NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21345, 21 November 1932, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

THE GREAT PARADOX

Mr. Hugh Walpolo, the novelist, spoke on the international position, at a meeting for men organised by the Keswick branch of the Leaguo of Nations Union. The paradox in the . world, ho said, was that, while on the whole the majority of people were for the first time in history believing that war was a mistake and must be outmoded, they saw everywhere fear and greed and uncertainty and suspicion and doubt, and thoso things were making them act in exactly the opposite way to what they would like to do. The League, despite its weaknesses, was the only honest attempt made by human beings since the last horrible war to stick together and do something for the good of all. The League was not a Divine organisation, but dependent for its power on its members. They could shrug their shoulders and leave it to others, or take their part in helping on the world movement of brotherhood and internationalism. He believed that the League of Nations would giyo place to something finer and better and nobler, based on a greater charity and a wider understanding of other people's opinion. Another speaker remarked that he was not afraid of the tig.er*and the ape in man, but the rabbit. There was too much rabbit in man, and it needed courage and purpose to carry the idea of peace to success.

ONLY SOCIALIST GOVERNMENT Speaking at the British Labour Conference, Sir Leo Chiozza Money said that if, was too often forgotten in approaching the problem of Socialism that even in Britain, with its great export trade, the greater part of the work of the country was done for the home account. Tho difficulties of organising Socialism for tho home market appeared in a different light when it was realised that not one in seven of thoso occupied in gainful work, to follow tho census classification, was occupied in work for the export trade. This meant that the organisation of work by a Socialist Government which meant business was not as difficult as was imagined. Sir Leo said that he had been a member of the only Socialist Government Britain had ever had—the War Government. Ho suggested that the way they dealt with international trade by the bulk purchase of goods from the country where they were produced—the Australian wool clip, for instance —was the proper way to follow now. The resolution, declaring "That ordered progress and prosperity can only be secured by a bold and comprehensive policy of national planning on Socialist and co-operative lines," 1 was agreed to, together with an addendum urging the executive to formulate a plan, national and international.

SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS

The school certificate examination should no longer be accepted by the universities as alternative to their own matriculation examinations, states the report of an official investigating body in England. As an immediate step matriculation certificates should no longer be awarded on the school certificate examination:!!. A school certificate without specific conditions attached to it, together with a higher certificate or an ad hoc examination of a suitable kind as an alternative to a higher certificate examination, should be accepted for the purposes of matriculation. It should not be permissible for pupils in secondary schools to take an external matriculation examination unless they are genuine candidates for admission to a university and then only after they have reached the age of at least 17. The importance of the principle of ''easy papers and a high standard of marking" shouSd be regularly impressed on all tho examiners in all the examinations. Honours and distinctions should be abolished in all the examinations. Certificates issued to successful candidates should have recorded on them not only those subjects in which credit is obtained but also those in which the full pass standard is reached, tho level of performance, pass or credit, attained in each subject being clearly stated on the certificate. It should be possible, if the principle of easy papers and a strict standard of marking is consistently translated into practice, to effect some increase in the percentage of certificates ordinarily awarded, without lowering the real standard of the examination. Examining bodies should consider the desirability of omitting subjects not suitable at this stage or taken by very few candidates, provision being made in the latter cas«i for schools to take these subjects, if desired, on a special syllabus approved by the examining body.

ETHICS AND ECONOMICS The statement that clear heads were as necessary as warm hearts for our ethical and economic salvation was made by the Rev. R. Reginald Parry in addressing the Manchester Rotarians. Tho assumption that the root principles of Christian ethical teaching were clear for all to read and practise was, he said, far from tho truth. Tho Christian ethic was imperfectly understood and widely interpreted as witness the divergent attitude among Christians on such topics as vfar, birth-control, capital punishment, and sterilisation of the unfit, and so forth. Wq should never reach economic salvation merely by saying, " Be kind." All the brotherhood in the world was not going to affect- tho nature of the soil, and we could be as " kind " as wo liked and still bo faced with the law of diminishing returns. The duties of clear thought and hard work were implied in the saying, " iSeek ye first the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you." Wo were, he said, in need of a more positive morality. Even tho Book of Common Prayer seemed now and then to strc?ss the negative virtues. Tho impression had been given that what was called Christianity was refraining from drink, betting, adultery, Sunday boxing, and films of a certain order, instead of being, what it was, a great adventure in which the heart and head were co-operating for the saving of tho world. There was too strong a tendency to " fix tho blame" and to think that thereby tho situation, or what we called tho system, had been explained. That passion for fixing the blame blinded men to the real issue, which was that the factors involved were not merely moral, but economic, and required a patient balancing of circumstances. What we required was far harder work all round. That did not mean only that the spinner and weaver must necessarily grin and bear a reduction in wages, nnd possibly an extension of hours, but it also meant that the director and his wife must exhibit qualities of wise direction and selfless social leadership.