The Feilding Star. Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1905. AN OUTSPOKEN CRITIC.

Feilding Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 76, 21 October 1905, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. SAT URDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1905. AN OUTSPOKEN CRITIC.

A writer in the London Times over the signature " Vidi " on the subject of " France, England, and the Entente," is an Englishman who has lived on tbe Continent since 1892 residing and working in nearly every large European capital in turn. He has recently visited England and France for tbe first time since 1901 and notes a curious inversion in tbe national temper of tbe two races. Thus, while ho finds tbat France "gained tone" tbat sbe bas been " tuned up " by tbe internal stress of tbe last seven years, and has be Came at once more serious, and thoroughly, but not weakly desirous of peace, England, on the other hand, has failed to learn the lessons of the war, and has become de moralised by the passions for luxury and excitement, by the exaggerations of sport and by the snobbish cult of " form." Worst of all, he notes a general lack of moral purpose or conviction, an inability to generate any real spirit of everyday devotion to the common good. Only in one point did he find unanimity— aversion from Germany, wbich prompts him to observe tbat instead of denouncing German methods it would be much better te imitate German efficiency. We (nays tbe Spectator) cannot help thinking that " Vidi " has generalised from inadequate observation, and greatly exaggerates the extent to which this loss of moral fibre bas gone. ; Nations are not transformed in four or even seven years. None tbe less his warning is timely, and his advice sound