PUBLIC OPINION.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 November 1927, Page 4

PUBLIC OPINION.

THE SACCO-v ANZETTI CASE. “ What has disquieted public opinion outside the United States is the demonstration that in the greatest democracy in the world,” says the “ -Morning post,” ” it is possible for more than six years to elapse before the death sentence of a Court of Law is carried out. That the delays are created by and are in the interest of the condemned, d. not diminish the shock to decent feeling given by the realisation that loi long years together two human creatures "should he allowed to linger in prison under the shadows of the sealfold. .Such conditions turn the law into an instrument of torture. WORKERS AND THE BIRTHRATE. •* It is a noteworthy fact,” asserts the •' Westminster Gazette ” (London; " that, as the working class are bettei housed and better paid, they avoid the unhealthy breeding of surplus children, which is one of the scandals—-and, indeed. one of the causes—of the slums. However much this matter may he complicated by the revolt in some quarters against a too-intensivc domestic life by women, one of the main reasons at the root of the decline of the birth-rate is a much greater sense of responsibility on the part of parents, who cannot to-day give their children the same secure outlook as out* grandparents of the \ ietorian age could give their ehihlten. FOREST WORKERS.

•• 1 attach great importance to the provision of forest workers’ holdings. The policy of establishing forest workers in small permanent holdings in enclose to the forest has much to commend it. giving a man. as it does, assured work in the first, ami also th: opportunity of improving his position by his own independent ellorts on his hind ing. Each year—mainly in the winter months —l5O days’ employment is guaranteed. leaving the worker tree to wi.rx his land io the summer and to take advantage of other employment available during the hay and corn harvest. I lie maximum size* ol these holdings is ten acres. Ihc* smaller holdings are the more popular, and on these* market gardening and poultry and pig I arming arc* carried on. In the* larger holdings act ommodaliou is given lor one* or tin* cows, and the holder Irequently eonduets a small dairying business.”— lend (Tinfoil, in the ” Birmingham Host.” CONVENIENT HI'SHELS. •* The bushels we use nowadays to hide our lights have, by constant use, become labelled so Hull they are al\\a,«readv to he popped on at convenient moments. It you look into you mental storeroom, haven’t you a neat row o bushels, growing more and more into the shape of extinguishers? I hese ar some ol the labels: * • * 11' s not my job lo say anything. ' limes have changed, and we with time.' *• * 1 shall get such a name for inter I'oring.' “ ‘ I L’s only a hit of t mu’ •* * I don't make any parade of in; religion.’ ** * Once in a while doesn’t matter. " *■ Every one does it *• * | didn't enter into any discussion on the matter.’ • * We must he all things to ah men.’ llerston Travers, in the *• Methodist .Magazine.” AS SHE IS SHORE. •• In Somerset, in Norfolk, in Lancashire and Yorkshire, ahd where Tyneside gives us our lirst breath ol Lowland English, there are words, am! phrases, and sounds in common use

which are distinctive, mid not without their charm. To anybody unlaniiliar with them they seem strange and uncouth ; hut—with local variations which have developed in the course ot centuries— they preserve much of the line old English speech that we are in danger of losing; and, just as tlio purest French is said to he that not of Paris hut of lilois, so it may lie that we ought to study the Knglish of Oldham or of Porloek instead of Standardising it out of existence. Surely ! something may he said in favour ci the Northerner who describes a tiling as ‘gradely’ or ‘jannock’ as against the Londoner who would call it ‘ top-hole so why not leave English and even American, as they are ? ”—Westniiiij ster Gazette.” ! THE CTHNESE QUESTION. | j Amid the mazes of this Oriental game, two things stand clear. On the I one hand, there is the position of the foreign Powers, desirous to trade, [ .standing by their treaty rights, friend- ’ ly, n.s Sir Austen Ci»;iinl>erla.iii has emphasised, to the ancient civilisation of China, prepared to negotiate about these treaties in due form and when there exists a. omnipotent a atlhority witli whom to negotiate. For a while it appeared to be probable that Chang Ka i slick would present that autliorrity. That day is past. Tt is fur China, herself, if s’.n desires to be treated as a sovereign nation, to discover among her own sons sufficient patriot ism, altruism, and spirit of unity to permit her to hehave like one.-- Tlio ‘‘Yorkshire T'h 1 ” NATIONALISM. “Nationalism is m good thing so long as we remember that it is not the final word. It is right to love our nation—so long as we remember that there is a world outside the nation, and tiro all the nations in that world are embraced in the larger unify of the race. Hut while tEc right kind of nationalism is a goad • ’ admirable thing, if is idle to pretend th"'t. there is no danger to tile world in the fervid nationalism of ‘days .Tt menaces the world’s peace. With its emphasis on nation'l interests, national prestige, national honour, it breeds envy, jealousy. susmVien, hatred. Tt begets friction and strife. That is what we arc suffering from just now. what Lord Hugh Cecil called “'an exaggerated nationalism.’ "- Dr J. D. Jones, of Bournemouth, in a League of Nat iocs sermon at Geneva Cathe-

dral. LEADERSHIP WANTED. "ft is possible to write down, on paper, a number of -economics whic'\ combination, might be expected to soj cure. Increased plant speeiaFation. I collective research.' more eflii ient adj ministration, and a highly organised ] s-'lcs agency are among the most o’cI vious possibilities. . . The diffleulI ties begin when we measure human ! beings against tie task. In tlie last ! resort the question resolves itself into 1 a question of leadership. The fact j that substantial economies lie dormant j in largo combinations does not neces- ! sarily mean in practice that they can i be quickened into activity. The creation of a large combine calls for qitai lities which are rare in all countries j but the control, year after ye:r. of such a combine calls for qualities | which are still rare.”— “Industrial Peace.” QUAKERS AND CHURCH ATTENDANCE. "Our attention has been called to the decline in the weekly attendances at our meetings for worship, and we think j it may be helpful to invite one an-

other to consider the privileges and responsibilities of membership in the society. IVe know that some of our members are unable to attend meetings, however much they may desire to do so; and we thankfully recognise that some are rendering manifold service outside our bordesr. But we should continually remind ourselves how easy it is to allow the culture of the spiritual life to be crowded out by our many daily duties and by the weariness which comes from the strain and complexity of modern life. Hie world is so noisy that it is fatally easy t grow deaf to the voice of God. W know that mere attendance at meetings can never he made the test of Christian discipleship. which concerns the whole of life; hut the very fact that the pressure of our daily duties is felt to he so severe makes it all the more desirably that we should spate time tor quiet meditation and worship together.”—“ The Friend.”

r.slON OF Till*: CHURCHES. The prolonged discussions, hesitations, and reactions which have marked almost every stage in the negotiations between the Presbyterian Churches in Scotland, as well as between the .Methodist Churches in England, serve to reveal the fact that even where there is no real divergence in doctrine and order or in national and racial traditions reunion is beset with almost insuperable obstacles. One tact, however, becomes more and more evident. Those who have most card ally and sympathetically watched recent ell'orls towards unity have noticed that, while the leaders of the different Churches have frequently professed themselves ready to move forward to active co-operation, the rank and fi>e t> their people hesitate to follow. Jins m what must he expected. Ii presents the immediate task which confronts the various Churches, het the leaders oi the Churches turn to instruct tneir own people, so that they may see clearly the evil of the disunion of Christendom and become inspired with such laith and charity that they will move lo.rward with one mind to that fellowship which no one can doubt is according to t!:r mind of the One Lord of all.--” '■ Ho Times” i London).

THE MOTOR CAR AND THE TRAIN. For short journeys the motor-car. which goes direct from door to donstarts when the traveller pleases, and stops nowhere except at his desire, k better than the train. To lie hound to (..•itch :l certain train, to he dropped a‘ the station, to buy tickets, to get Hrluggage labelled, and put into till carriage. to lind a coin eiiienl seat, to stop at. many stations where one has no desire to get out and a great many people arc determined to got. in. lo iliange, I ' wait, to ” alight ” (as the railway <■ mpauies call it) at last, with the bother of the luggage and a drive all <"'er these are trials widen make ,-horl journeys by train exhaustoig an I disagreeable. To most people, a ionjourney by motor-ear is exhausting and disagreeable. Alter the first bundled ,V| ( >s. all except the enthusiastic driver and the hardiest of passengers begin to find that the heaviest and largest ear is small and inclined to bounce, th - smoothest road i rougher than Ho-well-metalled trai k. and forty miles an hour a more alarming speed ih.in - ... miles an hmr in U e train. '! he 'limes” (London).

KAlii.V i»A)S Of- AH not: in d Reference to the vagaries oi early motor ears was made In L: G. ih - .nLowe, one of Auckland's pi nicer m-> to. isl- .at a social evening usd r the allspices ot the milled ol the l.cd.i .10 Automobile Association. !;>' Gtiu fust he knew one d ctor win »e> new: hopelessly stuck up. as lie io .cd a horse belli ml. aml in 1 lie art m trouble the horse toned the car home. Personally, lie- made it a practice o! being followed by a hansom cab when lie was called out at night Lo a patient. The doctor recalled an <.ccasi"ii when Sandow. the famous strong man. v. as showing at the old Opera llou.se. Affet the performance Dr Lowe took Sannow for a drive-, hut wh- n they git some distance up Wellesley Street the car stuck, and a curious crowd of some hundreds gai'-c-'.ed round. It was decided to shift i' - Car and leave if somewhere for i ! ■ tiigli!. Here was where Sandow was r-■•ful. He put the ear on his had;, carried it into Yi" cent Street, and left it there.