TIMELY TOPICS

Northern Advocate, 8 December 1936, Page 4

TIMELY TOPICS

BOOKS AND LIFE. “Books—what would life and what would the world be without them? In fact, so devoted am I to books (says Mr Ramsay MacDonald)., that even in the presence of so many who may frown I pluck up courage nevertheless to say that, a bad book is better than no book, because a bad book can always rouse the spirit of controversy in one’s heart, and if it cannot do anything very commendable itself, it can always spur one on to do so. I think it is the most dangerous thing in the world to begin to talk about books. Books and a library as a subject of conversation is something that one saunters with. One must never be conscious of time in one’s companionship with books. One must treat time and that companionship in a most generous and lordly way. as though time is eternal.” i ® *1 8 ® BRITISH CO-OPERATIVES AND POLITICS.

“The Co-operative Party,” says the London “Times,” “is making claims which the Labour . Party will not allow and the controversy has become sharp. Hitherto there has been little difficulty in making room for the Cooperative Party’s Parliamentary candidates, who numbered 20 at the last election. There is more difficulty in finding an accommodation on those matters of policy—relatively few in number, it is true, but striking deep —which divide the Co-operators from the Socialists. In joint discussions the Co-pperators have mantained consumer interests with disconcerting force. Moreover, the Co-operative Party means to grow; to establish a large number of constituency organisations and to run more municipal as well as Parliamentary candidates. It insists on remaining ‘ a separately equipped and organised political movement’ —to quote the accusation which the Labour Party brings against it —and the Labour Party calls upon it to come inside on the same terms as other affiliated organisations and be obedient. If this demand is final then, the Co-operative Party has replied, there will be a ‘ disastrous division.’ ”

Words of Wisdom.

What is not good for the swarm is not good for the bee. —Marcus Aurelius.

Tale of the Day.

Workmen were making repairs on the wires of l the schoolhouSe one Saturday, when a little chap wandered in. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“Installing an electric switchsaid a workman.

“I don’t car'd/’ returned ithe lad. “We've moved away, and I don’t go to this school any more.”