THOUGHTS BY THE WAY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 145, 16 December 1924, Page 9

THOUGHTS BY THE WAY

■"•■/■■'•■ . TO. THE EDITOR. . . ■' Sir,—On Saturday afternoon, I heard the sound' of a military band on the Quay; outside my hotel, so I hurried out, and, marching towards Parliament House, 1 saw thousands of young New Zealanders. Many were men with guns and bayonets on their shoulders, but more ; were., boys of the citizen forces. They marched with pride, with heaas erect, clad in tunics and shorts, show-ing-pink rosy knees. The wind was chilly, but though their knees looked.cold I knew and saw their hearts were warm with pride. I, as just a .casual onlooker, watched, and thought to myself, i!" They go to greet the new Governor— a man. who has mixed with the pride of Great Britain's Army. A soldier himself! What will he think of theso men, and these healthy boys? . All citizen soldiers, who, will be ready, when the time comes (though God grant it may be long delayed), to fight for the Empire and Great Britain."

They wore no shining helmets, and most of them carried no glistening arms —but what do arms and gorgeous accoutrements count if the spirit is ./not there? Those, men and boys were armed with something arsenals cannot make, nor laws enforce. Their hearts were steeled with love of country, pride of race, honour, and-justice. * As .a soldier, the hew representative of the King knows of them. It was

only yesterday that clerks, ■ farmer* workmen, sailors, and all, threw their trades and professions aside voluntarily and went across the seas those thousands of . miles, because, they thought Great Britain's cause was just. That same spiiit lives! Those youths I saw marching with those cold pink knees, and warmly beating hearts, have a glorious example to follow, and brave men to revere. , > Bands, playing patriotic airs, may move the public's, hearth : Spectacular parades of troops may enthuse T.ie crowd ! _ Political speeches may arousethe multitude on special occasions! But there is something greater than all these —the power of the moving picture! Its influence on our daily lives is greater than most of us realise. As a means of moulding public.: sentiment, it has no rival to-day, and yet we are neglecting it! America 'knowe, and plans' every resource at its disposal, so that the films may go further and further, and preach America, and the spirit of America. On our screens we see little but the great deeds (6r the indeeds) oi Americans and nothing of our , own people! ■ We must have pictures of our own good countrymen! We must have films which show the manho-d and' womanhood of bur own country." We have quiet, unassuming heroes in our midst, who may not be quite as spectacular, and as arrogant, as the heroes of American-films, but, for all that are something that our young people will respect aiid admire, and seek to emu-' late. The moving picture industry is something-1 am proud to be connected with, _ and it can mould a healthy sentiment and pride of country, that no ■other power can create. So, let us have mort pictures of our own country and our own people!—! am, etc., -. . - ~. BEAUMONT SMITH.