NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22776, 9 July 1937, Page 10

NOTES AND COMMENTS

KEY TO HUMAN PROBLEMS Tho changed approach of people to human problems is noted by Sir Francis Younghusband in bis book on tho achievements of the World Congress of Faiths, held recently in London. He writes: —When I was growing up people used to repeat at the universities: "We have changed from a world obsessed with theology to a world obsessed with economics." But I believe that if we would bo truly contemporary, really topical to-day, wo should have to say that we have changed from a world disillusioned of its hope in economies to one turning with desperation to psychology. ENGLISH COOKING INDICTED As a nation tho English were not famed for cooking, and, ironically enough, they bad the best supply of raw material in the world, said Sir Stanley Woodwark, physician at Westminster Hospital, in addressing an English health conference. The food was regularly spoiled by bad cooking, and they not only tolerated, badly-cooked food, but made a joke of it. They were content to eat the same dishes day after day with monotonous regularity. A further dietetic crime that must bo wiped out was that of believing that the most expensive food must necessarily bo tho most nutritive. If every housewife in England knew how to buy food economically, cook it conservatively and well, and serve it in the shape of well-balanced physiologically adequate meals, many of the 18.000.000 people mentioned as having insufficient vitamins and minerals in their diet would have their nutrition improved sufficiently to be able to derive the maximum benefit from the physical recreation to be made available by the British Government in the near future.

CHRISTIAN IDEAS IN PRISON The growing influence of Christian ideas in many departments of social life is often overlooked, remarks the Manchester Guardian. In few of them has their progress been more marked than in the conduct of prisons in Great Britain, as was shown by the recent debate in the House of. Commons. The prevailing conception now is similar to that which underlies the sacramental system of the Church —start with privileges and help a man to live up to +hom. This, the true psychological approach, has already worked so well in the prisons where it has been tried that it 'is to be extended to the three big convict prisons—Chelmsford, Parkhurst and Dartmoor. Another doctrine that is being increasingly applied, and which is fundamentally Christian, is that what the sinner needs is a diverson of interest—"to get their minds," as the First Lord of the Admiralty. Sir Samuel Hoare, said, "turned away from the morbid contemplation of tho past and to get them interested in their work and in their physical health." Though there always seems to be a residue for whom, unfortunately, no remedial measures avail, it is a matter for thankfulness that the spirit of hopo within *the walls of English prisons grows steadily stronger. EMPIRE MIGRATION SURVEY Early this year, writes General Evangeline Booth in a letter to tho Times, I arranged for a survey to bo made by a number of experienced Salvation Army officers throughout tho Dominions to ascertain possibilities in regard to migration and settlement, and at the same time the British Isles were to bo explored to ascertain the feelings of the people with regard to emigration. It might bo of interest to you to learn that from a preliminary examination of these reports' three things clearly emerge:—(l) That in the oversea Dominions there is a widespread desire to see British immigration resumed. There arc, of course, local differences as to the extent and the exact time it should commence, but the general viewpoint is that a welcome will'be readily extended to the British immigrants of tho right types. There is one important proviso—namely, tho Dominions must be reasonably .assured of a market for their exportable, produce. (2) That in the homeland there is considerable hesitation existing in regard to the adventuro of emigration. Tho general social amenities, together with tho benefits and security of unemployment insuranco and other social services, more than offset in many districts tho -fear of a European war. (3) That at homo and oversea there is a growing feeling that it would bo good business from an Empire standpoint if tho British Government gave a lead in this matter and made it clear that no well-considered schemo would bo held up for lack of money.

' IMPERIAL REFLECTIONS f ,lt says a good deal for tho Archbishop of York that his sermon at the Empire service in St. Paul's Cathedral, before tho King and representatives of all tho Dominions, so shortly after tho Coronation and during the Imperial Conference, was by no means confined to tho expression of "Imperial" sentiments, remarks the Manchester Guardian. "We shall not hesitate to recognise," said Dr. Tcmplo, "that being a human structure composed of human beings there arc episodes in the Empire's history and features of its policy demanding tho repentance which is man's anticipation of God's judgment." Nor should wo forget, it' we are to face Mussolini's charge of "Anglican hypocrisy" with comfort, that not all the episodes belong to tho past and that there aro features of present-day Imperial policy which demand not only repentance hub repeal. .Prido in the' Empire, said Dr. Temple, was justified, but "few things are of greater consequence than tlio grounds on which we take pride in this Empire or teach tho children who are its future citizens to take pride in it." Arc tho grounds for our pride to he the Empire's might in war or its force for peace, our dominion over subject races or the way wc govern them? The commonest criticism of British foreign policy in Europe and the United States is that it is baked on tho maintenance of the status cjiio. If we wish to show tho rest of the world that this policy is not purely a selfish one, and if the country itself is to be convinced that, in tho last resort, tho status quo is worth fighting for, we shall need an Imperial policy both more progressive toward the backward peoples whom we rule and more liberal toward the nations outside tho Empire.