THE TROUNCERS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3133, 4 September 1922, Page 2

THE TROUNCERS.

(By Eldon Junior.) The forward march of modern woman threatens to become a succession of trouncing®. A curious reversal of parts (or supposed parts for propagandist purposes) is "taking place. Woman was presented to audiences/as man's worsttreated victim.. She is now announcing herself as the self-appointed trouncer of man. Now trouncing may be a healthy ami useful exercise. It may strengthen the muscles of the trouncer and improve the morals of the trounced.

Then, again, it may he a. diverting interlude which brings satisfaction to woman and laughter to man. And such offerings' are not to be rejected in a world which finds increasing difficulty in keeping up its spirits. lint while I enjoy the trouncing of man by modern woman, f draw the Kua at trouncing the boy—as. a mere boy. Politicians are fair game for sport, lawyers lend themselves to th" gibes of women lawyers in prospectu. and the turn of the clergy will yet arrive. But boys should he spared from these ex cesses.

For one thing, they cannot reply, and to trounce someone who has no chance of hitting back is not good form. Further, boys (apart from the natural annoyance they give in early youth) do not put themselves on bad term.-, with woman. On the contrary, they show a submissivenes.s their young sisters fail to emulate. At the worst. they do not deserve to come within the range of a trouncing. Curiously enough, this trouncing of th'e boy is visited upon him when ho appears at his best. As Plato said, the natural boy may be an animal, but his natural deficiencies are suitably disguised under the garb of a choir-boy. Yet it is actuallv in his surplice, of all garments, that lie is being tioumied. In some obscure cMirch sheet the exhibition is presented, but it. has found its wav into the public journals so that all the world may sec the business. Choir boys are declared to be unreal and deadening to living religion—onlv because they are just boys. It seems that they are unresponsive to the theological implications and permutations of the compositions they attempt to sing, and as they are devoid of religious experience (so the indictment runs), they are unable to sing with the feeling necessary for the occasion.

On the other hand, the voice of woman is affirmed to lie the authentic voice, of religion, and a general clearance of hoys from the choir is recommended so that their places may be filled bv women.

On the merits of the case, this proposal has nothing to commend it. If you want- to compare cither the tonal quality or the interpretative power of hoys and women, uo to the Temple Church or any other church with trained boys and your doubts will be <|uickly resolved. Not that the voice of woman is to \ie wmlov-vvvtcvl, b\\t tlw bounty of nature in the provision of singers is not to be foolishly restricted.

Of course, this detraction of the choir-boy is merely a side-line iu the denunciation of man which the ultrafeminist indulges. But the world is kept going by mothers, not by spinsters, and without the hoys our troubles might be lessened, but our joy would not be full.