V-DAY CELEBRATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25814, 9 April 1945, Page 6

V-DAY CELEBRATIONS

Sir—The leading article on this subject that appeared in your issue of Friday last provides much food for thought. The matter is one regarding which the public ought to look to the daily newspaper for guidance. Your article very ably touches on most aspects of the subject, and you suggest how various people who have felt the impact of the war in different ways may wish to conduct themselves on V-day. Mav I express the point of view of one who has lost a son overseas? Broadly speaking, I agree with the view of Mr Curtin that there should not be any display of the carnival spirit. Certainly the occasion will be one for rejoicing and for thanksgiving, and also for a popular demonstration, but the war has left too much sorrow In its train, and too much tragedy lies ahead for thousands of people overseas, for V-day to be the excuse for a carnival.

When V-day comes it will serve to bring home all the more sharply to those bereaved the full weight of their loss, and every anniversary for years to come will renew that sorrow. For my part I would prefer to attend a thanksgiving service, rather than join in any display of carnival spirit. I do not grudge other people the right to rejoice, but I do think that all people should exercise some restraint. Those forunate enough to have their sons or their husbands come safely through the conflict, will right feel happy, and cannot be expected to conceal their delight. But all of us should give a thought to the thousands of young men who will never return, and to the sorrow of the mothers and the wives. My experience is that human imagination is very feeble, and is incapable of realising the joys or the sorrows of other people, except t,o a very slight degree. This means that most of us have only the slightest idea how happy some event can make others, or how sad some other event can make them. Our feeble imaginations may be one explanation of the almost universal selfishness of most of us, and that selfishness Is the trait in human nature that it Is of the utmost Importance to overcome. If the world continues on Its selfish way it will soon forget the dead, and their sacrifice will have been in vain. It will not be sufficient if we now and then mumble a few words in their memory, and return to our old way of life. All of the teaching of our churches should be concentrated on the elimination of selfishness from human conduct, and then indeed we shall have a new order, and our brave shall not have died in vain. My motive in writing ttrs letter is to save the mothers and the wives of those killed overseas, as far as possible, from being reminded too sharply of their loss. It is no consolation to tell them that it is the will of Divine Providence that one should be taken, and that another should be left. The ways of Providence are Inscrutable, and are not altered by prayer. Most of our prayers should be to ask that we may be made worthy of the victory that Is now within our grasp. Some statements in this letter I have deliberately made provocative, in the hope that other readers may be induced to contribute their views on the several points raised in your leading article. —I am, etc.. Bereaved Father. Dunedin, April 9.