SPORT AND WAR.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 66, 17 March 1916, Page 6

SPORT AND WAR.

No one, or no one who is sensible, demands that Australia shall go into sackcloth and ashes, and sit back from all activity, because of the war. Organised fc-stitvities, such as carnivals, fetes and the like,: serve the double purpose of making a little mental sunshine and swelling patriotic funds. And, indeed, many sporting- clubs have handed over comparatively large sums for war purposes. Had the functions that yielded such profits not been held, then the patriotic funds would have been that much poorer. This may not he a complete argument; it is used for its worth. There are, however, those who seem to see in sport the only reason for existence. The type, sadly enough, is all too common. How often is some sad-eyed father, from whose side the war relentlessly has, snatched his son of sucli ripe promise and maybe only son, compelled to listen to nauseating sport jargon. It may be said that it ill becomes any of us who are at home to talk about others at home. But there are degrees of responsibility, and on every ground of national economy, responsibility-freed single men, as are those to whom objection is taken, ought to be roped in by recruiting sergeants'" before married men. Not for an instant let it be forgotten that posterity unerringly will mark down those who played the man and those who play the fool, or the funk. At presen 4 -, the pressing question is that we do not engage in any activity, sporting or otherwise, that may operate against our side in the war.—Brisbane Tele graph.