BY THE WAY

Evening Star, Issue 20980, 19 December 1931, Page 2

BY THE WAY

[By Q.V.]

“ The time has come,” the Walrus said, “ To talk of many things.” One Dr MTlwraith, who is an inspector of schools in Wellington, pleads for the inclusion of tho social sciences in the school curriculum, and the rector of Canterbury College backs him up. Otago remains dumb, in accordance with tho wishes of the High Schools Board of Governors. What are the social sciences? Presumably those dealing with man, his physical and mental development, his whence, where, and whither. As regards tho physical side, tve understand that a certain amount of hygiene is already taught in schools. In connection with the immaterial aspect, a mysterious subject called “ civics ” forms part of tho timetable. If it is intended to stress tho political and moral sides it might bo as well first of all to decide which authorities are to be regarded as authoritative. Tho social science of Stalin differs, at least superficially, from that of Mussolini. The disciples of Marx and tho followers of Hitler shoot each other at sight. The teaching of Macliiavelli is opposed to that of Bertrand Russell. Mr Shaw is accepted as an authority by many, and the Bible by more. Which doctrine possesses the Ariadne thread that can lead common mortals out of the maze? Rosseau held that civilisation meant degeneration, and that the nearest approach to the perfect man was the propertyless savage. Tennyson’s ‘ Northern Farmer maintained that the “ poor in a loomp are bad.” With the' slight alteration of substituting rich for poor this doctrine is apparently also held by our Mr Neilson, and was held by the late Andrew Carnegie, the latter saying that he who dies rich dies disgraced. Unfortunately ho was unable to avoid this fato himself; bat as ho is now practically forgotten it does not matter. Ihe question is purely an academic one, as Mr Downio Stewart has told us in no uncertain tones that* there will not be any money for frills for years to come. * .* * ■ * Ali, Downio, don’t be dismal, Don’t scare us stiff and blue, Don’t hint at cataclysmal Calamities in view. The prospect may be fearful, The outlook grim and grey; But think of something cheerful To say! It sets us all a’thinkirig Unutterable thoughts, This talk of income, shrinking To rows of meagre noughts. The income tax, whoso figure Was big enough before. Will soon, you say, be bigger— Oh, lor! Our Customs duties shrivel, The tote is running dry, The wealthy are uncivil (They won’t consent to die); Tho railways, yen inform us, Are showing on their books I A loss that’s quite enormous. Gadzooks! Expenditure is waxing, And income on the wane; There’s nothing left but taxing, And taxing us again. Retrenchments in the Service To bring tho Budget square; It makes a fellow nervous, So there! The good that hasn’t happened, The bad that’s bound to be, Demoralise a chap, and Besides, it seems to me There may be circumstances Which Downio doesn’t know To brighten np our chances— Just so! So, Dowriie, don’t he dismal. The pit of our distress Is possibly abysmal, But hardly bottomless. Seme Dens ex maebina May haply come along To show you that you’ve been a Bit wrong! *** ■ * Tho ago of adventure has passed. The ago of chivalry has passed. The age of faith has passed. If these be the current impressions they -are all wrong. There is as much adventure as ever there was, as much chivalry as' ever there was, as much faith as ever there was, Instead of putting to sea to harry the Spanish main, men now sail in smart craft to carry liquor to Americans who .are thirsting for it, or. to Scandinavians who also are not averse to a cargo now and then. .Read the life of Captain Randall, whose career from the age of twelve or so was one long adventure on sea and land, from the day when ho ran away to sea to tho hour when the I’m Alone was chased 200 miles across the ocean by Wo of Uncle Sam’s revenue steamers and sunk by gunfire in a gale of wind. The Venus was also sunk or driven ashore, it is not quite clear which, while proceeding (with 5,000 gallons of liquor) to a Baltic port. Wo do not say anything, .about the morajity of these voyagings, but they certainly provide an outlet for adventure. Take chivalry. How many of the Dunedin people were prepared to shed their last drop of ink in defence of Miss_ King when that talented lady was, if not attacked, at least threatened by her board? “ Eternal spirit of the chainless mind, brightest in dungeons, Liberty, thou art.” Wo do not remember a more spontaneous rush to arms, and it was the more striking as apparently. few of tho combatants knew what it was all about. Chivalry! There is plenty of chivalry if the doors are open for it to emerge. As regards faith, look at Mr Gandhi and his Join cloth. If his followers and supporters,, have not faith wo know not ’where it is to be found, faith being defined ns believing in what wo know is not true.

If someouo wants to make a really magnificent gestui’e let him advance the Cuuard Company two or three million pounds with which to complete the new Atlantic liner, which was to have been completed at the beginning of next year. The estimated cost of this 51c rifled canoe is four and a-half million pounds, but we presume that about half that sum has already been spent on her. Her owners apparently had an idea that the British Government would come to their rescue, and, though the suggestion was not received with three cheers, we would not be surprised if it does not give assistance later on. For one tiling she will, if she comes up to specifications, restore the blue ribbon of the Atlantic to Britain. We shall regain our old prestige and go one better than the Germans. Germany, although a poor country, unable to pay its debts and appeaSing to its creditors to look at the cupboard' and ascertain its bareness for themselves, yet managed to build the Europa and the Bremen, at present the swiftest and most luxurious vessels in the world. The proposed Cunarder was to go one better. Another point was that suspension of work will throw three thousand ClydesiderS out of employment, and most of them probably on the dole asi well. We do not care much about these gigantic vessels, with their palm gardens and swimming pools, but wo would like to see England regain her sea supremacy, and even more to see her workmen employed. *■* * * The cult of the radio has claimed its first martyr. A young man in Wellington tried to improve his set by connecting it with the, city electric power, with fatal results. Commenting on the matter, the corporation inspector remarked: “ This was courting disaster, and was against the regulations.” This is vaguely reminiscent of the Oxford proctor reproving an erring undergraduate, who said: “ You have not only broken the laws of Almighty God, but have also seriously displeased me. In the present instance the young man paid for his breach of the regulations with his life, and by the irony of fate all to no purpose, except perhaps to provide a warning to others. Wb have often thought that it .would, not be a bad thing to disseminate some elementary knowledge regarding the dangers of electricity among the people. Nowadays practically every house has electric light, and a large number have power as well. Yet the average man is profoundly ignorant regarding the possibilities of the electric current, pleasant and unpleasant. In the absence of precise knowledge it is safest to assume that everything connected with that mysterious force is dangerous,. and very dangerous at that. A defective switch may cause death. A worn insulation is more to be dreaded than a menagerie of hungry lions at feeding time. Personally, when we see sparks or hear cracklings we do not understand we ring up for an electrician (and goodness knows there are plenty of them), and let him take the risk. Electrocution may be a swift and a painless death, but when one is not in any hurry to dio why add that risk to those which surround us on every side? * * * * The Soviet is compelling every man, woman, and child in certain districts to labour m the cotton fields.—Cable item. You’ve got to work, you’ve got to , work, , , You mustn’t squeal and you mustn t You S mustn’t _select and choose your But 110 ’what you’re told 1 and shut your You S may be wise or a brainless fool, An ancient sage, or a kid at school; But flapper and matron, man or kid, You’ve jolly well got to do as you re bid. ■ . , r You mustn’t inquire the reason why. Or baulk, or stumble, or kick, or shy, For cotton’s the word, and everyone must ) , Go toiling x at cotton till they bust. The more you labour the more you J 1 So thank tbp fatherly Soviet, ' Which saved you all from , the bourgeois yoke . ■■ , (Don’t giggle-,: drat you! It s not a joke!), . , , Which found you slaves and made you Froni all the tyrants that used to be; Which found you under the hated Isar And made you—made you what you are; . , And gives you all your rations of rood, .And “makes you work—as free men should — Like galley slaves for the common good. * ' So stand up, comrades, and every man , Give three good cheers .fdr the hive Year Plan. So now' get going and work at top; Work, you blisters, until you drop; And then you can lie and sleep and snore Until you’re ready to work once more. We’ll give you bread and we’ll give yon meat, The harder you graft the more you II eat. - Now, where on earth did I hear the same - ■ Old kind of talk, with another name? It’s much the kind of talk, of course, A man might use to a Clydesdale horse. It’s just the stuff the overseer told. Ad. lib., to the nigger slaves of old. It’s much the same that the little waves , n Have heard, addressed to the galley And after' all, it appears to me That all this talk of the Bourgeoisie Enslaving the Proletariat Is a case of “talking through ones

They scream for revolution and riot. But—why disturb our wonted quiet ? Whatever on earth can be the good Of all the row and all the blood, When it isn’t worth the expense and

bother, , Just changing one boss to get another.