THE CENSORING OF BOOKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14691, 27 May 1911, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE CENSORING OF BOOKS.

VTrifi Corporation Free Libraries of Birmingham and Manchester have "banned" Mr. H. G. Welle's new book, "The New 'Machiavelli," and Mr. Wells has been explaining how the news affects him and what -sort of a public he is trying to reach with &is sociological ideas. " The Library Committee are quite entitled to criticise," he 'said." "If the people who depute the committee to filter their literature for them ■ think the filtering is being done badly they can easily change it. "It is a fair game. It is just give and take. The world is divided into two "classes.roughly those who are under 30 ami those who are over 30. Those who are under 30 want change and improvement. They welcome new ideas and try to carry them out. They represent the ferment and .movement in modern life. Those who aro over. 30 want to keep tilings as they are. They hate change; they are afraid of new ■ ideas and do all they can to stop them. '■ I write for young people. I am out, • frankly, to change people's ideas. I am anxious to influence thinking people botwecn 18 and 30 years o£ age. There' is not much use in trying to get hold of people over 30. When they have once taken on the burden of life they dc» not want to (change. They want to play out the game £s they have started without any big alterations. The reason why I am "not por- , jtur'bed by. the Birmingham Committee, who •represent the fear of change and new ideas, iSs that I believe wo are winning hands pdown. The Birmingham Committee, and pothers like them aro in the position of {•'Mrs. Partington, who attempted to keep j'back the Atlantic with a mop. I think lithe parents ought to educate their children jjiso that they will bo able to stand the •ABhock of new ideas. I am a father myfeeli, andl- certainly would; not expect my from-tho ideas