NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21881, 17 August 1934, Page 10

NOTES AND COMMENTS

PHYSICAL EDUCATION "Our great need to-day is to bring education of the body up to the level of education of the mind," said tho Rev. L. P. Jacks, formerly principal of Manchester College, Oxford, in a school speech. "The mind has come to the front as tho one thing of primary importance and tho body has slipped into the background as a thing of secondary importance. A great deal of education in our schools, colleges and universities would go on almost exactly as it does if human beings had not bodies at all —as if they were bare minds or disembodied spirits. The body should have equal rights of education and it is not getting them. By uniting the two we should get not only healthier and more beautiful bodies, but minds that were moro alert, more intelligent, and above all more self-controlled. Tho next great step forward in education will be in this direction."

AGAINST WAR Lord Derby, in a recent speech, said that the desire of Britain and tho United States .to come closer and closer together existed perhaps even more among tho individuals than was represented in Governments. He wished to see close co-operation within the practical world. Ho wns not suro that co-operation of aeroplanes, ships and men was not more effective than cooperation of ideas. 'I herefore, if they could not put into being that co-opera-tion which never need take actual force, —tho feeling that, whatever happened, England and America stood side by side —there would be a far better chance of peace in the world than with any treaty they could make. Public opinion was worth a great deal moro than people thought. If they got the public of the two countries saying that they would act together to prevent and not provoke war, he believed the result would be that war would be prevented and that many people who would like to provoke war would find their occupation gone. CHILDREN'S WELL-BEING Sir Frederick Menzies, medical officer of health for the London County Council, states in his annual report that in the routine inspections of children the number reported to be below average nutrition was 4.7 per cent, "the lowest ever recorded in London." Dealing with nutritional condition of tho London school child, Sir Frederick says that there is no place for unbalanced optimism. "Yet," he adds, "it is fair to say that, on the best evidence available, the great increase in tho number of ill-nourished children which might reasonably be expected has not occurred, and the school social services have apparently been able to cope successfully with one of the most .trying episodes which they have yet had to face." One word of warning is given. "Great national disturbances," says Sir Frederick, "have effects which are both immediate and remote." The remote effects of the Great War on children born during that period are referred to, and he thinks that, though the immediate effects of the prolonged depression are "surprisingly satisfactory," there may appear some insidious effects in the future.

MISRULE IN LIBERIA A Blue-book recently issued in Britain deals with the efforts made by the League of Nations and the United States to secure decent treatment of the natives by the Liberian Government. The question arose out of charges of slave trading in Liberia made by certain American travellers in that country. A commission sent to Liberia under the chairmanship of Dr. Christio found that the charges were fully borne out by the facts and recommended the reforms necessary. The Liberian Government declared that, because of their financial position, they could not carry out the reforms without the help of the League of Nations. A scheme was accordingly drawn up by the League, which proposed the appointment, of a white Chief Adviser', who should have sufficient authority to insist on the execution of the reforms. The Liberian Government, on various grounds, raised many objections and on May 18 the League felt compelled to withdraw its offer of help. Involved in the main issue was the question of the treatment of the Kru tribe, as to which a British Consul who made investigations on the spot stated that the Liberian forces had been guilty of grave excesses, including the slaughter of nearly 150 human beings —men, women and children. The League Council in withdrawing its offer of help decided to approach the United States Government on the subject, and the last of the dispatches in the Bluebook is one from Sir John Simon to the British Ambassador in Washington for the information of the State Department. In this dispatch Sir John Simon says that His Majesty's Government feel that the whole situation must bo reconsidered. They feel, Sir John continues, that it would bo a dereliction of duty to civilisation if the misgovernment of tho native tribes by Liberia were to bo allowed to continue, resulting, as it would infallibly result, in tho encouragement of such evils as slave trading and the slaughter and maltreatment of the 2,000,000 natives by tho corrupt and inefficient oligarchy of Monrovia. At tho same time His Majesty's Government cannot believe that tho pressure of public opinion, or even the threat of exclusion of Liberia from the League, if that should bo practicable, will be adequate to create any real and lasting improvement in Liberia. They are aware of the deep interest which tho United States Government have always taken in tho fortunes of this State, which, indeed, owes its foundation to American enterprise and philanthropy. On the material sido Liberia is rendered dependent upon tho United States Government by tho extent to which her financial machinery is already in American hands qnd organised in conformity with a contract entered into between the Liberian Government and an American corporation, liis Majesty's Government cannot, therefore, doubt that the United States Government havo been as much perturbed as have they themselves by tho course of recent events, and they would be grateful for an indication of the policy which tho United States Government would in the circumstances recommend. For their own part, His Majesty's Government are ready to cooperate to the utmost of their power in any well-considered measures which the United States Government may consider appropriate to tho occasion.