PUBLIC OPINION.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 May 1928, Page 4

PUBLIC OPINION.

A PRIME MINISTER’S RECANTATION.

“I used to vote against women’s suffrage. 1 was taught by the war, which taught me many things. I learned during that time—when the young manhood of the nation was passing through the Valley of the Shadow of Death—l learned, I. hope and believe, to see such things as wealth and prosperity and wordly success in their proper proportion, and I realised,? as I never did before, that to build up that broken world half the human race was not enough ; it must be the men and the women together. To-night wo pass the final stage in that union of men and women working together for the regeneration of the world and it may well be that by their common work together, each doing that for which they are bettor fitted, they may provide such an environment that each immortal soul, as it is horn on this earth, may have a fairer chance and a fairer hone than has been vouchsafed to the generations that have passed.” —Mr Baldwin, in the House of Commons debate on the Eranehise Bill.

THE FREEDOM OF THE: SEAS. “America is once more, putting forward her claims for the freedom of all private commerce on the high seas. The rival doctrines of Washington and Westminster on this particular point were contributory causes to the failure of the Naval Conference which met last autunin in Geneva on the invitation of President Ceolidge. Though this <<>iifereuce of three leading maritime Powers— Rritain. America and Japan—broke down officially on the ‘liiestion of the size of gun,, to be carried in the smaller cruisers, in practice great, difficulty w.i.s caused by the differing interpretations of future mm dime law in wartime. The Ameri-

can;. and ourselves are poles apart in this mutter; and until some measure :tf record can lie reached between us it is difficult to see how a further agreement tan he come to for a mutual limitation of naval armaments.”—• Commander Tvciiworthy, M.P., in the “Fortnightly Review.”

THE HISTRIONICS OK PFBLIC LIKE “ A man engaged in public life b like an actor constantly in the limelight. He has to prepare his face for the public. There are some rjualitics. delightful in privacy, which are no good on the public stage. 'These he must conceal, for they will ho misunderstood. The statesman must have a ‘ make-up ’ ; otherwise he will lie an odd repoliani, figure on a stage which is lit differently from that on which wo conduct our ordinary life. A public man may have a keen sense of humour, hut lie must curb it. lie must he portenlfously solemn about trilles which behind the scenes lie would laugh at. If he lets his humour get out ul hand he will come to he. regarded as light-weight. The people expect a certain gravity in their leaders. He limy have an acute and subtle mind, hut he must beware of it. 11c must teach himself to gloat over truisms and swell with platitudes. That is the expected thing, for it is the language of public life. If he is too clever and 100 logical ho will be (idled ac:»d"mie. . . .” Mr. John Buchan.

A SERMON Ft)R THE WORK-SHY. ■ The harness we are forced to put on day after day need not bo regarded as a badge of servitude, and if at times we feel the rub of the collar, it has to he remembered there is no other way of systematically performing our duties and relating thorn to the labours of others. Work itselt is exhilarating, and there is no leisure so rich and peacelul as that which follows it. How miserable, we re(lect. must lie the lot ot those who, without business, without pleasure, lmvo only to watch vacant hours tardlv roll h.v. Because our, daily tasks arc assigned to us, and because wc find ourselves fairly willing ' to tackle them, we arc at least saved from the conceivably more intolerable yoke ol

indecision, the more galling chains of lassitude. .In the morning, then, as ] wc approach the city and hear the hum of its traffic and workshops, our minds instinctively tune themselves to the deep diapason of its music. ‘ O unwearied feet, O foiling hands of mortals.’ says Stevenson, ‘ little do you know your blessedness, for true success is to labour.’ ” —A.L. in the “ Birmingham Post.”