"IS LOYALTY WORTH WHILE?"

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17295, 5 November 1921, Page 12

"IS LOYALTY WORTH WHILE?"

TO .THE BDITOB OF "THE PBESS."

Sir,—Queen Victoria _ eaid that, . watching. the game of life, she was more and more persuaded that the players were all a little mad. The saying has been justly admired as a wise one. Will you grant me space to illustrate it with a few instances, aH showing a marked family likeness P 1. It was the experience of many a soldier that the good fellows went short of a fair share of cakes and ale because the rotters got the whole unit into trouble. Military law was more concerned to attain abstract by which--I-'mean, technical—than fair justice. The malefactor as. often. *» not got off on a technicality, but he had had his spree, and C.B. did not matter > him. The others who had had no spree naturally, grumbled, and asked each other, "What's the use or playing the game?'' .. _' • , 2. The worst element in Egypt, swollen with radical hot air, gets the upper hand gives the British government a lot or worry, proves itself utterly unfit to rule, and England decides to retire in its favour. The loyal people, who have given no trouble, but nave trusted the Sirdar, find themselves deserted by their friend (P), and in the power.of their enemy. Is loyalty a wise thing, or not? ■ .. . '' _• , _ 3. The Indian—in whom; probably the aristocratic idea is deepest-seated of all—perfectly happy and contented with the status quo, sees peace and safety jeopardised by a pack of Bengali clerks, whom a Montagu and hw friend- Mr Ghandi" have puffed With conceit, and recognised a« worthy to rule, because of proved disloyalty in the past. As a consequence, AnaloIndians now can never leave their; women unprotected, and are, if you please, actually sending them on furtough into the native States, because they are safer there than in the < Brit-ish-ruled-. Splendid 1 but would it not be better to join up witfi Ghandi P 4 ■ Does it pay to be loyal in the South of Ireland? Has loyalty done as much to realise southern ideals as anarchy and murder? 5. Our Minister of Education discovers that a disloyal taint exists among teachers and taught in NewZealand. Horrible! "I'll line 'em all up and make 'em salute the .flag; that'll teach 'em." The fact that we sent 100,000 men to the war, not to Balute, indeed, but to fightj, does not •seem to reassure him one whit, nor is it necessary to consider what they fee> at all. They, of course, are loyal, and so will not mind proving it to, encourage the others, wnen paraded for the purpose. Strange infatuation! To prove one's loyalty when Kin& and country call, and- to exhibit it when a tactless politician is too lazy to separate the sheep from the goats, are two very different things. And he will find himself butted by both animals unless he hurries quickly out of the yard and lets some good shepherd do tihe drafting. 6. I can't resist; simply must say the word. "Matthews"!!! This celebrated man did' unfortunately kill someone, but there agreement ends. On the Question, "Who.was to blame P'' being asked, a perfect bedlam arises. Heredity, education, environment, the unsympathetic and exasperating law; any factor but Matthews, shall smart on the Day of Judgment. Some even think that a feverish wish to be hanged inspired the murderer, and that if capital punishment had been abolished before, the victim might have lived. It must be very nice to be such an optimist, but it needs a lot of faith. Now, what ia behind all this nonsense? A thin-blooded philosophy that vainly tries to-fit abstract justice to affairs, and has to give it up, because its heart' is too soft, and its head too weak. Then, as it sulks at home, bold importunity bangs on the door, demands, and pets, all it wants. In the army, the M.M.L. oame' first, discipline second, and justice third. In I Bsypt.ahd India riot in speech and aoj tion come first, loyalty and decency nowhere. In Ireland—well, we need not say any more about Ireland. In New Zealand the silent majority is to be insulted becjiuse authority would rather i not go bald-headed at a noisy and dis- ! loyai minority; and. finally, a dangerous criminal must be housed and fed '■ at great expense because neither he | nor anyone else .is to be held respon- ■ siWe for his actions. « 1 *And the remedy? Alas! it is too simple to be used. Enforce plain jus* tice somehow, and if you make mistakes, correct them afterwards.— Yours, efco. ; VICTORIAN.