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Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 334, 20 April 1928, Page 8

By “THE LOOK-OUT MAN.” j IMAGINARY NOTES j To the Rev. F. G. Harvie. Hamilton. “Dear Sir, I I have cancelled your licence as j Canon ol St. Peter’s Cathedral. Regretfully Yours, C. A. WAIKATO.” (.Later.) To Canon F. G. Harvie, Hamilton. Dear Sir, The Archbishop and legal authorities have informed me that my action in cancelling your licence as Canon bf St. Peter’s Cathedral was illegal. Therefore I withdraw the cancella- | tion. Very Regretfully Yours, C. A. WAIKATO.” “MANT ARE CALLED ■ ■ ■” It is a case of “many are called but few are chosen” in French politics. In the general elections, which take place next Sunday, there will be uearly 4,000 candidates for 612 seats in the Chamber of Deputies. French electors must sit up all »ight discussing the relative merits and demerits j of those who court their votes. For- j tunately, the electors are not compelled to listen to candidates’ addresses. They read them—or those portions of the speeches which the newspapers deem worthy of puhlica tion. Some candidates are lucky to receive a single line —unless in the way of disparagement. Huge posters advertise the claims of aspirants for political honour, and these are largely devoted to lampooning the other fellow. The candidate who can most mercilessly and satirically pour scorn upon his opponents is that one who gets the seat. In this country he would get a stool in a cell, on a charge of criminal libel. “ TEDDY” PROTECTED Outraged public opinion has at last had its way in Queensland over the fur-seekers, and the wholesale slaughter of the gentle and lovable koala, or “Teddy” bear is to be stopped. The Government has decided to protect the “Teddy,” and also the opossum. The extent of the slaughter of these inoffensive creatures was such that nearly 600,000 were killed in one month last year, and 1,000,000 ’possums were also slaughtered. ’Possums, too, are to he protected. Had there beeu earlier protection of aboriginals, there would now have been more blacks in Australia. OTHERS MORE FORTUNATE It was told as a good joke at a New Plymouth function this week that the Baron de Thierry, a Frenchman, bought 40,000 acres of land for 36 axes of the Maori chief, Hongi, when Tlongi was in England, but that when the baron came out to claim his purchase he was laughed at, and had to live on fees received from teaching music in Auckland. It was a great pity that some other European “purchasers” from the Maoris were not laughed at also, instead of being given title to the land. There would now be fewer people to laugh at the de Thierry joke.

WHAT IS COWARDICEI The House of Commons would have done well to have asked for a report from a committee of medical experts before deciding to retain the death penalty for “cowardice” oh active service. What comprises cowardice? Is it sheer physical and mental inability to face the terrors of a charge or a bombardment? If so, is the subject responsible for what he cannot control —for an overwhelmed mind? A man who in ordinary circumstances might be as brave as the rest, would quite possibly lose control of himself after being subjected to the strain of bombardment for several days, or even hours, and become a victim to •fear, despite all efforts to face danger. It is a matter of nerves, and if the nerves become hopelessly jangled the emotions cannot be controlled. One case is recorded of a very young English lieutenant who “bolted” in panic during an engagement. He was shot for “cowardice” —and he faced the firing party with calm courage and

“died like a man.” He was no coward; he was a brave young man who had been driven temporarily insane by the hideous noise of battle. Thousands of others died in the trenches, without a scar. They died of shock—which in this connection was a species of “fear.” Thousands of others were invalided by "shellshock,” which was much the same thing. The only way in which Governments can be made to know these things is to put all members of the Parliaments of the warring nations in the trenches. There wouldn’t be any more war until their great-grandchildren grew up.