CORRESPONDENCE. "THE NAKED TRUTH.''

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1917, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

"THE NAKED TRUTH.''

To the Editor. —Thi' defenders of this amphibolous picture plead that nudity is beautiful and that art is a representation of the beautiful. There must be no such clashing. Consider the picture as it is without the interpretation, for it should not require the allegorical interpretation to make it harmonious, ft portrays the morally unbeautiful pursuit by a parson of 'a naked and enticing woman of beautiful ligure into various lonely places on hillsides or in bush. The parson has no garments to throw over her, and it appeared that he has ■some other intention than that of recapturing and bringing back all unfortuliiite who lias managed to escape from the surveillance of her custodians. What is in the mind of the artist is not revealed by the picture. The pursued woman is shown apparently intentionally rather faintly. The picture was described as ''daring." 'Perhaps this was supposed to be a recommendation. But now its defenders, as did the picture itself, seek to explain away the audacity of it by insisting that it is allegorical. That may be so, but surely the improprieties of the picture are not thereby lessened. We do not gather grapes from thistles. 'But let us pass to tho inter- I pretation. The naked woman, we are told, is Truth. But does Truth require to be a naked woman? Is the idea that of shamelessncss? Again, wliv, if the nude form, is described as beautiful arid not truthful, would not the woman 1 not more fittingly be called "Beauty"? That the symbolism ot the picture as explained is contrary to that of the Bible I showed in my letter of February 22. The clergyman, if lie were a clergyman, could not have used it. /The pic-ture-monger evidently had not the necessary equipment or religious sympathy io enable him to construct a religious allegory. In fact, his bias seems to be against Christianity. Interpreter "H.A.M." informs us that the woman is shown faintly because Truth is faint. The character of the picture suggests a very different explanation. As an ideal representation in an allegory should Truth be so represented? Tn that case sermon and allegory are most disappointing and disheartening, for truth is made to appear as something that can never be laid hold cf—a phantom to cheat us. So the pars on fails in his great?, efforts to apprehend truth. Jt eludes him and disappears as he draws near. Broken-hearted, like the German count, who could kill no more babies, lie finds temporary solace in sporting papers and dies a hypocrite. Was the truth faint that led St. 'Paul into all his_ dangers? Was it this that actuated the holy martyrs? In the Apocrypha is recorded a debate by champions as to whether the king, wine, woman or truth is the strongest, and the unanimous verdict of the people was given in favor of truth in words that have become proverbial. Was it a phantom that forced Archimedes out of his bath shouting '•Heureka"? Perhaps after all the pic-ture-monger did picture the apprehension of Truth, and this was cut out by the censor. The debasement of art had already gone too far. If the picturemonger had no sense.of propriety neither had he any sense of humor, or he would have seen that his picture, if it represented Truth, should have been called not ''The Naked Truth," but "Truth in Tights," for so the figure actually appeared.—l am, etc., PROTEST. Stratford, March 12. THE FARMER'S LAMENT. To the Editor. Having read with considerable interest your remarks on farmers' conscription, and as 1 believe you are prepared to give both sides a hearing, would you kindly publish the enclosed lines, witn apologies to Mr. Bakewell?

"Why mix with this crew?" their constant refrain, Unjust, there's no doubt. Let us explain: Drawn in the ballot—outrageous, a shame! The country'U be rained, they loudly ' proclaim I From never-ending toil, ruthlessly torn, Away to camp life, just as relentlessborii. AVhat the country \vi do, now our sons are taken They don't know; but their confidence is considerably shaken. Thero are thousands'fof sons in city occupation * s Whose work in the office is just rJ-' creation; Let these idlers go, with honor and glory, That the farmer may pocket war profits galore. ■Gory the fruits, from their sheaves deftly shaken, Whose price ia those lives by cur enemies taken; Yet the farmer croaks on, exaggerating his uses,

Craving therefor exemption from mili- . tary abuses. What right in our land have city-born scum, Save to pay for our produce, or answer the toll of the drum? Yet across memory's vision a shadow may dwell If you'll picture, that mother, her soil's last farewell. Away in the battle front, heroic and true, Defying death's hand, defending broad acres for you; \ou plead the kine are many, your servants few: Forget, ye cowards, make excuses if none are in view. What a loss to the. country if you fol low not ty plough, Or your" broilers' spank not those twenty-live cows: , The cheese and the butter all going to waste, Though your grandmother made it and toddlers' footsteps traced! I am, etc., PATER: