NEED TO THINK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 234, 2 October 1940, Page 8

NEED TO THINK.

EFFECTS OF WAR.

PROFESSOR'S COMMENT.

The provocative title of his addreea, "Must We Stop Thinking in Wartime? ,, gave Professor W. &.. Sewell a wide field to cover when he epoke at a Creditmen'e luncheon to-day. He urged the neceieity for thought at this time, thought regarding our conduct of the war, thought regarding the future. The radio had a tendency to direct thought along only one line, he eaid. In Parliament, too, there was need for liberal criticism and opposition. There were objections raided to forward and critical thinking in wartime, he pointed out, on the grounds that it led to diffusion of effort and was apt to disunite the community. There was also a fear of what were considered to be dangerous thoughts. In his opinion, •however, elasticity of opinion was of firet importance. It prevented any possibility of stampede. A blind, regimented people would probably "crack" eooner than a free people. It was the duty of people to think; to say that it wae effort wasted was a mere excuse.

Thought, he stressed, prevented waete of emotion. Both in regard to overseas affaire and our local affairs there was need for calm thought and decision. He offered several instances without comment —including the question of the use of the Training Collide as a hospital. There, wae an instance, he said, where calm thought was absolutely necessary.

Discussing the position in Xew Zealand, Professor Sewell said that while our temper was not to object to thought it certainly did not encourage it. He wondered, for instance, if the influence of the radio could he said to encourage thought.

There was a lack of effective opposition in the House of Representatives, he suggested, mid he contrasted the position here with that in England, where the House of Commons kept a close eye on the Government, criticism on libsral principles coming from all parties.

Finally, Professor Sewell pointed to the "flux and reflux" of opinion regarding various subjects, from emotional causes. He referred to the shifting opinion regarding Russia. At the time when Finland was invaded there haj been all sorts of criticism of Russia and the strength of her army. Then, later, ■when there had seemed a possibility that Russia would come in on our Ride there had been a change of opinion. It was a little humiliating that this state of affairs should arise.

Very few people, he said, had taken thought as to what exactly Russia wa? about —and we especially should give that thought because of our position in the Pacific.