Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, MAY 23, 1939. YOUTH AND DEMOCRACY.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 May 1939, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, MAY 23, 1939. YOUTH AND DEMOCRACY.

AS president of the Empire Day movement, 21 is advocating the organisation of the youth of the Butisn Em tr? “ “ the cause of the high cratie federation of nations should stand In P utt Xt this suggestion, our former (Governor-General obsenes tba while he does not prescribe any such phdosophy now 10l 1. sway in the totalitarian States, he thinks that, in the Piese drift of events “we might well take a leaf out of the book . Germany and Italy in a systematic attempt to of the Empire out of the paths of haphazard development and muddled thinking and bring them up to accept one or two simple ideals to which everybody, inespectne 01. creed or party, can subscribe.”

While the frontiers of democracy of course are not colerminious with those of the British Empire, tion of youth most certainly is a duty devolving upon the British nation and other free nations and education sure) can serve no more vital or necessary purpose than in opeumg th way to an understanding and appreciation of £ Xth v on which national existence is founded It it is to) bevoithy of democratic ideals, a movement of this kind ewdeiitly be genuinely educational, and inspirational if Possible all things it must be directed to awakening the full powers and possibilities of democratic advancement.

Lord Bledisloe appeals to parents throughout the Empre to make Empire Day an occasion for impressing onHbeir el ' ren that “the British Empire means Justice, Freedom amt Peace.” He adds that: —

From this simple beginning-an Empire-wide observance of Empire Dey-we Eould w™ Skater conMenee proceed to bu.M a youth movement covering all countries ol the would aim at the physical and mental training of fu tme cit and would, I am convinced, be immeasurably more potent than the corresponding movements in Germany and y, f . L of means we may slowly but surely redirect .the erring f mankind into the paths of true civilisation, progress and peace.

As experience over.many years has demonstrated, an Empirewide observance of Empire Day, in any full sense of the term, will not readilv or easily be attained. The reason perhaps, is that it has been found difficult in practice'to organise Empire Dav celebrations distinguished clearly from the flag-wagging and jingoism from which, as Lord Bledisloe observes, Empire idealism today is far removed.

Much might be hoped, however, from sincere and welldirected efforts, not on Empire Day only, but throughout the year, to build up, in British countries, a. youth movement directed to the advancement -of democratic ideals. An essential feature of such a movement, must be a direct reversal of the methods that have been applied to the organisation of youth in Germany and Italy. The German youth movement was developing with some promise long before Hitler attained power, but under the Nazi dictatorship it has been degraded and made subservient to principles of brute force and enslavement. A democratic youth movement must encourage. the members of the rising generation to think for themselves. While it most certainly would not lead to the regimentation beloved of the dictators, organisation on these lines might do much to enlist the idealism and energy of yoifth m the service of principles of justice and freedom.

It ds sometimes suggested that the great and even fatal weakness of democracy is in the division ol counsel if peimits and in some degree fosters. Even in light ol what demociatic nations have accomplished, however, that suggestion must be condemned as pessimistic and erroneous. The only danger that need really be feared in a democratic Slate is an apathetic indifference on the part of an undue proportion of its citizens to the call to national service in any one of the many forms in which it is made. That indifference is an outcome, in great part, of the measure of internal peace and security that democracies normally enjoy, but, more especially in such days of emergency as the ■world is now passing through, indifference and apathy in the democratic body politic represent a deadly danger which must be overcome if real security is to be established and continued progress made possible. Though the call is far enough from being made on youth alone, it is certainly very much to be desired that the youth of our own nation and. other free nations should be awakened to a true perception of democratic ideals and to a readiness to uphold and maintain these ideals. A most essential contribution to the promotion of a democratic youth movement of course is to set a worthy example before the members of the oncoming generation. It has been said justly that if the democracies wish to demonstrate their strength and their superiority to the totalitarian States, “they must show themselves able to solve present-day problems in conformity with their professed ideals of freedom of expression and action.”