A MESSAGE

Grey River Argus, 7 April 1943, Page 3

A MESSAGE

To Women Co-operators 1943! And war tightens and extends its grip on the world. More peoples are involved in the titanic conflict. For thousands the struggle for existence grows ever more bitter, the difficulties of daily life more wearing. And yet each''day perforce, brings us nearer peace; nearer to the end of destruction and the start of that rebuilding the hope of which gives us courage to bear our present agony.

And when that future comes, great will be the responsibilities and duties of women. Never in the history of the world has destruction been so terrible. Millions of homes in pitiable ruin, thousands of towns and villages, roads, railways, and factories completely destroyed; the economic life of nations and continents dislocated and 'at a standstill. What a stupendous task confronts us—to reconstruct our world, not in its formei’ image, but juster, more splendid, more worthy of mankind than ever before. And more terrible than the most utter material destruction is the destruction of human bodies and souls, the tragedy of a despoiled humanity. This will call most loudly to the women, the mothers of the world: orphans, who can never hope to see their parents again, parents whose children have been torn from them and condemned to s an. unknown fate; millions of famished, diseased people, with minds unhinged by suffering. All these must be rescued, cared for and given the chance of a new life. Those of us who have suffered less must plan now how best we can help. Let us collect the helpers and supplies that will be so sorely’ needed. Let us train ourselves or help to train others so that sympathy and efficiency will go hand in hand. We who would I win the peace must begin before the war ends. There are still many powerful, resourceful and ruthless elements which found the old world very much to their liking and are prepared to go to any lengths to perpetuate the old political injustices, the outworn economic system' with its inevitable wealth and destitution, profits and unemployment. Each . day of war brings home to us that the causes of world conflict are primarily economic

How many leading personalities in how many countries bolstered up the forces of reaction, put in their hands the weapons that were to destroy mankind, simply in order to enrich themselves and gain unholy power over their fellow men ? And how many of us buried our heads in the comfortable sands of ignorance and let them work their will"? The world of our vision, the co-operative world of peace, justice and mutual aid, will remain in' a mirage unless we ourselves bring it into being. Cooperation must be a destructive and creative force; burning out error and building an economic democracy by its tried methods of giving equal rights and equal opportunities to all. Let despair have no place in our hearts this year. Whatever our tribulations may be, let us remember that if we will, the winter of agony can be followed by the spring of renewed life and hope.

We must prepare and sow the ground so that the sun of peace may find a germinating seed. Mothers who have lost your own loved ones, open your hearts to those who are orphaned and alone; stretch our ■hands to your fellow sufferers and