FREES COMMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1925, Page 3

FREES COMMENT

CONTINUING ON. 1 ' fi he work ol ( rea i ion is not muiicI long ill !he pa-I . w iii< il occurred and t livti stopped : it I- a contimum- process. The sa mi- Power which brought the universe into existence is regulating and controlling it, subject to Selfimposed limitations which brought conscious beings into existence and endowed them with free will and with power of a very limited kind. But this free will and ibis power, nevertheless, enable them if they are willing, to assist and accelerate or to obstruct and oppose the increase m value and to take part in the intermediate stages towards ultimate and lar-distanl perfection. Were it not for our perception ol this gradual method the present state of mankind would he depressing. The opposite Lo evolution is stagnation, which would mean the abandonment of hope.” Sir Oliver Lodge in the “ Daily Express. PROPHETS OF EVIL. " During the htsl few years there have been raised lilt' voices ot aide men. both in this country and on the mill incut of Europe, proclaiming to Ll'.e world that our modern Western civilisation is already on the down grade, that we. like the Greeks and Romans at the beginning of the Christian era. have our period ol greatest achievement behind and not in Ironl, and that we. like they, are at the beginning of a decline which will ultimately. for our civilisation as for tltal of Rome, culminate in complete disaster. And in this decline, which is confidently prophesied, economic causes, which are partly the consequence of war and the class war. and partly a Iruittul source of more war and more class war, will he the prim-inal and most obvious agents.”—The Rev. Canon Streeter. THE FACTS ABOUT MOSUL. “The disputed territory of Mosul is, after mouths of inquiry, still in dispute! The neutral Commission appointed by the League lias not been able to come to any definite decision, and has put up alternative recommendations to the Council ot the League. Those alternatives are: filial .Mosul should go to Iraq provided the British mandate there is extended to 23 years. That Mosul should go to Turkey il it is agreed that Britain must leave Iraq at the expiration of the lour years’ treaty, now in operation, which provides for selt'-government for Iraq at the end of that time. The choice before Britain is thus between letting Mosul fall tinder Turkish control and extending our commitments in Iraq for vears. Last year Iraq cost Britain nearly £5.000,000. The publication ol the l-eport i< likely to increase the ferment in the Aral* world.”- “Wentniiuster Gazette. M

uni AX NATURE V. SYSTEM. •‘lt liecomes clear that once a system and human nature come into conthct. human nature and human rights represent the stronger force. .Mankind is still creative enough to change the system to conform with human imperatives of Right.”—Mr Henry Ford, in the •‘Humanist.” NEW ROLF. FOR THE RANKS. •in the further development of new markets and the exploitation of new raw materials lor British industries, the hanks must under modern renditions play a larger part than ever Before. Cheap credit and the bold encouragement of industrial enterprise are the indispensable conditions of recovery from onr present trade depression.” —“ Westminster Ga.tette/’

IXTERX ATI( )X AL MOR A I.IT V. 'Nations luivo not hit her t«> regarded themselves as moral units. Nations must build up customs of granting justice and organise their group life in accordance with the principles of mutual dependence. Morality has existed within nations, individuals have recognised right and wrong, hut nations themselves have recognised no ultimate authority except war. ’I he individuals of one nation have had rights within the confines of others in accordance with treaties. Nations have bargained with nations, hut there have been no international morals in the sense that there have been individual morals.”—Dean Sliailer Matthews in the “Christian Century.”