Excuses Are Not Reasons

New Zealand Listener, Volume 9, Issue 211, 9 July 1943, Page 3

Excuses Are Not Reasons

T is neither surprising nor disturbing that some of the propagandists for the Liberty Loan have been pushing it with the wrong reasons. That was bound to happen. Some people support the war with the wrong reasons. Some give the wrong reasons why we should keep on the straight and narrow path. But that is not a reason why we should leave the path; neither a reason nor a plausibe excuse. Nor is the fact that some advocates of the Loan talk nonsense a reason why the Loan itself can be forgotten. It means simply that sales talk on a national scale is apt to wander from wisdom and truth. There are never enough people anywhere to bring all the reluctant pounds out of our pockets without a little violence and deceit. But who are the real deceivers-those who are giving us the wrong reasons why we should subscribe or those who are twisting those reasons into an excuse for giving nothing? Most of those ardent propagandists believe the foolish things they say. None of those who listen to them believe that it makes no difference whether they subscribe or do not. The more clearly they see the absurdity of the "bonds for bombers" argument, say, the more clearly they see what the true argument is; and detect also the half truth even in that short-circuited appeal to the emotions. They can’t help seeing it. For however easy it normally is to find an excuse for selfishness, it is beyond the wit of anybody at present to think why he should not contribute if he can live on less than he earns. So the bad reasons occasionally given just do not matter. They are not even an excuse for shooting the pianist when he is plainly doing his best. If there is any shooting to be done the targets should be those of us who know how the music goes and who run away in case it moves us.