SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25739, 26 February 1949, Page 6

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

0 [By WHIM-WHAM] A picture of the world in 2148 A.D., after a third world war, is drawn by Aldous Huxley in a new novel, “Ape and Essence." In his story only New Zealand has escaped "the Thing," a weapon which devastates the earth.—News item. Anyone might have thought that Aldous Had quite sufficiently appalled us. His Brave New World has now the ring Cf some old. funny far-off Thing. The frightful Future then foretold (Though Aldous did his Best) seems old. Some un-Atomic Age of Gold. The Novelist, as always, .finical. Made all his Horrors bright and clinical. Quite otherwise is the Reality, Man’s scientific Bestiality. Bright gleams the Lab. —upon its Walls His filthy Signs Old Adam scrawls; Cain finds a Formula for Abel; The Stratosphere is scraped by Babel. Now Aldous, in another Novel. Appears incontinently to shovel The Human Race into the Pit His Fancy has prepared for It. A Third World War (but Who began It?) Entirely devastates the Planet, All but New Zealand! Yes. these Isles Where Phoebus (with a Permit) smiles. These Isles alone are left behind. Sole Home for civilised Mankind! A Tribute to be wondered at (Rise. Cabinet, remove the Hat!) To our Political Maturity. And Social Win-and-Place Security. Hail. Horrors, hail! If That's the worst The Future holds, let the Bomb burst. The Deluge fall! The Government Has Plans prepared for that Event. While Continents disintegrate The Court will raise the Basic Rate; Our secondary Industries Will lead the World (what’s left) with Ease: And Tvrer’s Band will prove its Worth— The only Music left on Earth. There won't be any “Overseas”— But Mr Huxley, tell me. please. When we. and we alone, survive. And no kind Visitors arrive. How shall we know that we’re alive?