EDUCATION & INTER NATIONAL PEACE

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1929, Page 7

EDUCATION & INTER NATIONAL PEACE

(By Percival I*. Cole, ALA., Ph. I>. F.C.P., Visiting Carnegie Professor to tjie Universities of Hawaii and Wasiiingioii.)

If the principles of 'biological theory may he applied to mankind, life is a struggle for survival. The fit conquer, the weaker go to the wall, in liie course of untold ages of strife both animal and human qualities have been developed; to evolution we owe both the best and the worst that is in 11s ; the efficient cause of our existence is utter ruthlessness and stupendous waste. It is a 'matter of common knowledge that from half a million eggs only two or three fish may suivive to a stage of maturity, the rest will have been devoured by their stronger competitors. Thus pessimism arises. Nietzsche went a.s far a.s to maintain that gentleness and mercy, charity and Christianity are enemies which .prevent the human race from reaching its ultimate goal, the production of the strong and sufficient superman. From this point of view the elimination of war would involve the deterioration of humanity. Man would decline like the dog from the wolf, bereft Of his most combative and courageous qualities, atrophic-d in respect- of independence and fself-help. Shall man then remain forever like the beasts, red in tooth and claw, ravening for his prey? History suggests that there may be another alternative. Man’s finest qualities are

developed through strife of some kind; hut not necessarily /through war, In competitive sport, in 'scientific? and industrial pursuits, jn the conquest of the mine, the field, the ocean and the air, there is ample opportunity for the sharpening of the wits, for the discipline of the emotions and for the exercise of the willpower. if a man can become superman, he can do it without war. Alone among living creatures he is able, without, loss of freedom, to settle his disputes with his fellows by the weapons of intelligence and reason.

In private matters this is done. Without physical or mentral detriment to their citizens, the nations have abolished internal wars, substituting courts of justice as the normal agencies for the settlement of individual grievances. Into international affairs, on the other hand, the ugly devil-fish of war continues to insert menacing tentacles, a little intimidated, let us hope, by the warning gestures of the League of Nations, the World Court, and Mr Kellogg.

The war octopus may be likened to the hideous genie of Aladdin’s lamp. Although his deeds are formidable, he is himself but a hypothetical monster, embodied only when the lamp of human instinct happens to be -violently rubbed. There is a school of thought which follows instinct, and regards everything instinctive as right. With this school I am unable to agree. A dog’s instinct may be to fight another dog; hut he may bo taught to carry a basket - instead. There is then a. method of controlling instinct, the method of habit formation. If t!)o peoples of the world pan jorrn habjts of jqtpniqtjpniil goqd* will, the wap oefopus wjlj never be invoked, He will lie on the floor of the ocean, securely |)fjttjerl up, upril fche end of time,

Jl/llpts are formed by training and education, agencies which are capable of producing extraordinary results in the span of a single generation, i’ax et coneordia is not an impossible ideal of t)]e near • future.

Once the ploughshare of education has been driven across the rank, luxuriance and accumulated refuse of prejudiced minds, a promising crop of ifiternutioiijil goodwill can he quickly implanted.. Press pin-pl'jcks will he turned under, along with the unfortunate animosities engendered hy

historical conflicts, hostile nunul elements, trade rivalries, indiscriminate impoi’ialiasm and other causes of'international disputes. Instruction will emphasise common interests and policies, and will demonstrate the capacity of arbitration to settle questions which were once regarded as causes of war. Thus education may become a source of international peace. Education includes experience, it includes intercourse, it includes above all, the systematic instruction of the schools. From tlie standpoint of experience thorp is nothing like travel, firsthand knowledge of other countries and of other points of view. What we call intercourse involves not necessarily travel, hut an interchange of experience. Meetings with foreign personalities, the reading of foreign hooks, especially the standard works of eminent authors, must have a broadening influence upon every open mind. The international exchange of school amenities may 'be the first introduction of many children to a fruitful citizenship of the world. l«n----ternutiona! goodwill becomes habitual through deeds, and the schools may well raise contributions to a fund in aid of any foreign city stricken with disaster.

Ncgativelv as well a.s positively, instruction should promote international peace. There is need for a revision of school history hooks, which treat their country’s record leniently, and that of other lountries without insight. The result of luis natural tendency is not, on the whole, favourable to a spirit ol co-opera-tion and unselfishness. The cinema and wireless telephony are doing more to promote international understanding. A few formal lessons should he given, in flic schools upon international duty, in which vanity should 1

be subordinated to verity. But what is true and eternal needs no sublimation : the main thing is to seize every opportunity of inducing both adults and children to act as human beings, to whom nothing human shall appear to be alien.