ONWARD AND UPWARD

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 260, 27 June 1932, Page 4

ONWARD AND UPWARD

Are there any signs of progress toward a| more rational world economy? In his new book Mr. H. G. Wells expresses hopes that out of modern mental ferment may come something better, "What is happening," he says, "may be a necessary parturition before the birth of un-

predictable mental harmonies. These millions of brains, perplexed, anxiious^ greedy, pl'anning, angry, resentful, vindictiv.e, aspiring, this teeming oceai^ of grey matter, may be traversed by currents and stirred by tides whose movements we scarcely begin as yet to apprehend, much less to measure . . . . We can set that tide going." It is easy to smile superior at such flamboyance. Mr. Wells on his hobbyhorse is a familiar figure and he does let it run away with him and from us. But if we look back at some of his ideas of 30 years ago, we can see that we sometimes have to go after and catch up with him, even if we are a generation behind. Nor is he alone in espying a great change. Other more sober and less imaginative minds see the same possibility. But both they and Mr. Wells see also the limitations of human intelligence, its failure to comprehend, or comprehending, its fear of new ways. Hence "the fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings." The world mind needs . more enlightenment. It has advanced a long way into the light; despite or because of present discouragements ; we believe it is still advancing. Mr. Wells asks, "Will man be able to get so far with his science as to map out at length in their due order all the coming throws of the planetary roulette?" Some day, perhaps. Meanwhile if we look we shall see change and movement and shortly — who can doubt it— the move will again be onward and upward.