Editorial Comment

Progress, Volume X, Issue 4, 1 December 1914, Page 113

Editorial Comment

This is the season of “Peace on earth and goodwill toward men,” but however earnestly we wish for it, the world is unhappily not living up to that ideal at the moment. Writing in a British community far removed from the European conflict we are able to extend the old-time greetings to our readers and hope for happier circumstances when next Christmas comes round. The Year 1914 will stand out as one of the most momentous in the history of western civilisation. Great forces equipped with the tremendous resources of modern science, came to the point of clash and conflict, and swiftly the methods of the middle ages were adopted in settling this life-and-death struggle. Britain and her allies arc carrying on the struggle with a chivalrous regard for non-combatants, and an honourable resolve to “play the game,” but our highly civilised enemy seems at one plunge to have dropped back into the pit of barbarism; some of its warlike methods would shame a savage. Peace when it comes, will see the end of this kind of bloodthirsty militarism, and we may hope that the world will have had such a lesson of the horrors of Avar that other methods of settling international differences will be permanently accepted. : X : The year’s record contains many achievements in peaceful pursuits. It has seen the triumphant culmination of the labour of years in the completion of a ship canal across the Isthmus of Panama, opening up a new trade route which will probably affect the world’s commerce even more than the construction of the Suez canal. All honour to the great democracy which, undeterred by the failure of the pioneers in the enterprise, conquered not only engineering difficulties, but the tremendous handicap of climatic diseases, in bringing this monumental work to a successful issue. The new science of aviation has firmly established itself, not as a commercial success but as a reliable and invaluable reconnaissance branch of the army in the field. The lighter than air machine, on the other hand, seems to have come badly out of the severe test of actual

warfare. Beyond a few bomb-dropping exploits and the killing of harmless non-combatants in densely populated areas, Count Zeppelin’s dirigibles have not distinguished themselves. In one department German engineers appear to have made an advance, their 16 inch seige guns being a revelation to the world. These monsters, however, have a limited scope, and although their invention has revolutionised ideas regarding fixed defences, the transport difficulty is not easy of solution. * * * * Another marked advance has been made in wireless telegraphy. A direction-finder is being perfected, and in due course there seems no doubt that energy can be conserved and the distance of transmission largely increased by Marconi’s device for concentrating the radio vibrations in a desired direction instead of dissipating them equally throughout the whole circle of the atmosphere. Wireless has been turned to wonderful account in controlling the movements of ships and torpedoes from the shore, the floating object turning in whatever direction the operator of the wireless equipment desires. * * * * Motor traction has fairly come into its own. The enormous value of the motor in solving the problem of keeping millions of men supplied with ammunition and food at the fighting line will remove from the mind of the most conservative business man any remaining doubt as to the superior reliability and efficiency of the petrol-driven machine compared with the horse. Steam has not yet made way for its younger rivals, in fact its position seems more and more secure as engineering resources increase the scope of its utility. A revolution in marine propulsion was predicted by sanguine people when the Diesel internal-combustion engine was successfully applied to commercial ships, but the experiments seem to lack conclusive results, and the position to-day points to the superiority of steam in vessels of large tonnage. # S # -S The return of Sir Ernest Mawson and his Australian expedition from the Antarctic has added to our knowledge of that great continent where . the climate was once tropical, and great geological changes have occurred similar to those in hat are now the habitable latitudes. Mr. Theodore Roosevelt, the untiring ex-President of the United States, also made a fresh contribution to geographical knowledge by his central South American expedition, during which he discovered a new river, proving that all the mystery has not yet disappeared from this ancient earth of ours. * * * * In the realm of politics, great things have happened. The sudden challenge of Germany came in just before the culmination of the Home Rule battle in the Homeland. The rival forces much to the disappointment and surprise of the intriguing Kaiser have faced the common enemy shoulder to shoulder, and when this domestic controversy comes up in good time for settlement, there will be a heightened feeling of mutual respect and goodwill which will make easily a lasting result. The magnificent rally-

ing of the whole Empire to the call of the Motherland in this great crisis shows how the self-govern-ing dominions take their responsibilities. There is no vestige of doubt now about the desire of all to sacrifice blood and treasure for the maintenance of British prestige. When the people of England see for themselves the unmistakable signs of the resources which they have in the remotest parts of the earth, there will be a new and vigorous growth of Imperialism and a marked development of the great ideal of a Parliament of the Empire, focussing in the heart of the Empire the common aspirations of Britishers the world over. * * * * We are glad to notice that things are looking up in the building trade. When the Avar commenced, many enterprises stood stock-still for a while, but Britishers soon began to go ahead again in their characteristic steady fashion, declining to let even the Teutonic menace shake themselves out of a calm confidence in their country and themselves. Finance, the main-spring of business, required to be carefully readjusted to the unprecedented state of affairs, and the process was safely accomplished without that crash and panic which theorists had foretold. We are glad to recognise the courage, and hat we can fairly call the business patriotism, of many private individuals who have put building contracts in hand during the last two months. The public is applying pressure upon the Government and local bodies all over the country to go ahead with workers’ dwelling schemes, as will be seen in our news columns. The removal of restrictions upon State lending to settlers and workers should also help to bring back the building trade to its former briskness. * w * * Local and general taxation is being demanded as usual, without rebate or concession, and it is the duty of the authorities to circulate this money promptly. We have a good season in prospect, the supply of shipping is assured to carry our products to a market calling out for them, and high prices are evidently going to prevail. The whole situation justifies confidence in the future, and we shall put it down to lack of patriotic faith in ourselves and our kinsmen at Home if New Zealanders fail to go forward with business enterprise and courage. * * * * We are taking our own good advice regarding enterprise during war-time. “Progress” will in future be printed on our own presses, the proprietors, Messrs. Harry H. Tombs, Ltd., having purchased as a going concern the old-established business of Messrs. Johnson and Sons, printers of Farish Street, near the Central Library, Wellington. The loyal support of readers and advertisers has encouraged us to take this step, which will thus extend our opportunities of future usefulness to our circle of clients. This is the last issue of “Progress” to be printed by Messrs. Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd., and we cannot part company with a firm which has done us good service for several years without a word of appreciation for the Avilling co-operation of their printing staff in making “Progress” a journal of presentable appearance.