STOP KILLING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5250, 12 March 1928, Page 3

STOP KILLING.

BOOM OF HUMANITY.

CIVILISATION IN MELTING POT.

A wave of pessimism is sweeping over Europe. Wise men in many countries are talking of disaster. “I should be a liar” (writes Sir Philip Gibbs in the Sunday Chronicle), “if I pretended that I disbelieved‘that some of these dangers lie ahead for the human race. But I believe that the human mind is not incapable of avoiding them and finding a way out.”

It is a pessimism which strikes to. the very roots of social philosophy, and pervades the intellectual life of Europe with the spirit of despair. it is not only an acknowledgment, but an assertion, that Western civilisation has reached its zenith and is on the'downward curve, that the end of tjie industrial era is at hand, that civilisation is in the process of decay and near to death.

This writing on the wall is in Italian French German, Spanish, Danish,

English, and many other tongues. “Night falls over Europe,” said that great German statesman and idealist, Waltter Rathenau, just before his death. “Darkness is descending upon Europe,” writes Maurice Murtt, in a book entitled “The Twilight of the White Races. “The pro-, cess of dissolving the economy of Europe has already begun,” says Nitti once Prime Minister of Italy.

These prophets of doom do not limit themselves to Europe in their vision of mortal sickness overtaking civilisation. It is civilisation- itself which is on its way to dissolution, andnot even the United States, they say, shall be repaired, because they have within themselves the disease of death.

This morbid philosophy—caused partly by the spiritual shock of the war and its disastrous consequences in many countries, but is due also, .1 think to the materialistic despair which has followed the abandonment of, relig’on by millions of minds unsettled by scientific disbelief—has been most elaborately set forth in that strange and terrible book “The Decline of the West,” by Oswald Sple.ngjl.er a German scholar. “In a few centuries from now there will be no more Western culture, no more German, English, or French”

(he writes). “The primitive phenomenon of the great culture will itself have disappeared* one day, and with it, woi’ld history ; aye, .and man himself, and beyond man the pheno’menon of plant and.animal existence on the earth’s surface, the earth, the' sun, and the whdle world of sun; systems.”' Count Kerserling, a Baltic baron, and a German intellectual leafier, is also, like many modern minds, Exceedingly anxious. He, too, believes that modern democracy is overwhelming the old culture of our civilisation by a process of barbarisation. In America, where ,he found, the highest expressions of mechanical efficiency, he was terrified, by the soul-destroying effect of that achievement. He condemns America, not because it is less civilised than Europe, but because it is more civilised“What is so awful in Americanism,” writes Count Kerserling, “is not that it devitalises men, but that it simplifies. the physic organism to an un-heard-of degree. America proves x that a complete and inner life can be lived without a soul, without intellectual interests, without cultivating feeling . . .. And this implies to a fearful danger.” '

All this is unmitigated gloom, leading to despair. Is it true, or is iti only the dark illusion of morbid minds? I disbelieve that some of these dangers lie ahead for the human race, but I believe that the human mind is not incapable of avoiding them and finding a w.ay out.

It is likely op all evidence that wc are reaching the limit of industrial development, and that the furious competition in machine-made goods will be beaten back, so that nations will have to be more self-supporting and not dependent on export trade. That is not .wholly a dismal prospect, though the transition stage .will be, painful anl perhaps tragic in many countries. •

It is right and natural’ for man to base his life upon the land which is the source of real wealth. The d’sintegraton of enormous cities,, and a more general retum’tpthe fields and woods might be a blessing rather than a curse.

The simplication of life with less needs and less luxuries may bring back happiness, which seems to have fled from many centres; of our present civilisation. We may be going to the dogs, but, as Chesterton says, they may be “rather jolly dogs.” The immense perils which tlie pessimist sees arc not imaginary. Their results will be world calamity if there is not intelligence enough to; deal with them a,nd control them. Tlie weakening of the white races will undoubtedly lead to an overwhelming tide of colour unless the’ white races 'decide to stop killing each other —not beyond the range of human intelligence—and co-operate instead of compete with each other. ' By acknowlelging the rights of the coloured races, a gradual withdrawal froni old forms of dominations according as the control and possibilities of self-government, there may be friendly communication and intercourse which will! avoid wortd-war and a “fighting retreat.” A spiritual understanding of other human minds, racial instincts, and needs of life may lead to a solution of many econimic problems and causes of conflict. A world-wide system of co-opera-tion and distribution by which the products most easily produced in. one country may be exchanged for those most easily produced in another, instead of all producing the same kind of things, would lead to less fever of competition and less waste of human energy.

The genius of the human mind which has investigated so many secrets of Nature with such marvellous

skill, is not incapable of re-shaping its own destiny and frustrating the evil forces which are threatening the future 'life of mankind.

I do not she many signs as yet that human intelligence is on the up grade or that man’s spiritual nature is alvancing to high altitudes. O’n the contrary, there are signs of decadence and weakening will power in many aspects of modern civilisation. But we have the possibility withinourselves of improving our minds and our manners. Upon that possibility depends the fate -of civilisationand all that makes life good to us.