL INTO OIL. “All Germany is excited by the fascinating but serious scheme for turning coal into oil on the grandest national scale. The Governments of the Reich and of Prussia have already agreed to subsidise to the extent of £200,1)0:) the first experiments <nt a l commercial basis. In this cause of ! scientific development throughout the whole industrial system, workers and employers. Socialists and Capitalists, are prepared to go hand in hand. It is already prophesied that while this country is dawdling over its own ideas. Germany will gain a long lead as the chief oil-producing country in “Europe." Air .J. L. Garvin, in the “Observer." ENJOYMENT AND LbBKRTA'. “1 should he inclined to suggest that the- Englishman in his comparative evasion of s'ieutiiie culture, and his very genuine tradition of personal liliei'ty, does stand for something which must not lie left out altogether in generalisations about education. There is an impalpable thing which is alive in all culture. 1 cannot define it. but if one called it enjoyment 1 think one would come near to its nature. Whatever may he their other faults. Englishmen generally have had considerable power of enjoying themselves. The man enjoying himself means a man who is able to enjoy himself all alone. By all means hurl at me your vast and organised systems of education. trample me underfoot with all your tremendous scientific apparatus of knowledge and culture, hut leave some small fragments of me. after the operations are over; let them he. as it "ere. a kind of remnant of that original individual valueless to the world.”-—Air G. K. Chesterton in a recent speech.

FIRST THINGS IN RELIGION "There are some theohigists who seem to take a curious sort of pleasure in puzzling simple folk, and who create great perplexity by the exaggerated language of negation. They are. [crimps, exceedingly scrupulous alsiut being conscientious. They are concerned. I believe, with [mints which you might: rightly look upon as suhordiiialc. but they make many persons linti-o-stly think that they are denying the must fundamental points of the Christian faith. They seem to dwell to an ex.cssive extent on their d iflienlties ; they ignore what is positive. If we "ere to agree to preach and teach, all of us. v.liat no believe, and not unnecessarily to emphasise our disagreements, there would lie far less partisanship and parly spirit; the fundamental truths of th<> Gospel would

a] pear in greater prominente, our diliieult ies would he seen in t heir proper proportion and a real unity of life and faith would be created." Rislmp lleadlam in the “Christian World Pulpit."

BRIDE AND FEAR. "All through the Past wo see that, the learned and prudent have I ceil victims of their Pride and Fear. They have senselessly tried in stop changes which were hound to come. Thov have caused endless trouble and misery by their attempts. They have been swept away. Good sense, true wisdom, hid us take the opposite cause. Love Thyself last.’ Is the motto for Peoples as well as for individuals. Lutil wo have got rid of all desire 'to keep what we've got.’ until we have escaped out ol the ptf ,on-house ol the Fear thal we mav have to give something up, until we have laughed nurselve- out of bumptious Rink' and childish belie! in prestige.' we shall never help .Mankind onward, we shall never even establish decent relations with the men and women and children close to us. —Mr Hamilton Fyfc. °

A PRAYER FOR PRISONERS. -•Thai a prayer lor -all prisoners ami captives' should have had a place lor centuries in the services ol tin* English Church is only one expression ol a general human sense ol the dread lit I ness of the pains of imprisonment. Even it he prisoner of war. whose captivity is not designed as a punishment and who lies under no imputation ol turpitude, haunts the recollection of those who have seen him. with his dead lai-e emptied oi every soil oi expression as li Inbusiness with the happy stir ol lite lunl all been done a long time ago. That diffused feeling that imprisonnieiit is a terrible instrument In use, although we have found no other it holly to lake ils place, issues m such internalional gatherings as the It isvtills ( (ingress which was opened in London." -Manchester Ciiardiam" HOLIDAYS AND KIH'CATTOX “Nothing has done mole to promote true education in the lasi 50 years than the increase of holiday-making. It is not so long ago when anv lengthened 11 me of absence from home and work was the privilege ol the lew. Nowadays the great majority of our people share at least in some degree with results of far-reaching importome bifli in our corporate and individual life. It has. increased i,ur knowledge ef the world ill which we live and our sympathy v.ith pen; le of other traditions than our own. We are more responsive to Nature s w eudet I ill and various beauty its awe-inspiring slien'j,tlt. ils mysterious yet purposive activity. Hut this is not all. Holidays have enabled Us to lee! Lite quickening of thoughts, leeliugs. desires, and ideals which otherwise' would have remained hidden and dormant in nitreep.es. so that' wo should have lived. jn.it ilieil without experienee of many things which we have learned to regard as the most precious elements in outlives" A correspondent in the “Times'’ (London).

THE SKILLED WORKER. ‘■Whatever the t.'inporury dillietillies | urn convinced that the ultimate pro-polls ol |-*-m u Hera live employment |,,j- iln- skilled men ol the rising gi iteration are as great as they have over been, and that the evolution ill industrial nuu-liineiy anil methods has mtule skilled apprenticeship even more indispensable to industrial prosperity. latinise who are charged with any responsibility in guiding young persons entering employment to-day I would say that in my opinion the future status and opportunities ol young skilled craftsmen will Ik* such that they need have no hesitation in recommending lads to enter themselves in the skilled crafts.”—Sir Alexander Kennedy, managing director of the Fairfield Shipbuilding Co., in " Industrial Welfare." L.C.'s APPEAL TO AMERICA. “Believe me. until the Cnted States, with it- east and growing influence, an influence which to-day is almost incalculable and in the coming years will be a dominant influence—until the I'nited Stlites c-aii see its way to join some sort l of confraternity of nations that will enI sure nonce ami good-will amongst men. I despair of the possibilities ef civilisation in the future. I had a good deal to do with the direction of the war. I should not like to see another. It "as a horror. It was something that humanity, whatever its faults, impel lections, and sins, ought not to he. subjected to again—never. We all vowed then that it should never happen again ; but what- do I see ? Nations arming, nations utilising their power and resources (which in Europe are not enough TO feed, clothe, and «!telter the

I populations in comfort), with a view to perfecting, increasing, and intensifying I tne mechanism of human slaughter and I misery. Well, unless you, in a continent which has great advantages over us, come to the rescue of civilisation. I am afraid ol what will happen. I honestly don’t believe Luropoan civilisation could survive another war."Air Lloyd George. \ GREAT IMPERIAL OPPORTUNITY. “British industry requires no Columbus to set forward on a voyage for the discovery of new markets. \\ ithin the Empire, Britain has the greatest emporium that the world has ever known. I'he markets are there waiting to be organised, asking to be developed. II Oiesc great tracts of country and continent,"are fertilised by British credit, the harvest will be reaped by a great increase in the export of British proclu, ts.’'—Sir Alfred Aloud.