DOES IT PAY TO THINK ?

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4923, 8 January 1926, Page 4

DOES IT PAY TO THINK ?

VITAL QUESTION FOR BRITONS. THE JAZZ MIND. We are often faced with the timeworn olid myth of “Nero fiddling while Rome was bin ning,” but to-day we are face to face with a stern reality : Britain jazzing whilst her trade and commerce decline (says “Restalrig," in .the “Scotsman”:). Is it nothing to us .that we should stand by and witness, the heritage of centuries of hard work floating away before our very eyes ? Have we lost our thinking capacities ? Are we dead to everything except’Sport, pleasure, and frivolity ?

For several years now over a million and a quarter of our workable population have been unempolyed. We have “doled” them until to-day energy and spirit have been knocked out of them. Don’t blame them ’, rather pity them. Indolence, whether compulsory or otherwise, has only one result—apathy to life. It feeds on everything that is pernicious; hence to-day we have at our street corners hundreds of idle men (and women, too, very frequently), "studying” (what a libel on the word!) the daily “sporting’Press, in order to increase their fortunes I What a parody on life ! And this the twentieth century, with all its scientific and wonderful discoveries.

And we jazz on carelessly, heedlessly, unthinkingly. Look at our exports and compare them with pre-war days ! Look at our shipbuilding returns! Look at the number of steel and other works that have been closed down—and in many cases dismantled —these few years past. Look at. our weekly trade returns. Yet some people say : “Don't let us think about it! On with the dance, and let us forget' our troubles !”-

“On with the dance.” The dance of what ? The dance of death ‘it looks like—death to our Empire, death to our energies, death to all enterprise. And, mark you, there are those whb .would glory in it, who would- sing lustily "The Red Flag” while our homes, built up by long years of thrift and hard work, were being consigned to the flames'! And who are .these who would do such things ? They are those who profess to. think for the people ! But their ways lead to destruction, not construction.

Does it pay to- think ? How many people can think ’ How many people do think ? Do 20 per ceiit. of the human race ever think in the real sense of the word? We question it very much. We' in Scotland—true Scots—have our own deeply-inbbrn. ideas of things, and that such ideas are fairly solid and lasting has been more than proved by our share in building up the greatest Empire the world has ever seen. But on voting days where are all our Scots ? Are they so busy ■thinking that they have no time to record their educational, municipal, or Parliamentary votes ? If so, their thoughts are wrong. They ought to be at the poll. The thinkers we require just now are those whose thoughts will emerge into vital plans, which in turn when put into full force will not, only resuscitate our fallen fortunes, but place our Empire on a higher pedestal than ever. It pays to think thus, because everyone will benefit then. The need of the time is a resolute leader —a. modern Cromwell in strength of character and will. That there are such -men in our midst there can be no gainsaying.

We have gone on tinkering with a serious case to- which a clever surgeon would have applied the knife at once. - He would have excised the poisonous growths ajid all tissues attached to them and by this time the patient' (the nation) would not only have fully recovered, but would have been showing energy more like its former grand old self.

They always say "where there’s, life there’s hope,” and that is the case. Our old country having a “ good old constitution,” there is no reason that she- should languish if the right physician or surgeon is called in. Such an one will be deaf to all howling ; indeed, he will apply his own anaesthetic to individuals who prove troublesome, < and deal out “strong medicine” to professing patriots who keep sending their money out of the country at a time when we badly need it for sound, workable schemes.

This "industrial Kitchener,” when he arrives—and he’s due to arrive shortly—will stand no nonsense. “’Dictator !” you all keep shouting. Well, call, him what you will ’. National surgeon is really more correct, particularly where wholesale amputation is concerned, and you must honestly admit (that is, if you really honestly ever think) that our country has, been in such a bad state of health for a considerable period that certain very unhealthy growths must be cut aWay completely. Oh, yes ; it’s going- to cost you money. You don’t mind that surely. If you cannot or will not think out plans for the redemption of your country’s welfare, then you mus,t pay for other people thinking for you ! After all, better pay and win in the end than lose all, which certainly would be the final outcome if matters were allowed to go on as they have been doing these few years past. “Does it pay to .think ?” You do not believe it does ! Well, then, there’s no need to, argue on the matter. Just wait patiently till the national surgeon comes along, and he will enlighten you. You will have ,to think then —not on the latest jazz, not on the latest film, not even on the newest opera—but on what concerns, the nation’s welfare.

We know you “won’t like it!” But you’ve been too long a spoilt child of Great Britain ! You’re quite right there—you did not know it I” And it didn’t pay bp think about it ! Ah I but spoilt children must be taught! And so must troublesome ones, especially when they start setting the house on fire ! “Spare the rod, you spoil, the child” is as true to-day as, in Solomon’s time.