BETTER THAN CROAKING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 25 August 1914, Page 4

BETTER THAN CROAKING.

In any stirring crisis there will always be found pessimists and cioakers —the people who are extremely sensitive to fear which, to tlicm, is equivalent to danger. The present war time has produced its quota of croakers, and it is astonishing to find them cropping up in all sorts of unexpected places. They are more to bo pitied that blamed, but the misfortune m that they do a lot of ham directly and indirectly. Only recently this was in evidence at a dairy factory meeting when the prospects of the shareholders were damped by a statement that the outlook for produce was black, but the majority present had the good sense to be optimistic and to voice their opinions in that direction. All the same, there, may bo not a few dairymen who are crushed with the possibility of receiving only sixpence a pound for their butter, and that means ruin would be staring them in the face. It is a crisis of this sort that shows what men are made of, and they will do well to take their courage in their hands and hope for the best In reality there is not the slightest cause for pessimism. There is every prospect of satisfactory prices. Instead of giving way to this deploiable weakness, there should be a united and well-sustained effort to minimise, as fai as possible, the effect of the war 0,1 those who form the masses of the people —the industrial classes. It has already been pointed out bow greatly the Home Country people would be helped by orders for goods from the dominions ia greater volume than ever, and by promptly paying for them. In New Zealand wo are just entering our summer, but in England the best of the year has gone, and Before long thera will be the winter to face, and it is highly advisable the workers shall be saved from the pinch of poverty through unemployment. (Patriotism can take no loftier or better alnxpc than this. It is equally necessary to maintain the New Zealand workers in employment. This can and should be done without hesitation. In spite of the generous response to the appeals for funds for the expeditionary force there is ample money h ft to spend judiciously on works of utility. It may be said that self-denial will be necessary, but that is no drawback, as there is by far too much inconsiderate selfishness in the Dominion. Besides tliis it is good occasionally to praetinj economy, not with the sordid object oi accumulating money, but on the higker ground of utilising it for our brethren who are in r —I Horrible as is the war that is now ~";ing, it wili be ft blessing in disguise if it opens the hearts and the pockets of the people and inculcates the doctrine of the true ■brother-' hood of man. By such means does a nation become great as well as good, and that is what New Zealanders should lirn at instead of swelling the miserable ranks of the pessimists and croakers.