Correspondence

Levin Daily Chronicle, 6 March 1917, Page 1

Correspondence

[Our correspondents' opinions are their own; the responsibility of editorial ones makes sufficient ballast for -the editor's shoulders). PEOPLE, THINK 1 (To the Editor).

Sir, —Will the people of the British Empire repent? Some public ■writers think Britain will emerge victorious out of the present struggle placing their confidence in the two Admirals (Jellicoe and Beatty) 'recognition of the Deity. lam glad such men are at the head of the navy. But what about our politicians and the great mass of the people? It is futile to paint the Germans as sinners above all other men. They are unquestionably great criminals. But were the Allies saints before the war? I think they were a little better than the Germans. As to the war—the German were the aggressors, and to that extent are most blameworthy. But what about our own blood guiltiness? We are as a nation destroying our own kith and tin to the tune of hundreds of thousands a year of drink tragedies. Two and a half years have rolled away, but neither the multitude nor their rulers show any signs of repentance. Like the Israelites, wo have assumed that we are God's chosen people, but it is pure audacity. God is no respecter of persons or nations. ' We, as a nation, are wedded to our national sins of drunkenness, smoking, grumbling and uncleanliness. general attitude, conidering we are a Our professedly Christian nation is amazing. The gaiety exhibited, the picture shows, all .filled ,the racing—all indicates that as a community we have no sense of decency, much less of repentance. We live in an age of abject moral cowardice, when no man appears to be willing to denounce the lo wstandard of life common to-day. If we are bettor in any way than the other nations it is in but a email degree. The Germans have indulged in the lust of conquest—have coveted their neighbours' territories; while we, satiated with possessions, have become so emasculated that we sat down to live a life of lust and dissipation. It was this conduct that caused the Germans to conclude we were a decadent people, and there can be no mistake but that we are. Prosperity and almost universal drunkenness has degraded large masses of the people 'ill they threaten to destroy our free institutions; while both church and State, as in Germany, has been corrupted so that no effective barrier has been set up to prevent the people committing national suicide. Pharoah might have saved Egypt. Our rulers might save Britain. If Britain is saved in its sins it will be the first time in the history of the world eucli a phenomenon lias been seen. The Military Appeal Board has expressed itself strongly on the question of horse-racing during the time of the war. Unlike our politicians, they are independent of votes, so can apeak their minds. I recognise that horse racing is a mischievous sport, but compared with the manufacture of booze it is mnocency itself. What are we to think of a Government who allow eligible men to be employed in destroying good food and converting it into poisonous beverages during war time?—l am, etc., AN HONEST SCEPTIC NO. 2. Heatherlea, March 3rd, 1917.