A SOCIAL PROBLEM.

Evening Star, Issue 22629, 22 April 1937, Page 13

A SOCIAL PROBLEM.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I was pleased to .see the views of, “ Try Them,” who writes in answer to my letter regarding social problems. His letter exemplifies the kind of mentality which favours the present hopeless and harmful morality. There is really nothing to be said in reply. Those who give support to such a prohibitionist attitude and are apparently uninfluenced by modern scientific thought will certainly not be swayed by anything I could say. We do not speak the same language, and, starting out from quite opposite points, the two views could not be reconciled. Unless we take as a fundamental that it is the happiness of mankind we are aiming at and that such happiness must only be attained by the utmost freedom possible consistent with the rights of others, there is no common point in discussion. Your correspondent thinks that we are here to glorify a Master,” and that desires which are in conflict with an ancient code of morality must be suppressed. He also manages to introduce into his letter a number of other controversial points which would need to be dealt with before starting on the question of morality. I find it impossible to deal with such a mentality, and hope to arrive' at a'ny conclusion which will be in keeping with the scientific fact and logic of to-day. Those who care to order their lives along the lines advocated by your correspondent and for the reasons he advances are quite at liberty to J do so. It is when those having more up-to-date ideas are compelled to act along the same lines, whether they know them to be good or not, that strong protest should be forthcoming. We accept the imposed rule of others much too readily and complacently.—l am, etc., Advance. April 21.