A BASIS FOR PLANNING

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 36, 6 November 1943, Page 4

A BASIS FOR PLANNING

In his address to the Presbyterian General Assembly, the Model ator, the Rt. Rev. D. C. Herron, rightly emphasized the importance of a moral basis for post-war planning. The function of the. Chui ch in this respect is, lie says in effect, to carry this to the consciousness of the people. It is not the first time this note has been struck. Mr. Herron’s theme has been the subject, of earnest discussion among laymen as well as among churchmen since the war. began, there is now an impressive consensus of opinion that to ignore or underestimate the fundamental requirement of successful post-M’ar planning stressed by him, would be to court failures and disappointments likely to be attended by social unrests, perhaps worse. Such historic documents as the Atlantic Charter and the Moscow Agreement are in the nature of moral obligations placed upon the great nations.. The domestic policies of these nations must express similar obligations it they are to be in harmony with the principles therein enunciated. As these policies derive from the citizens tl.wmselves the matter resolves itself in the final analysis back to the individual. Nations will be called upon to choose between self-interest and the common good of the international community. They will be the bettei armed to make the right decision if their citizens, as individuals, possess the moral stamina for the renunciation of self-interest, when tle common good demands it. It is undeniably true that materialism, and State policies based on materialistic considerations calculated to make irresistible appeals to electors, have tended to weaken the moral stamina of the individual citizen. It is as undeniably essential that the moral stamina of citizenship as a whole will have to be reinvigoi ated by some means that will result in the permeation throughout society of a higher concept of ethical standards in principle and practice. .In illustration oft the current of contemporary thinking on the subject it may ie opportune and provocative of thought to refer to some observations bv W. J. Blyton, writing on “Social Service” in the August National RcviciU. Stressing the point that social security, business moiahty, covenants between men, the sex and family ties depend in the List resort on such qualities as human reliability, principle and chaiacter, he When force or pressure break down in industrial and. political stresses, wliat purchase have you over the stormy myriads of ininianity? “An appeal to goodwill.” What is their goodwill made of I Wlint is'it worth? What is it based on? These are the all-important questions for our human society in tlie future, in Britain and in the ' world. Yet how many popular politicians and journalists and t e t listeners dwell exclusively among this display of surface notions - “the power of the vote,* the “setting up of a new State department inspectors, a new law, as solutions to the huge moral problem wine

is human life? This writer is clearly convinced, as an increasing number of tholightfu and responsible people are beginning to see, that, as he puts it, . it is religion only which keeps man ‘honest in the dark,’ and ensures a higher standard of behaviour than can be had by public opinion or the risk of being found out. Any large or small modern community absolutely requires this mainspring, this source of ideal renewal, else one’s laws and arrangements will become in no short time a dead letter.” We have only to reflect upon the above observations in the liuht of our own experiences to be convinced of the truth enunciated by the Moderator of the Presbyterian Assembly in his admirable address that post-war planning without a strong and enduring moral basis v/ill simply be building on sand. The “New Order must be nearer the Red Cross than the Red Flag.