CHANGING EUROPE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18579, 13 December 1934, Page 9

CHANGING EUROPE

NEW CIVILISATION , . ■ t * ; , . ' i • SEEN BY FRENCHMAN" __ ; i | ;■ VISITOR TO NEW ZEALAND “There is an old French proverb! which says one 'does’not Become a monl-j T 'v * putting on a monk’s liabif.l Siipk laiiy. one does. not. acquire, virtue merely by taking off one’s clothes.’’: ; ' When asked in an interview to diseussf the new morality in Europe. Dr. Jacques) C. Demarquette, of Pans, Doctor oil Philosophy, who. arrived at Wellington/ in the Makura from Fan Francisco, madet the foregoing comment on fnvtdism as a) phase. He is well known on the Continent. as a social reformer,’ pacifist land! founder-of’T:e Trait dTJhion, a . fllfs society” in France. I ! In the movement which he originated! Dr. Demarquette has propounded a pew l rule of life for the generation rising in, Europe. In it he teaclxesk the value or the simple life, the outdoors and of clean living. Nudism, therefore, comes within the’ swing 'toward, the priroevair .."Tt “Europe,” said Dr. Demarquette,.“is, in the throes of the birth of a neyrt civilisation, and the nudist, cult is ” one' manifestation of the change. Personally, I think its advantages are very greatly exaggerated by its devotees,’; who claim that it :will eradicate thef phase. He is well known on this Conof clothes 2as brought about. { I con A sider it a very elementary why of looking at it. It would be too easy .to alc-t quire virtue by removing one’s clothes J I think it is a reaction against extreme prudery. When the new civilisation) has settled down there will be neither) nudists nor prudes, but natural people,) As to the claims of the nudists that absence of dress is a natural thing, one must reply that very few savage tribes exist that do not have some sort oil covering.” V ..... fj.

SIGNS PROMISING. HOPE Dr. Demarquette said Europe was undergoing great changes, .and .the peopjq of to-morrow would be’ very different from their fathers;' Europeans werq beginning to be as much out of doors! enthusiasts as those- of Australia and) New Zealand. Quite .apart from poll-? tics, there was evolving an entirely ne\v) outlook on life and a philosophy of liv-i ing embracing more simple things. Signs that Europe was beginning to see} a new era, of civilisation were' abundant —signs that promised hope among so many disastrous affairs. y ■ A" FIFTY YEARS A WANDERER,... Dr. Demarquette is being introduced to New Zealand by his friend l Count D.' Micard, who has been globe-trotting foi{ the last 50 vt-ars, and who has visited the remotest parts of the earth..., JStd was in the Dominion 12 years ago and was so charmed with this country that) he has returned with his friend. THeyj will spend, seme weeks here before; going on to Australia. Their ultimate objective is Thibet through Afghanistan.

“I am a great friend and admirer of England,” said Dr. Demarquette. - ‘*3) trust my' country and England will stay on friendly terms because I think it is essential for the peace of . ths world.” ’

Dr. Demarquette mentioned that" he was a distant relative of, the.late Siit Joseph Ward, the connection coming! through a great-grandfather of -the doc} tor who vent out to Australia in thd ’seventies. - ■ 1