The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. “Luceo Non Uro." FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1934. MOVING FORWARD

Southland Times, Issue 22465, 28 December 1934, Page 4

The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. “Luceo Non Uro ." FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1934. MOVING FORWARD

The cablegrams at this time of the year contain a mixture of victory and defeat. On one side are gratifying reports of mankind’s progress; on the other are disturbing accounts of the price which apparently has to be paid for this progress. The inauguration in 1935 of a twice-daily air service across the Atlantic is confidently forecasted by M. Louis Bleriot; from Antarctica comes news that Lincoln Ellsworth and Bernt Balchen have flown across that vast, unexplored continent. But in North America Christmas was marred by aeroplane accidents involving the death of twelve people. England, we are told, enjoyed a happy fireside Christmas and all over the world Britons, through the wonders of wireless, were able to listen to the King’s broadcast speech. But in Latin America the people celebrated the 1934th anniversary of the birth of Christ by hurling bombs at each other. A casual glance through a newspaper would certainly induce the belief that while humanity may be steadily advancing it is paying a heavy penalty for each step of progress; and that while the standard of civilization is constantly being raised there is much of the old Adam still in the hearts of men. It cannot be denied that trial-and-error methods continue to make man’s progress slow, and that the penalties he pays for mistakes are heavy. It has also to be remembered, however, that while one aeroplane is wrecked hundreds are flying to their goal; and that when ships meet with disaster through fog and fife steps are taken to conquer these destroyers. It has been aptly remarked that much is heard of the man who falls off a ladder, but nothing about the thousands who remain on. The death of an infant through drinking rum, the fatalities through motor accidents and the many other holiday casualties reported in the newspaper may strengthen the conviction of those who declaim that it is a terrible world we live in; but more reasoned reflection will bring the realization that mankind is un-

deniably moving forward, learning from experience even though this be bitter. Some of the modern mechanical inventions may take toll of life before they reach the highest degree of reliability and safety; some of the social experiments which are made may for a time have unhappy consequences; but man is not blindly groping. He is blessed with intelligence and vision and in spite of set-backs and seeming contradictions is ever striving to make ihe world a better and happier place to live in.