LEVEL HEADS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 12 May 1925, Page 7

LEVEL HEADS

SIR PERCY SCOTT’S INJUNCTION

Sir Percy Scott-, the admiral, left- a clause in his Avill enjoining his executors. Avith regard to- his children. to “endeavour to keep' -t-lieir heads straight.” i 1 do not- know anything about Sir Percy’s children (Avrites “John Blunt” Jin tho Daily Mail), but-, speaking geujerally, the supervision suggested Avould i help many of the younger generation in these times Avhen such numbers of people are perpetually losing their heads and being le c f away by all sorts of unsound ideas. The curse of the age is really an unrestful desire to experiment with life in every direction, rather than think out for oneself Avhat is the sure read to follow. The air is full,of new theories about life and society, and many young persons are entranced by their mere revolutionary newness and do not stop to consider Avhether they Avi 11, so to speak, hold Avater. They do not realise that newnesses, in itself, no virtue, and that some of the oldest truths are the most profound. Youth is naturally adventurous and naturally, perhaps, contemptuous of Avhat is usually accepted, but that is i.o valid reason for so often flinging logic to the winds and following Avills o’ the Avisp Avliich lead only to disillusion and disaster. To have your head screwed on right is ono of the most fortunate things anybody can l)o born Avith. It means that you have been gifted Avit-h instinctive judgment and sense of proportion and that you are not going to be -carried off your feet by specious faulty arguments or emotional, unsound appeals. It means, in short, that you avILI not accept as gospel the ideas either of tho old generation or the neAV, but Avill think things out for yourself in a- levelheaded manner.

Some people are governed almost, entirely by tradition, others almost entirely by a desire for tho latest- novelty. Both such types are often equally unthinking, and, indeed both are assured >,n their attitudes by the attitude of the other. The conservative mind distrusts the revolutionary mind and becomes more conservative in consequence, Avhereas the revolutionary mind is contemptuous of the conservative mind, and becomes more and more revolution ary out of sheer bravado.