“THE GLOOMIEST PAGE.”

Taihape Daily Times, 26 July 1919, Page 6

“THE GLOOMIEST PAGE.”

Systems of government have Vastly changed in outward form since civilisation began, but the necessity for t‘ood~—not to mention other necessaries of ’.life——Jsl.illimll'enrains. The pccoples go on‘ increasing, and they must be fed. No matter whether -they are fed by cominunistic, socialistic, or capitalistic method, food they must have. If they cannot get it any other way, they will fight for it. The starving man. who fights another for a crust, or the woman who fights her way through the crowd to the Shop counter to buy food for her family, but reflect the same spirit as actuated the whole nation in the struggle for existence. Many nations in the world .to—day cannot feed themselves from their own soil. Many must follow, some are already following, one or the other courses already referred tO- It is at this stage that national and personal ambitions enter into play. No self-respecting nation likes to go under, and the vision of expanded boundaries, and of an empire which will _keep others from “pressing,” and be self-contained as well, is invoked to the public imagina.tion. “But always behind it all is the need of the growing population for food and for the means to obtain it.‘ The earth is not filled up yet, but its population is zilwvays increasing, and unless world-wide pestilence or some cataclysm of Nature thins its numbers, the nations will continue more and more “to press on each other for territoi-y” to produce food. And that will inevitably lead to war and more war. They will survive who are best prepared to meet" the crisis when it comes. And in a world where men will fight‘ ‘for a crust, they will not survive who ignore "the need for preparedness. The outlook has been well described by a Socialist. wl'i'ter (as “the glooniiest page in

economics.” There ‘is no need for gloom, however, if We are resolute and prepared to face it. Better government, greater national patriotism, strenuous en(le:Lvo111', will help us win through, bllt':ll\v‘fl_ys there must be the will ‘to survive, and ‘HIO means to ensxure survival.