'Ruthless Optimism’ The Need Of The Hour

Northern Advocate, 16 August 1940, Page 2

'Ruthless Optimism’ The Need Of The Hour

Facing tno tacts, clarity of purpose and unity ol' spirit are the three ingredients of a “ruthless optimism," which Mr J. D. c. Medley, vicechancellor of the University of Melbourne, considers essential to the well-being of Australia in this time of crisis.

In an Australian-wide broadcast. Mr Medley said that he bad sought a phrase which would put in a nutshell the most needful thing of the moment, and he believed he had found it in the phrase “ruthless optimism.” By "ruthless optimism.” he did not mean that kind of optimism which ignored the facts. Ruthlessness was used today by our enemies in all their methods —in their willingness to stick at nothing to achieve their purpose and in their disregard of all the laws which mankind had invented to mitigate the beastliness of war. We were not cast in that mould. We could never mow down helpless refugees with machine-guns From _ Hie air, or display all that, complete disregard for decency and humanity that the enemy had shown. Greatest Fad Ignored.

What were the facts? First, the pessimists must be dealt with. They were the people whom we all knew, who took a delight in reciting. the toll of German>’s victories and achievements. That was called “facing the facts” —but the greatest fact was left out! That was the fact that. England still stands where she did, more united, more determined, and more resolute than ever before.

With regard to the clear purpose were we all quite certain in our minds of what it. was that was really at stake? Our children were interrupting their careers and enlisting, our businesses were facing a future of complete uncertainty—the whole stable basis of existence was beingupset.

If the war in Europe were lost Australia would be attacked with such a •force that no force with which our handful of people could oppose it could for long resist it, however great our courage; end resolution. That would mean the disappearance of our way of life, and the substitution for it of a way of life that would to us be entirely unendurable, for it would involve slavery—and concentration camps. Then there must be a unity of spirit based on a well-seasoned optimism. The German people had a unity of spirit and purpose which was most formidable. If they had achieved it for a wrong puprose, could not we do better for a right purpose?