PUBLIC OPINION

Hokitika Guardian, 12 April 1929, Page 8

PUBLIC OPINION

HOW CREDIT MAY HELP

“Credit can help at the psychological moment, and those who control credit must always he ready and watching for the "opportunity to help. Hut tlm initial impetus must come from the side of trade and industry. The function of hanking is to he always ready to eater for an increased demand for commodities. and an enhanced manufactur_ ing activity by expanding the supply o'l credit pari passu with such developments. If the expansion .. . takes place before the signs of an approaching increase in demand herald the need for an increase in production, the well-known evils of inflation are let loose. . . Hanks, it is sometimes forgotten, do not originate loans. They grant them in response to application from their clients.”—Mr. 11. 11. Tennant, chairman of the Westminster Hunk.

THE PERSONAL TOUCH

“ Hie United States has long made a habit of inviting British people of note to undertake lecturing tours in America. Should we not reciprocate the compliment, and endeavour to grow in sympathy towards the American mind not only by this method, hut by using all means, including personal acquaintance of gaining ail insight into American art and letters, as well as the American individuality? Such closer contact could not fail lo he of mutual advantage, and we shall await with interest the response made on the other side to Dr Burns’s suggestion, for the. suggestion is put forward in all seriousness, and it is intended that it should he followed up.”—“Glasgow Herald.”

TS THE BUSINESSMAN AN ARTIST? “The motive force ot the great world of industry is something far more than mere enlightened self-interest. r l he love of the business which a man has created seems to me to have something in common with the creative impulse of the artist. It is the way in which a man feels he can do his best woik, bring out the power that is in him, and use the gifts God lias given him for the common good. It is thus lie makes a contribution which gives him real joy and self-respect in life. Ol course. 1 do not say a motive of self-regard is not there, as in all other, professions. Still less am 1 saying there ore not many business men to whom money is the chief interest. T do not believe, however, that that is the general spirit, the main motive. The charge that it is purely a selfish matter seems to me to., he quite untrue. lam persuaded that deep in the common mind, smouldering and glowing amid the ashes whi£h so often try to choke it, there is a real living fir© of desire to serve the common good, to do one’s duty, he it easy or hard, to get a good day’s workdone, to do the fair and decent thing by one’s fellow men, to find out truth, never to ho afraid to speak it in lo\o, to keep one’s heart clean.”—llev. Hi. Cairns, in the “ Christian World lidpit.”

ARE WE MAKING SPORT COMPULSORY?

“In the nineteenth century sport was not officially encouraged, and it nourished to the undoubted benefit of the nation.” writes Viscount Tvnehworth in the “National Review.”. In the twentieth century snort is officially encouraged ; it certainly flourishes, hut its benefit upon the nation ’s getting more and more doubtful. The more a man comes to believe that by shooting goals be is helping England, the less use does that man become. It is right and proper and wise that the opportunity to indulge in sport should he given to all. It is wrong and foolish that all should be compelled to profit bv that opportunity. It is not, ol course, true that sport is anywhere compulsory in England yet, but so high a value is attached to it that the margin between approval and compulsion is getting contimiallv smaller.’’