The Rangitikei Advocate. TWO EDITIONS DAILY. FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1919.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 11857, 21 June 1919, Page 4

The Rangitikei Advocate. TWO EDITIONS DAILY. FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1919.

TT~F! must be a very Tliersites, like the one in

Unfair Criticism.

Troilas and Cress ida, who

could rail at the management of the butter export during the war. Apparently, however, two or three at the Dairy Conference saw fit to in dulge in condemnation, and so called forth very severe reprimands from both Sir James Allen and Mr MacDonald. Such men, if they spoke from conviction and not from their spleen, must have less imagination than a mosquito. To say that the British Government has treated the Dominion as it would an alien country, as one of the Dairy Conference did, should 'be sufficient to cause the Government to*investigate his nationality and what was his at-

titude during the war. If the Imperial Government had not purchased the output of the t factories of New Zealand, and had left itself at liberty to draw its supplies from, wherever they could be most cheaply and quietly drawn, butter in this country would have been cheap enough to be usefl for greasing bopts. Ships would have been sent to America or any near at band markets, especially when the operations of submarines had very much reduced the sea-carrying facilities of the Empire. Then prices would have slidden down with meteoric rapidity, and there would hare been Regarding the transaction v 'as one in which is no other sentiment besides that of stern business, why should the Imperial Government pay for butter before delivery? When have dairymen dealt with so excellent a customer, and when will they ever again? And if butter had not been under control what chance would there have been of inducing the British Shipping Controller to send out ships? As it was if the New Zealand Government and tiie New Zealand High Commissioner had not been praying to him clay and night wo should scarcely ever have seen a big freight-carrier come out of the horizon to our harbours.

THE Council of the Churches down Soutli has seen fit

Training of Youths.

to decry the proposal recently made by Sir Jam Q s Allen

to give all the youths of the country on reaching the age of eighteen tour mouths’ training in camp. The idea is apparently to substitute this for the old Territorial system. The objections of the representatives of the Churches are, of course, based on moral and religious grounds. They believe that the aggregation of youths together in camps is likely to lead to a deterioration in morals. Judging from Sir James Allen’s remarks it would seem that some Ministers who had been at the front had joined in condemnation of the proposal, and probably considered that their experience and observation at the front had furnished them with special authority on the subject. Would it be too much to say, however, that a minister of a church is as ill qualified to judge on such a matter as anyone can be. His experience with youths in peace time is with the best class of b6y. He is rarely brought into contact with the type who are far apart from the churches, and when he sees them all with the mask off, which they usually put on in his presence, he thinks there has been a very sudden decline in character. We believe, however, that the physical value of the four months to the youths of the country will be immense. The age stated is the most critical in their lives. It is the one at which malormations and have their genesis, and the treatment they there receive would obviate in a large number of cases much suffering and early death. In this civilised community the number of young men who were rejected tor one physical defect or another under the hands of the examining doctors during the war was a scandal, and the proposed universal training and overhauling would cretainly be the means of turning out a finer type of man. A heavy respousibleity rests on those who would deprive them of the opportunity of living a fuller, healthier life. THE news that the Germans have consented to sign

How Are The Mighty Fallen!

the Peace Treaty will be hailed with

enthusiasm throughout the Empire. In fact we imagine that their signing was never in doubt. The German is the chief bluffer in creation. But as the time drew near when acceptance of the terms would be immediately insisted on it was seen that the bluff was penetrated with many signs of indecision. The final persuaders were getting in readiness for a complete isolation of Germany by the British Navy, and the grim indications on the Rhine *tbat the Alies were determined to dictate peace at Berlin it the enemy would not sign at Versailles. “How are the mighty fallen!” In all their vast numbers and their panoply of pride, when the‘Germans set out for Paris, there was not one who thought it possible that a disastrous and humiliating defeat would be inflicted on them, and that they would be compelled to bow themselves under a yoke, the weight of which no modern nation has hitherto felt. If the Allies continue for years and years a military oversight over the Germans the world can look forward to a calm and plenteous period.