The Daily News. THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 1922. THE SPIRIT OF THE TIMES.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 March 1922, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 1922. THE SPIRIT OF THE TIMES.

In the course of his lecture on the war graves of France, at New Plymouth on Monday evening, Chaplain-Captain W. Mullineaux gave his audience much interesting information, but he also accomplished what is of far greater importance by drawing attention to the spirit of selfishness which is so much in evidence, and contrasting it with the glorious example of our boys in their undaunted bravery and sacrifice during the war. In propounding the serious question as to whether those sacrifices have been in vain, the lecturer introduced a theme that contains much matter for reflection. “From 19.19 on,” said the speaker, “we have seen such an exhibition of selfishness as the Empire has not witnessed before.” Unfortunately the statement is incontrovertible. We have only to take note of the unrest and chaos that exists, not only throughout the Empire, but over the whole world, in order to be convinced that the war has brought in its train an upheaval before which all thoughtful people must quail. A striking commentary on this indictment is afforded by the remarks of some of the speakers at the Economic Conference at Sydney, one of whom, representing the Trades and Labor Council, expressed the belief that “there was a paradise ahead for workers, but there was a long and bloody road to travel before they got there.” The only construction that can be placed on such a vile sentiment is that the road to this so-called paradise runs through the shambles of a revolution, in which all the worst traits in humanity will be let loose to destroy and not to build up. It would almost seem as if the war had obliterated all the finer feelings of those who should be ardent patriots and nation builders, and in place thereof implanted noxious and pestilential doctrines that must sap the foundations of industry, crush all efforts towards betterment, and revert to the primitive times and instincts of the cave-men when every man’s hand was against his neighbor’s. It may be charitable to attribute this retrograde movement to the reaction of the war—a phase of temporary derangement of the nerve forces—but it is something more serious and far more deeply rooted, and can only be regarded as an indication that selfishness has run riot, and force glorified as the only lever wherewith to open the way to a paradise that, when reached, can only prove to be a place of punishment and bitter remorse. There is, how ever, no need to describe the salient features of such a paradise, for the Bolshevists have rendered such a task unnecessary. They readied it by a royal road, plentifully marked by the blood of victims, and having entered into possession, what did they find? Starvation, slavery, pestilence and dead sea fruit, and these are what all others will find if they travel the same road. Well may the question be asked whether the sacrifices made on all the war theatres have been in vain, and whether the spirit which animated our boys in the war against tyranny, oppression, and ruthless cruelty can still impel men to sacrifice themselves for others instead of sacrificing others for selfish ends. Captain Mullineaux has done good service by i bringing this vital question into prominence, particularly as he so aptly demonstrated not only the : evil, but its remedy, and, in so doing, inculcated the one great lesson that every citizen of a country should have continually before him in dealing with all matters in which the community is concerned. “Remember.” he said, “as those boys did (in the war), that, when you are dead and gone, your country will be here, and it is up to you to leave your country a little better, than you found it. The thing is so easy, if you get back to the spirit that took those boys over the top —the spirit that prompted them to go out and bring in a comrade

at the risk of their own lives.” That is the true end and aim of life—to be of service to others. What the world needs—and needs very urgently—is a campaign against selfishness, which has become the evil force of the age.