The ODD ANGLE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 113, 15 May 1942, Page 4

The ODD ANGLE

(By MacCLURE)

• POPE'S APPEAL FOR PEACE

One can understand the Pope's appeal to the politicians of the world not to let an opportunity slip for bringing about a just and honourable peace. Now, after two and a half years of bloody war, with the prospect of a lot more bloody warto follow before we finally succeed as we will—in confining the authors of all this bloodiness to the particular insane asylums thought most approprate on the day of victory, we are in a much better position to discuss the question, "War what for?" And the answer to that question is the answer to the Pope's request. What for? The answer is to be seen in the one-time capitals of Europe—in the towns and villages of Europe—in the cemeteries of Europe—in the unburied heaps of dead men, women and children in Europe—and beyond Europe—far beyond Europe, for, just as a fire beyond control is apt to destroy a whole countryside, so this lunatic dream of a new order has already swept away half of civilisation, and unless checked, will sweep away the remaining half. And it's well on the way to doing that right now. One can understand the Pope's request One can sympathise with the Pope but—one can understand that other ha.l <4 the cavilised world demanding. as it hc.s a right to, that the "amos be chocked and that the maniacal incendiarists who started the conflagration be caught—and dealt with. And one can sympathise, too, with the victims in Europe— and beyond Europe. As lar beyond Europe, at anv rate as the south-west I'acilic in 'which we happen to live—and desire to live oar own way—under the old order ot things in which Christianity and all that that word implies, prevails. Our politicians are hardly likely to kt slip any opportunities that present themselves of bringing about "a just and honourable peace." At present they, like we who send them into our democratic councils of State, have the same idea of what constitutes '"a just and honourable" peace. And that idea is not the same as the Axis' idea. And the Axis Powers' idea is not the Pope's idea. \'ot by a long chalk. It wasn't Bismarck s; it wasn't the Kaiser's; it isn't Hitler's; and it isn't Mussolini's. Nor Japan's. No just and honourable peace is possible to-day. Only war to the death—with those Powers which have brought death and destruction to one half of the world—and offer worse toan deatn to the other half—and the destruction of all that a thousand years of British ideals and Christian practice have brought into being. ~ War— what for? To preserve all that is best, ail that is decent, all that matters. That is, all that the barbarian hordes have left to us of our heritage. That is why our sons burn, drown and die a thousand horrible deaths so that we may cling to that heritage. And will pass it on. And they who have made the great sacrifice passed on believing we would. Can we compromise now? Take your time and think it over.

• IN PASSING The point is made by a correspondent that -Mrs. Grigg missed a glorious opportunity in her maiden speech in the Ilcuse in not stressing the need for some housing provision for expectant mothers and other distressed mothers with young children. The wonder is that no member seems anyway interested in mothers, even without children. There is time yet, though, for the new lady member to use the glorious opportunity that is hers to do something for the unfortunate members of her sex who are, to use the military expression, being "crimed" these days for bringing children into the world. For that's what it amounts to.

O GLAMOUR GIRLS Life was never the same to Dad and Dave after they arrived back in the bush from Sydney, where they'd seen the "glamour girl show." It couldn't be. Daci was not only able to follow the opinions expressed by the Rev. C. F. Mac Alpine, Moderator of the N.S.W. Presbyterian Assembly when he denounced the glamour girl as being responsible for the world's being out of harmonv these (la.v 3, but he was away ahead, miles ahead of the aforesaid cleric. Dad "never knew they made 'em like that." and f'rr the next month Gumtown seemed flat. Dave, too, felt the

"stirrings of emotion" the reverend gent lonian mentioned, and the heavy beauty of Raspberry and the other cows lost their appeal. And yet viewed rightly, these glamour girls have added to the beauty of the world we live in, and done their share to brighten our miserable lives. Their "brazen effrontery" and "audacious" costumes, "vulgar" and all as they may appear to some of our burnt-out old men, . certainly have an appeal which at least some of these laddies' girl friends often have not. "Vulgarity" Is a word capable of definition by glamour girls, too, however, and there have been occasions when the word could easily have been used by these "sinful," "blatant" but nicely proportioned lassies to describe the antics adopted by some of our clerics in their pursuit of bigger and still bigger audiences—so let's not throw stones. And book me a front seat next time they put a show on here. I could gaze on 'em for hours on end—and so could all your male readers—if you were only honest enough to admit it.