NO WAR FOR A CENTURY

Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1930, Page 7

NO WAR FOR A CENTURY

BUT BAD TIMES' AHEAD.

CHRISTCHURCH, December 3.

Back from a tour of Great Britain and Europe, Professor J. Macmillan Brown had many interesting observations to make on world conditions and some of the directions that modern thought is taking. There is both, comfort and the opposite in his views. He sees no possibility of another war during the present century, but, as an offset to that hopeful oulook he considers that the present general depression will continue for a considerable period and that it will be at least a. generation before the world even begins to turn the corner away from present bad times. Too many people in the world is one cause cited by the professor for the present economic troubles, and lie thinks that natural birth control must come to the fore as one stepi towards better conditions. MUCH UNEMPLOYMENT. The professor said that during the two months he spent motoring aronno England he saw much unemployment, particularly in the neighbourhood 01 shipbuilding yards. Many men were to be seen resting on the roadsides, and in Plymouth and Falmouth tnei« were a great number in the streets. Many were well dressed, and all they did was to stand in the streets all day and talk, which was never a healthy occupation. At various times preo cessions of unemployed were eneoun* tered, arid they frequently carried banners hearing violent Marxian inscriptions. One curious thing was that in many of these processions the majority were children. It was all propaganda. Russia apparently believed that the world could be saved by propaganda, but it was about the worst food the' people could have. Jt was not merely gaseous but poisonous The people of England were dissatisfied with present condition's. It would ■ have been an evil thing if they had been contended with the dole. The worst feature of the depression and unrest seemed to be the raising of * a group of young idlers tending towards Russian Communism. The Continent, on the other hand, showed comparatively little indication of a similar tendency, with the. exception of Germany, where there-'was a great deal of discontent. Fortunately Germany was doing her best to* pull herself out of the deep morass in which she was. THE BR ITISH SPIRIT. As against the Communism and idleness of a certain section of the English people, which was the out-, come of post-war conditions, Professor Brown found the true British spirit, the determination to see things through, best displayed by the formerly well-to-do, who had been hard hit by the depression. “A love of idleness and truancy is a bad thing for any nation,” he added. "There is hostility between Germany and France and between France and Italy,” said Professor Brown. "Feeling is particularly strong between Franco and Italy but my belief is that there' will be no’ great war in tliis century. The nations cannot afford a big conflict, which destroys the savings of centuries. But I don’t, think the war spirit will ever die out, Tt rises to the surface even in the most contented times, "Before we get back to our former platform of prosperous industry, we will have to pass though just such a trying period as the world and England went through n- hundred years ago.” Once or twice, while motoring round England, Professor MacMillan Brown aml is d aughter picked up wearylooking women who were tramping along the roads seeking work. Most of them were trying to get to the potteries. It was a specially bad sign when the women of a nation were hard put to it, NOT FOR A GENERATION. "You ask me when the world will pass through the present depression. 1 believe that we won’t begin to turn the corner for a generation. The Western nations have lost their markets in the East ; the East is trying to make, its goods for itself, and there is chaos in even 7 country except Japan. So it is in E : u rope. There is too much nation alism.” Stressing the necessity for birth control, the professor said that too many people and to little gold were amongst the principal causes of the world-wide depresison to-da.y. Without the propm- spread of gold, commerce was hampered, and the whole world/suffered. At present two nations, the United .States and Franco,'had hoarded up far too big a share of the world’s gold supply. Tho effect on trade was the same as the effect would he on agriculture if America secured all the fertilisers of the world and loft none for agricultural work elsewhere. "So it is with commerce and industry. All the nations will suffer if the gold is monopolised” be said. Stating that lie had always been attracted to New Zealand and was now as'staunch a New Zealander as anyone. Professor Macmillan- Brown said that this country was getting off much more lightly than were most part.s / of the world.

At tbo conclusion of his talk Professor Brown walked out on the stone, balcony of his home and indicated his beautiful garden below, bathed in the midday sunshine. “I. was delighted to arrive back here and see all these 'lteaujti'l'ul flowers. It is the best garden T have seen since I left here,” he said with a smile* - .. ■■