PRESS COMMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 3 July 1929, Page 7

PRESS COMMENT

THE “TALKIE.”

“There is a danger that in this rush to exploit a new and wonderful mechanical device, an art that was struggling toward real self-expression may ue swamped. True, only the most short-siglned will condemn the ‘talkies’ for tiier present defects. Kinema lias readied a point where men of imagination, scorning to borrow from novel, play, or opera, have conceived an appeal to the brain and heart through the eye alone. The most able of them have scrapped not only sound but caplions. They have concentrated on a medium that gains by its limitations. They have produced emotions that no written or spoken word can compass. 1 hey have created in terms of one only of the senses, and the rigour of the task has forced them occasionally to a real artistic triumph. The ‘talkies’ are an interesting novelty. But the silent screen was achieving a technique all its own, and it is to he hoped that it will not be wholly swamped by this latest marvel.”—“The Mancnester Guardian.”

PUBLIC SERVICE. “Firms which employ thousands of men lake tittle interest in the council whieti governs the conditions under which their workers live; and many ordinary citizens shirk the polls. They care too little-to vote for civic justice or even for ‘keeping down the rates.’ the fault is that the ‘civic motive’ of public service, which moves a sipall number of excellent citizens to noble jxertion, is narrowly limited in its scope. Nothing less than the re.igtous motive can do the work. The remand for voluntary service is large md wi.l grow with the growth of civic idealism. But ask a keen councillor )f intelligent interest in civic affairs j Ask a member of the council, of some .riendly society or* the secretary .of a .rade union what ‘ proportion : of their nembers attend the ordinary, meetings, ’ >r even read their rules I You , will ,ind it just as it is in the Church—-all the hard work done by a few. devoted .ten.”—The Master of'Selwyn College, ;n a recent discourse, reported in the ‘Cambridge Review.”

THE CHURCH AND “SAFETY

FIRST.”

“I believe that the present crisis in eligion—and no thoughful person can ieny that there, is a crisis^ —is due ■in part to the fact that thinking in conlection with religion has never been .borough enough since the days of the teformaiion, and to the further fact mat even tlie best thingmg which lias ecu done has not been consistently ecognised in tlie services of the .'lmrch. I think the Church has a peat deal to learn from scientists in egard to reverence for truth. In .'iiurch thinking and speaking there is ar too much prudunee, tactical care, nd worldly wisdom, too much playag for safety—these things have tco .iten strangled the witness of the lmrch to tru.n. ‘Safety first’ -is a ,ood motto ’ for motorists, but it is amanation of the Christian ministry, f we were always willing to imperil nr status, our prestige, or our priviayes rather than imperil the truth, lie ministry would be different in a •hort time. We must have courage to hink honestly and to speak frankly, f we incur public criticism, we must ice it; if labels are stuck upon us ’liieh we do not like, we must ignore hem.”—The Rev. T. REbndda Williams.

ROME AND GENEVA. “The League of Nations is empliatially a temporal body,’’ comments the Manchester Guardian.” Amongst its aemhers the Vatican would bo in an tterly fa.se position. In a formal jn.se it would represent a. microscopic .ation, but in reality it would repreent a great religion. Rut the League i a League of Nations, not of religms. Even if the Vatican were entitl--1 to membership by international law. t would be most desirable that meniership should be given. If it were ien San Marino and Monaco could 'so claim membership. Indeed, more iian til's. Russia could create a kind Red Vatican, the seat of the Third ■lternational, .which would have' just ,s much right to memliership. Mos>,m. Buddhist, and indeed Protestant *owers might follow the example thm et. The League is a world oreanisoion with its seat at Geneva. The R nan Patbolic Ph"rch is also a world >r«mvisa’ion, with its seat at Rome lie fact that its chief is to have tom* -lorary powers is subsidiary and purev .incidental). These two organisaions have nothing in common, and dthough the" do not conflict they arc is incompatible as fire and water.”

ELECTION PROMISES

“Candid friends tell us that we must expect no gratitude from the

electors for what we have done; that they will look only to the rival programmes of future policy; in fact, hat they will regard only promises nd will ignore performances,” writes Sir John Marriott, M.P., in “Current History,” the well-known Amoricar magazine. “I no not agree. I admit that with untried electors there is a danger; but it ought not to be beyond the wit of Parliamentary oan'ida.tes to make it clear that faithful stewardship in the past affords the best hope for the future; above all, that the only chance of a real trade revival lies in tlie avoidance of wild id ventures and rash experiments. The wiser the physician, the loss he promises.”