NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22517, 7 September 1936, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

BRITAIN'S STAND FOR FREEDOM

"We British stand for liberty in a Europe which is everywhere expressing servitude," said the Bishop of Durham in a recent speech. "We stand for tolerance in a world which is re-sharp-ening the persecutor's weapons. We stand for justice to individuals in an age which is merging individuals in masses and seeking to standardise life. Because we stand for liberty, tolerance and justice, we stand for the only peace which can be self-respecting, beneficent and permanent. Woo to the world, woe to us, if the standard of Britain's witness be lowered and the strength of Britain's example bp suffered to fail. Not for the first time in history is Britain charged with the cause of humanity itself." PERSISTENT PROBLEMS The problem of politics is how to spread pre-election enthusiasm throughout the year, writes Mr. David Rhys Williams in the Christian Register. The problem of peace is how to apply the fervour of war to the technique of international co-operation. The problem of social ethics is how to preserve the conscientiousness of private industry in public enterprise. The problem of personal development is how to carry the spirit of youth into maturity and age. The problem of marriage is how to retain the deference of the®courtship amid the practicalities of wedded life. The problem of education is how to preserve a child's natural curiosity for knowledge .while still trying to satisfy it. The problem of religion is how to project Sabbath-day inspiration into week-day affairs. Not one of these problems is likely to be solved by the introduction of improved mechanisms alone. Their ultimate solution lies in the character and skill of individuals. KING'S PLEA FOR PEACE

Kings have often praised peace, but Edward VIII. is probably the first King to make a military pageant the occasion of demanding peace in the name of humanity, writes "Scrutator" in the Sunday Times, in comment on the King's speech to his Guards on the occasion of the presentation of new Colours. The more one thinks of the speech and its occasion, the more impressive it becomes. It was one of those breaches of convention which are possible only to a King who has enough originality and courage to express what he knows is in the heart of his people. "Humanity," he said, "cries out for peace and the assurance of peace." Are we on the right way to peace? asks "Scrutator." Our true policy of peace is to make it clear to the world what we are willing to do and what we are not, to encourage by every means in our power those forces in Germany which have made the reconciliation with Austria. We are to negotiate a new Locarno with Germany. If negotiation is to be, let it be negotiation on a footing of complete and frank equality, moral and political. Let us not prolong the "war guilt" clause into our diplomacy. And if Germany is to be received into the League, let the League begin by completely dissociating its hopes of a future reign of law from a law which was founded on foico and on a humiliating defeat.

"WINNING THE MIND" "Winning the Mind" was the subject of the presidential address given by Lady Stamp to the maternity, child welfare and school hygiene section of the Health Congress at Southport. "Though, so much knowledge is .'now available," she said, "one of the most important things is th.it of applying new theories and improved methods — in other words, how to get it across. The best results are obtained by those who can identify themselves with thoir hearers —who can talk with, and not at, them. When I have explained that 1 have myself practised these habits now to be condemned, and have learned better; that I have learned from my own daughter-in-law how much superior the new ideas are; when I have told, personal anecdotes about my own children and their troubles, there is an immediate bond of sympathy, and a better reception for the message to be conveyed. I am quite convinced that the secret of 'winning the mind' for new habits and new knowledge is a serious and yet huino'rous identification of oneself or one's own class with tho experience and progress of those it is intended to win. The barrier of superiority of opportunity or knowledge is a real psychological one, and although the working woman likes to be talked to by those with real expert knowledge (and would take little notice of one of her own set) anything like intellectual patronage delays the process of reception unnecessarily."

CENSUS OF DISTRIBUTION "I urge the Government to institute a census of distribution, in order that the facts may be known. In this country we periodically undertake a census of production, but there has never been a census of distribution," snid Mr. William Mabane, speaking in the House of Commons in the debate on malnutrition. "The United States has recently had a census of distribution, and it has also been done in Canada. The value of such a census would be inestimable. It would make possible economies which would result in a reduction in the cost of nearly every one, of the important foodstuffs concerned in this problem of malnutrition. Think of the things that we could do if wo had the necessary information. Wo could prevent overlapping, we could arrange the proper distribution of retail outlets, and, even mort» important, wo should knrtw what wb do not know now —the most efficient method of. distribution. Not one of us can tell at present whether it is more efficient tc distribute, thinking only of the retail process, by chain stores, departmental stores, the one-man shop or the co-operative societies. No one knows whether it is better to serve the shop directly from the producer or by means of the wholesaler. 1 believe that if we knew these facts we should be on the way to that reduction of cost which is so important. We organise and restrict production to-day because we have not organised distribution. If we organised distribution I believe that half the difficulties at present involved in the organisation of production would disappear."