CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 46, 23 February 1940, Page 6

CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS.

FACING THE FACTS, i ——— (To the Editor.) Some weeks ago yon published « timely article by Mr. Marc T. Greene on "Facing the Facte." To-day, although the very existence of our nation M the balance, the reluctance of a majority] of our people to face the facts is one of the most amazing features of our New Zealand life. The lack of realistie war-time atmosphere, due to our geographical position and the fact that, except for the few who have sent men, no one has been called on to make any sacrifice in the daily routine of their lives, must be two vital reasons for thif casual attitude to the war. We Xev Zealanders are at war with a powerful and bitter enemy, an enemy who was within an aee of overwhelming the worid twenty years ago. Our Government hat declared us at war, and it is only oar distance from the centre of hostilities that saves our country from devastation and our people from probable anmhilation. Let us face the facts. . Wky waste time blathering about the justice of our cause, of massacres and atrocities, , of pledgee broken, neutralities violated, treaties torn up. England is not guiltless of broken pledge*, but the great British people are not to blame for the' mistakes of their statesmen. and to-day are less concerned about the justice oftheir cause than the fact that they are fighting for their existence and the* lives of their wives and children. Remember--ing sadly that the ideals for which my, generation died physically and morally twenty-five years ago have long aine proved transient follies, the ctuk feet, remains that we must fight, being thaakful once again that the war h waged away from our homes. I ta ». returned aoldier. and as a severe iDam prevents me from serving at present, I am lotli to criticise mv fellow countrymen, but when will they realise that we must fight or go under, kill >r be killed t