THOUGHTS OF LEADERS

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14759, 1 September 1913, Page 8

THOUGHTS OF LEADERS

, *_ , (?_>_['OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, July 25. THE MONEY OUTLOOK. Sir Eolix Schuster, at the Union of London and Smiths Bank: —"The continuance of tho disastrous wars in the Balkans and preparations for wars elsewhere cannot but be of the greatest importance, and 1 think it reflects credit on the money market of Europe that the .train has' been stood • so well, for the oeondmic loss has been enormous. The losses in men and money hay been truly described as prodigious and appalling, and the effect of such expenditure is incalculable.' With trade so active and with increasing demands for gold, it is only natural that a general readjustment in the value of investments and the earning power of capital should t«ko place. This is the process which we appear to bo going through now, and it is not confined so this country, but is -universal.. There can be little doubt that before long a reaction in the opposite direction will set in. 1 believe that the recovery will be as rapid as the .fall, and it is highly probable that the investors' attention will turn itself once more to home securities, which now-yield such a tempting return. As the public recognise more and more that

the higher return from foreign investments, even of the better class, involve a certain amount of risk, it is in the markets of our home securities that the effect of returning confidence will first make itself felt. It is a cause for considerable satisfaction that credit has been so littlo disturbed by the events of the last few months. It seems that in consequence of the war and tbe _ preparations for war on the Continent, considerable hoarding has taken place in various countries, and when peace is restored theso hoards, the amount of which it is difficult to estimate, will gradually return to the monetary centres and bring considerable relief. Peace must be restored, arid a reduction should tako place in the vast scale of unproductive expenditure among all European nations —an expenditure which must have the most serious consequences on the economic developments of the world at large." A RACE OF SUPER-MEN. "Dr. Harry Campbell, of the British Medical Association: —"The object of eugenics is to promote the breeding of a healthy race. It is theoretically possible to breed a race of super-men, to convert man as he is—a mere caricature of tho ideal—into a being perfect in form and supreme in moral and intellectual endowment. Although such a consummation is, for many reasons, impracticable, some effort should be made to maintain a high standard of human fitness by a due observance of the more glaring facts of heredity. It is not at present advisable to put any legal restraint upon biologically right marriages. It is.ettbcr to rely upon tho individual eugenistic conscience which should be carefully fostered in tho race. The great truths of science have not yet been incorporated into our religious and ethical codes. We still pray to be delivered from plague, pestilence and famine, as if they were visitations of Divine wrath, whereas they are in a large measure under our own control." RELIGION FOR THE WORKER. Tho Dean of Durham (Dr. Hensley Henson) to the Durham miners:—" What is called secularism denies the present valuo of religion, and implies that the only interests worthy the serious concern of tt-easonable men axe those which affect visibly and directly his material hie. To live in the present, for tho present, by tho present, cheats men with the semblance of evident reasonableness, but leaves them with a present which has strangely lost its interest and meaning. Thero are questions about the meaning of life and d-eath which demand answer, and insistent thoughts will not be silenced. Religion is tne answer to those "obstinate questionings" of the human spirit. We aro so fashioned that a religion we must have, and no religion will satisfy us unless it can answer those questions. Who are the men who are most helpful to their follows, whoso personal examples are most approved by the conscience of their neighbours? Who command the greatest confidence in the local communities? Are they not precisely tho professed Christians? Within two generations a wonderful change lias passed over popular life. Tho miner's lifo has now become full of secular powers and opportunities, and he knows himself to be one of the groat pohtica' forces of the nation. So for him religion had no longer the same obvious importance that it had years ago. It uo more carries its credentials so visibly expressed in social betterment; it has to stand the competition of many rivals. Ail tho improvement and enrichment of earthly lift*- which tho last two generations have brought . along to this world have no reference to the world beyond, and, therefore, if it were indeed tho case that our true lifo was super- , worldly and immortal then we must be disastrously mistaken if we givo our whole hearts to the world present, however rich and interesting it may have become. Moreover, all the. great improvements have been accompanied-by new dangers. For the wise using of his new powers, political and social, the miner needs to hold fast to the ancient wisdom wliich speaks in my text." IND USTRIAL EDUCATION. Mr Asquith at Birmingham!—" There are two facts regarding the unparalleled era of industrial development through which we havo passed. Ido not believe that agriculture was ever carried on bettetr or more scientifically than to- : day. But when we have made all .; allowance for that, not even the most optimistic observer can contend that ' either in the quantity or in the variety ( of our outputs is the most being made < of our productive resources. . The end to bo aimed at in any remedies is twofold'—in the first place, to attract our : rural population to remain on the ] Land. The process of migration and ' emigration, which has done so much to ' denude agriculture, ought to be ) arrested. Next it is surely our business as a nation to devise some means ] of developing tho whole total of ouir agricultural production. These are J the touchstones by which any concrete 1 and specific sohemo of land reform ought to be tested. The other dis- ' quieting feature in our industrial situ- ' atiou relates to the great industries < carried on in the groat centres. The ♦ development has been stupendous and ' unparalleled, but aro we sure tltat we are making tho most of our resources * in men and in material and in , machinery? Is thero not still a certain * slowness in the acceptance of new t methods of production, new processes I of industry, and 3 above all, advanced I methods of what I may call the mar- £ keting of goods, both at home and .* abroad? Industrial education, after all 4 tho time and all tho money wo have c spent on it, is sti.l in the forefront in s point of urgency and national impor-

A WI-SLFA r A_< RALLY.

The Rev. Samuel F. Collier, at the Wedeyan Conference at Plymouth: "I have iio doubt that there is a great spiritual awakening. The cry for revival has como from the great heart of tho Church. No Churdh is likely to move faster than the pace its ministers set. Are the ministers prepared to lead, to pay the price, to face the cost? 'Poculiar temptations beset the ministry, Wesley's dictum to save souls' seemed to bo the last work men could do. Ministers must look at their work from the standpoint of .the people and not of tho pulpit, for tho people hare their difficulties, and it is not easy for us to meet the traditional demands of the pulpit. Ministers must try to understand what the people need, and not go to tho before they examine their patient. Preachers must be collective in vision and individualistic in method. Thoy must also learn to organise. If they thought to make recreation a vestibule from the street ■ into the Church it was likely to, do more harm than good."