TOPICS FOR WOMEN

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 132, 5 June 1937, Page 19

TOPICS FOR WOMEN

1. *The Schemed of Things By M.H.C.

In reading 'about the present situa-

Uon whereby a great many young men, ■"' prst'the age" which- is known as * "adolescent" now, have not only no * -work but little prospect of any, the ; thought comes that this fact is neither more nor less than a tragedy in each ■ life where it occurs. These young

men. have come thrpugh the adolescent

stage, with, m many no doubt, the ";'■ eager-looking forward to work which .;; is going to bring them all the pleasant ~! things of. life—the possibility of pro- ;; yiding: themselves with many little *' comforts and luxuries than they were V< able to have in small homes where ."■there were other children and small means. They looked to joining in

games—not to be done without ex-

' pense—and maybe to excelling in these; *~ they thought they would be able to have the many pleasures that come

>••' with a little money in their pockets—

".' pictures', taking girl friends out, sport, «! and many others of the small pleasures %\ of life. Some with a domestic turn and t; perhaps a girl friend "in the offing" -may ,*' have: dreamed of matrimony and a ;>; home. All these things are perfectly ■J right, and only the right of the young ?j people of the nation. Anything else T,\ is definitely wrong, and to many dis- "'! astrous. Lack of money means lack of V, suitable clothing, of opportunity, it may 1\ be, to seek employment where there l£. would be a chance of gaining it; in fact there seems to be frustration in ■ every, direction when the matter is deeply considered.

Another evil in the train of idleness is that "Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do." It is an everyday, and very, sad thing to read of very young people getting into all sorts of mischief and coming within reach of the law. Fortunately, in these days, there is not the bad old idea of clapping them into gaols, and, in a kind of way, wreaking vengeance on young and foolish, offenders. The modern way is to,avoid sending people to prison wherever possible, and many a boy and girl has had reason to be thankful to the kindness of those in authority and for the probation system. Thus, it can be seen that idleness leads to a number of minor crimes, though, fortunately, to few major ones —but there is little doubt that with every day and all day to "hang about" and look wistfully from.the street corners at those who hurry busily by, depreciation of character is inevitable. ■ The young people would be hardly human if it did not. Then arises another evil, and that is the gradual disinclination to work. The boy or girl has been idle so long, and when manhood or womanhood comes, they like to be free and untramelled, and not' obliged to "keep hours" or exert themselves to tiredness at.any time.- They become willing to be a "charge on ; "the- State," that is, people who can and will work have to 'pay for them, for their food and.clothing,- and for, all the amusements and little luxuries they can screw out of Qoverrimental allowances by whatever names they are called. They would not like to be told they were "living on charity," but it is a fact that they do so, as is realised by many a man and .■woman who has difficulty'to make ends meet and yet has to be taxed to keep the unemployed, whether really idle, 'or' longing to be at work. For married people unemployment has so many stings that they would ,be hard to recapitulate. A . writer in an English paper develops the little daily tragedies of the children who cannot be so well dressed as the others at school, who suffer cold in the Winter because they have not enough warm things, or changes when they get wet. Little ones long for sweets or toys or some of the things that the better-offs round them have; freely, and ask "Daddy" ■why he does not get work, rubbing in the sore feelings already there on account of idleness and its attendant poverty. When they are older the boys

want their sports outfits, and the girls some' silk stockings or pretty frocks. So the story of sorrow and discontent goes on, and family life becomes a tragedy. This again is proved by the numbers of sad stories appearing in the Press —not altogether wisely as it may be that one tragedy makes more, as in other things in life example is a dangerous thing.

A man in France has.become beloveu from one end of the country to the other, as he has organised a fund whereby, he can arrange' for parties of the unemployed to go for expeditions away from their environment, wherever it may be, and have change of scene and occupation for the time being. He is. 35 years of age, a boxer, a wrestler, and footballer, a man of

boundless energy. ,He has arranged with the railways to get 40 per cent, off the fares, and takes his parties of people out and away, places them by the seaside in camps, or sends them off in parties hiking, if they want to see more of their own land, and maybe, look for jobs in other parts. He manages the finances himself, and renders account to those who help. He has already arranged these outings for 500,000 people. He stales that it has a quite wonderful psychological effect on people. They feel that they have risen to a higher social level. They have

seen for the first time places that they had only viewed in picture papers or the cinema. Of the tens of thousands who went to the Riviera over 90 per cent, had not seen that beautiful part of the country, and 60 per cent, had not seen the sea. The mountains enthralled some; others were content to be restfully near the sea with bathing and sunbathing, and other pleasures of the kind.

This energetic being is now contemplating the establishment of youth hostels for those who can pay a little, although there are about 400 of these of various kinds already, but he wants to get his very cheap ones to the number of 1000. No great expenses are to be incurred; old houses will, do when equipped with baths, etc., and the simplest of beds. Sports he hopes to popularise, and to find those who have been onlookers, on account of poverty, and enthuse them with the wish to shine in whatever sport they may choose. It all sounds wonderful— but it has been done in France, a country with a very large population,

and few of the open spaces that are to be found at this end of the world. It is impossible to wonder, if by next summer, there are still so many young men unemployed, they could not1 be gathered into interests such •as have been described, and set on the paths of health and energy, ready for any possible job that may turn up when there is a renewed wish for such, and, maybe, better and more possible arrangements have been made for these young people whose plight -is in the minds of most of the thinking people of the Dominion.