NOTES TO HENRY

Maoriland Worker, Volume 12, Issue 295, 25 October 1922, Page 6

NOTES TO HENRY

Dear Henry,—One dfty a y visitor arrived at a small village. Wanting a

hair-cut, he strolled into the local den

and made known his business. "Yes, all right," said the barber, and then called through a doorway: "Jinimie, run over and ask the editor for the scissors: I got a customer." . That is the type of editor without ideas. It is not the type that need trouble you while so many others are after your economic scalp; others, of a brand that are compelled by their position of servitude to pjopagare ideas in a continuous stream for the sole purpose of misleading you on every subject of importance to your daily wellbeing.

Ai)art from your actual trade or calling for the time being-, at which. I admit with pleasure, you are thoroughly competent, you are a consummate simpleton, willing- to accept any contention without -argument, and then trot it out as your own. Many times you have swallowed a whole leading article from your daily paper, and next day held forth to your mares brazen assurance, almost ■believing you had really thought the thing out for yourself. And all the time you were merely repeating what some particular editor had deliberately concocted in the hope that you would accept it as your own ana repeat it. And you did!

Why siiould you assume that, because a man is paid to prepare ready-to-wear opinions, that lie is more brainy than you? He isn't, Henry, but the difference is that he makes use of his reasoning powers, and you don't. He has to keep abreast of ilie world's news to keep his job, the same as you have to keep your tools in order to keep yours, But your sharp chisels, or clean collar, as the case may be, affects him not at all, whereas his sharp deductions may play the very. devil with your household budget.

A little while ago lie saw"that wages must be reduced. Not his. only yours. Tiien. for months 3 r ou paid tuppence a day to read all the arguments why. arid eventually you got it in the neck, and never said a word. You are stiH getting it in the same place, ami saying the same thing. But in. the meantime, Henry, he had a few serious words with his own boss, and must have used entirely different arguments. Anyway, he actually received an increase 01 wages, whilst convincing yon so completely that you- were overpaid.

Try and notice, if you can, the result of using your own reasoning Instead of the other chap's. When j'Ou got that clear, you will be better able to judge the object behind those inspired articles and innocent looking items that are fed to you with such constant regularity. Under it all lies the dread that you may vote Labour, and thereby take a hand arui voice in 3 r our own affairs. I hope 'yon will, for the sake of Henrietta and the boy ■&aiu the thousands of others who have similar tokens of a love that should be all-in-all, but which lias become Stultified by (he ever-we a , .'ing anxiety cf "making do."

You are a big", strong man, with a ! timid soul. In the privacy 'of your j frequent consultations with Henrietta on the ways and means of effecting something a Mitle better for your family's comfort, or in discussions on questions of the children's schooling or life's work, you speak up and express your honest convictions. You are unafraid. You reckon somebody is swindling you, and say so in sucli a tone that Henrietta reminds you that the neighbours-will,hear. Sometimes you reckon Henrietta is not managing as well as she might. Again you say so, prompt and to the point. When you compel her to retort, per-, ■haps a little bitterly, that the conditions are not very conducive to ideal management, you seize your hat and coat and clear out, remarking boldly that yoii are sick of it all. Once outside, you are ihe timid -soul again, afraid to speak, afraid to act, afraid to vote in the direction rhat would tend to make homes real and not just, a place where all your troubles seem to collect. And when you left Henrietta with" no gentle word, 210 silu* of kindly encouragement, no • little■ word , or praise for all the -effp.nii she really makes' day after day, well—she just had a good cry. j

But what a way to go on, when all that Is necessary for a i'uil volume of Jight and love to elilne on you? home life, jte thjt you should act consistently as one Avould 'esfpeer. of (he big stron/g »ian you appear t>6 be. Remember, Henry,, you will liave to he a different man outside your Itomi, before" you can afford to be different in it. Henry at home—is the lion,-; .roar, Henry abroad—is & mouse, And $iat is why there is not more Of Home In Hcjnry'a lipuse.' Roar on, old son, in Labour's cause, . Redeem your past so dumb, Roar on, and vote for Labour's, Laws, ■ ' And E&ifjw Homes shall come.