The Sun 42 Wyndham Street, Auckland, N.Z. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1927. THE JOY OF LIVING

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 192, 3 November 1927, Page 10

The Sun 42 Wyndham Street, Auckland, N.Z. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1927. THE JOY OF LIVING

THERE is a comic, as well as an economic, side to the protest by the German Foreign Minister that the “joy of living” in Germany is creating a had impression in other countries. Even Dr. Streseniann realises it is incongruous, to say the least, that the nation which deliberately ruined the joy of living for over a score of nations and, because of that policy, was defeated in the World War, should so soon thereafter be enjoying a gayer time and a better standard of living than the majority of its conquerors. This is the sort of humour that appeals to Germans. It is admitted, more in diplomatic sorrow than in honest anger, that thoughtlessness and _the joy of living are unfortunately assuming greater proportions in Germany every day. As far as appearances go, there are excessive festivities, while many of her national-activities suggest a splendid prosperity. These evidences of good times may be nothing more than the logical result of an enforced freedom from extravagant militarism —a happy demonstration, indeed, that it pays to lose in war. Still, Dr. Stresemann has deemed it necessary to reproach his joyous people for their gay thoughtlessness, condemns its practice as an economic mistake, hints at measures for combating it, deplores the foreign accusation that Germans are deliberately living beyond their means in order to prove the impossibility of paying reparations. Moved by compassion for poor Germany the Reparation Commission and the interested governments concluded an agreement with the German Finance Minister for making easier Germany’s payments under the Versailles Treaty. This arrangement was made with the object of reducing the danger of undue strain on German finance. To make a long story short and simple, a fixed lump sum of £15,000,000 to be paid by this year —or half the amount of interest charges to be paid by Great Britain annually to the United States for over half a century on war loans for making the world safe for democracy-—was substituted for a contingent liability of £25,000,000. If the world has not yet been made safe for democracy the Peace Treaty appears to have made the joy of living a special delight for Germany. A few months ago a British journalist toured Northern Europe in order to see how Germany, in particular, was faring after the havoc of the World War. His impressions have been recorded in serial form in the London “Spectator.” They reflect the joy of living in Germany. Everywhere the observant visitor went he saw signs of a universal enthusiasm for sport. Open-air exercise has become a fetish. The chief desire of each individual during the summer was to bronze his body in sunshine till it became mahogany-lraed. Sun-worship was universal, bathing was a national pastime. Business men go liatless to the benefit of hair and health, and every day ten thousand Berliners worship at the shrines of sunlight on the Spree, revelling in the joy of living at municipal baths and on sand brought from the seashore by the civic administration. And so throughout the whole of Germany, where sixty million people, representing a highly educated and industrialised nation, do not outwardly trouble much about militarism, hut devote their energy to economic development and their leisure to pleasure and pastime. The number of German unemployed is only about one-third of Great Britain’s total. Taxation is comparatively light, the cost of living is not too irksome, rents are not exorbitant, there are no slums in the cities, transport is cheap and efficient, and legislation is progressive and constructive. Undoubtedly Germany is prosperous and filled with the joy of living. The conquering nations continue to struggle with the adverse economic triumphs of peace.

“BROKEN TIME " IN SPORT

WHAT looks to be the first serious Split over the Olympic Games since they were re-established in 1896 has occurred over that old hug-bear of amateur sport—“broken time.” Tt was the English Rugby Union’s stern refusal to consider any allowance to players for time lost at work through playing football which caused the break in the Rugby code, and the establishment of the League game; although since that time all Rugby unions, with the possible exception of Scotland, have modified their former attitude to the extent of making a small allowance to players on tour. The present Olympic dispute is on all fours with the original Rugby cleavage over the question of “broken time.” Amateur sports bodies in the British Empire have a well-defined policy on the question of amateurism, which also agrees closely with tlte American viewpoint. But the nations of Europe, comparatively new to international sport, evidently hold views quite different from the traditional policy of Britain and America; and unless the International Olympic Committee modifies its attitude very considerably, it is quite on the cards that Britain and America will withdraw from the games. On the broad aspect of the question, it is a moot point where legitimate expenses to amateurs end and professionalism begins. The old definition of amateurism was too strict to last, and in most sports it has been considerably modified. In cricket; a professional is a player who makes his living at the game. It is a definition as free and easy as the game itself, but it works out very well in practice, where amateurs and “pros” play together on an equal footing. It will appeal to the average m'an as a most sensible arrangement, which might be more widely adopted in sport.