PATER’S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3774, 13 July 1926, Page 10

PATER’S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

A NATION’S BOYS AND USEFUL INSTITUTIONS. By welfare—that is, health, physical appearance, education for practical work and efficiency, and moral and religious training—has become more and more an important matter in the eyes of thoughtful and far-seeing men. Someone has w isely said: “ Giveii a nation or people whose first and chief care is the health of its boys, bodily and mentally, and into whom sacredness of duty, work, truth, honour, and respect has been instilled, after three generations there will be a nation of contented and wise people leading the world, and progressing by leaps and bounds in all things that are considered best for humanity.”

“ Pater,” who has had much to do with boys, and has given many of his humble thoughts to the education and physical training of boys, agrees with every word of what that writer has said. A famous English writer has said, very sarcastically : “ Much may be done with a Scotchman if you catch him young.” What he said is very true, and applies to all boys of all nations. Germany discovered that about a hundred years ago, and to-day had it not been for the foolish military spirit of her Prussian war lords, who plunged her into the most useless, cruel, and devastating war the world has ever known, she would have been much further on the road to being the most enlightened and progressive nation in the world. Japan understands the wisdom of the policy, and to-day is a thousand years, so to speak, ahead of any other nation or people in Asia, and also can give many European peoples points. Some of my readers may have heard of the word “ bushido.” It is a Japanese word, denoting the national spirit of patriotism, and further implying in its meaning the cultivation of honour, duty, efficiency, and loyalty to the State. It was just such a spirit which caused Rome to rise from being a town of refugees from the surrounding Italian tribes or States, and become the most famous city in the world —a single city which conquered the then known world, and spread the principles or rules of Roman law (still greatly studied) throughout Europe. Those old Romans paid much attention to the physical training and education of their boys. So also did Sparta, a small State in the north of Greece, with the result that she became the most settled in law and order within herself of all the ancient Grecian States, and the most powerful in war. They had no time for idlers and wasters in Sparta, nor for those who talked much and did little. Such people were thought useless and a burden to the State, so they

were either put to death or converted into slaves and made to work under the lash. In the United Spates of America, in spite of its corrupt Republican Government, the spread of the spirit of “ bushido ” lias been encouraged by the wise, and is growing. That is one of the chief reasons why America is advancing so rapidly in art, manufacturing, and commerce. As long as workmen in America are over one to three and a-half times as efficient as Englishmen in producing things the British must lose trade and Britain her commanding position in manufacturing and commerce. America, like Germany, only more so, is spending immense sums of money on technical schools, and upon improving the health and well-being of her children. Any nation which does that, teaches the value of efficient work, and encourages the development of the “bushido” spirit, is bound “ to come out on top.” In view of this spirit and the belief in it, a great body of thoughtful men all over the world, comprising the Rotary International, set to work, and held in Chicago, U.S.A., an International Boys’ 'Work Conference in 1924 and 1925. The result of the discussions which ensued showed the need for more conferences of that sort, which would enable boy and youth porkers from vafious countries to meet to discuss boy welfare, and give each other much friendly and helpful counsel. The conference for 192 G will be under the advice and control of the now newlyestablished International Boys’ Work Conference (entirely separate from the adult Rotary International), and have a constitution or set of rules of its own, with Mr S. Kendrick Guernsey, of Orlando, Florida, as President, and Mr Williamj Lewis Butcher, of New York City, as its secretary. Plans are now being made for the 1926 International Boys’ Work Conference, which will be held in Chicago late in November. The advertisements by the authors of the project say: “Now is the chance for boy workers around the world, business men, and wise politicians interested in boys to be thinking of attending this very important conference of 1926. Information may be obtained from the secretary of the International Boys’ Work Conference movement, Mr William Lewis Butcher, 244 William street, New York City, U.S.A.” Undoubtedly the Rotarian idea about such a conference is a great and splendid one; but to send a chosen few to such a conference will need thought and money, though when in Chicago the delegates will probably be the guests of the chief body of men in the movement. To prepare any of out New Zealand boys for such journey and purpose will require some quick thinking and action by those interested enough to take the matter up. In the meantime, and failing such a decision on the part of public-

spirited men, we have institutions of our own—British ones —such as the Boy Scout movement, the Navy League, and the Overseas Club, each of which is a splendid organisation having the most necessary and useful ends in view. All boys, and girls, too, of course, can learn much for themselves and do much good for others, the nation and the Empire as a whole, joining these societies, leagues, or clubs. The only people who object to these institutions are the anarchists who hate law and order, the Bolsheviks, their natural offspring, and some of the madheaded internationalists who think that separate nations of one type, one style of life, and one la%uage, are willing ttf forego what they think is. tlieir great future or destiny and become united as one people. Many mountains will become hills, rivers change their courses, or cease to flow, and seas dry up before that happens. When the human race becomes immortal, and the world is peopled with angels, wars will cease. Not all wars are military ones. There are class wars now going on in England, in Australia, and to a greater or lesser degree in other countries. Also there are other kinds equally stupid, struggles too numerous to mention. The spirit at the root of all is lack of goodwill and* charity, together with pride of race, and national and private ambition. These are opposite qualities of character which many are of the opinion are necessary for progress because the struggle for existence forces man to think and to advance. It will be long before these causes of quarrels will disappear. Even jealousy and ambition led to a war amongst the angels; so amongst us poor mortals there will always be a possibility of war, no matter what more enlightened nations may try to do to stop outbreaks.

Had Germany known beforehand that Britain with her great resources and her Navy would join with France and Belgium, she would not have gone to war in 1914. There is some truth in what the Germans said—-that Britain made the war. It was the stupid blindness of English statesmen who would not believe Britain’s prophets about being prepared that made Germany seize what she thought was the opportunity to make herself master of Europe and thereby ruler of the world. Some think and say that Europe has seen the last great war. Do not believe it. There is a world-wide activity at work to make Britain feeble —to break up the Empire. Where the centre of this activity we all*know, unless we are ostriches who bury their heads in the sand when in danger. Just as soon as Britain has been sufficiently weakened there will be another war. As long as the Empire is united and Britain has the great strength which that union gives her, and at the same time is sufficiently prepared to meet any bolt

from the blue, there will not be another great war in Europe. Everything depends upon Britain and the Empire. “Pater” feels from what he sees in Europe and knows of international conditions that every loyal and peace-loving member of the Empire should give every ounce of goodwill and encouragement to the social powers or forces that make for our strength and the peace of the world. Those powers or institutions are the Rotary International, Boy Scouts, and, as far as the peace of the Empire is concerned, the Overseas Club and the Navy League. The two first make for friendship, and the two latter for the power of preventing war. Friends sometimes fall out. In conclusion, “Pater” commends to all these earnest words of the executive of the Navy League as given at the end of its annual report:—The executive would once more ask members and all interested to use their best endeavours to increase the League’s membership. The Navy League is no sectional organisation ; it exists for the whole community, poor as well as rich. It is not militant, and lias no desire to see communities at variance with each other. It does believe in being prepared for any emergency which may arise—either as the culmination of a long series of differences or suddenly as a bolt from the blue—and it fervently believes that should such an emergency arise it will be found again, as it has been found in the past, that our sure shield—our very salvation—lies in the hands of the Navy.