THE PLIGHT OF ETHIOPIA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22404, 28 April 1936, Page 15

THE PLIGHT OF ETHIOPIA

Sir, —From the letter of your correspondent "Leonardo da Vinci," which appeared in the Herald of April 22, readers may imagine that my letter of April 18 was directed against the Italian, people. Such was not the case; it was directed against a statement by Archdeacon Mac Murray that Britain's best policy would be to stand aloof, permit the atrocities in Ethiopia to continue, and proceed to arm herself heavily. "Leonardo da Vinci" takes me to task for using the quotation "Lesser breeds without the Law." regarding people who to-day are purely materialistic. Firstly, he states that the world owes to Italy a debt of civilisation and culture. 1 willingly admit that in the past individual Italians have contributed greatly to the civilisation and culture of the world. An occasional great and good man does not make his nation great and good, it is the moral standard of the whole of the people which makes a nation great. For example, when the Hoare-Laval peace proposals became known, the people of Britain roundly condemned them, because the proposals were unchristian and unjust, and in the face of such strong public opinion the international agents dare not press them. It is comparatively easy for an individual or a nation to live according to Christian principles when everything is going well with them, but the real test of Christian principles is when a nation is hard put to it. Today the nations of the world are being driven almost to desperation by economic forces —some nations will continue to stand for the principles of Christianity—others will stand for materialistic might. In a few months we shall see the nations aligned in these two camps. Again, your correspondent states that it was an Italian Pope who first sent Christianity to Britain. With some this is a debatable point, but I am quite willing to accede it. Finally, your correspondent says that he entertains a serious doubt that the nation which produced Dante and St. Francis of Assisi could, in 1936, commit the atrocities perpetrated in Ethiopia. He again is delving into past history. In doing the same, T feel certain that a people who, for generations, at their public entertainments, delighted to witness their fellow-beings suffer the most diabolical tortures the mind of man has ever invented, are to-day capable of heartless cruelty. C. ,W. H. Pickering,;