Plea for New Line of Thought

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 31, 31 October 1932, Page 11

Plea for New Line of Thought

Sir,—Kindly grant me space to reply to “Pro Patria’s” letter in your edition •of the 25th inst.

Lt appears that an attempt is being made to victimise a teacher because of his association with a paper styled “The Soviet News.” What is the country coming to, and why are Civil Servants, especially school teachers, made the butt of so many cowardly attacks? They have as ordinary citizens the right to their own views and expression thereof. It is time these attacks on our Public Servants ceased.

In prosperous times the ordinary servants were not overpaid, but now they have suffered silently a heavy reduction in salaries and in many cases received a decided increase of work. Does it oceur to “Pro Patria” that the whole open-minded section of the community throughout the world is watching with interest the progress of the Soviet Union? We in this country have not proved ourselves capable of managing our own affairs, let alone competent to criticise or condemn the methods of other countries. The teacher in question is doubtless a man _of intelligence, approaches his subject with an unbiased mind, and if. in his investigations he has found something beneficial to the common cause, I admire him for having grit enough to publish it. What the world wants to-day is a revolution, not of blood but of thought, to combat the world-wide greed and selfishness which is the root cause of our present difficulties. Our politicians will get us nowhere. Planning and thinking along established lines will achieve nothing. Any man or woman who expresses a new line of thought should be encouraged, not victimised. I say encourage any newline of thought. Save our youth, our greatest asset, by setting them to work profitably and real economy and progress will bo our reward. —I am, etc., NOT A PUBLIC SERVANT. Wellington, October 26.