The Daily News TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1904. IN VIEW OF WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 255, 1 November 1904, Page 2

The Daily News TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1904. IN VIEW OF WAR.

It Ims often been said that no man is ever quite truly known- even toy'his closest friends until they have scan him drunk. Like most rough generalisations this probably usserts too much. Nevertheless it has in it a hulk of truth, and if •■drunk" may lie read t 0 connote every condition 0 f high excitement, the proposition may well pass unchallenged. Any strong appeal, to man's primitive instincts is apt to cause him for the moment to cast off the conventions of habit mud custom. and so give the world a peep into his. naked mind and heart. I'nder powerful external influence there are probably no two persons who will behave exactly in the same way. Between him whose self-control stands invincible against sudden alarm, and him who under the samo conditions become a momentary maniuc, there range inlinile, positive, an|.i negative degrees of mental quality. Conflagration-, railway, accident, earthquake, or sudden imminent danger of any kind, sorts men out, and shows to themselves and others something of what 'they truly are. Such occasions have often served to prove the nominal noble a paltry poltroon, and to elevate tl.c humble peasant to the highest rank of herclism. Nor are moments of intense joy less trying, the manner of a man's bearing under suclt stimulus, taing the essential complement of his conduct in time of peril. A favourite subject of discussion of the most ancient plulosopners, th; becoming behaviour of nam, whether in adversity or in happiness, is no less a matter of the highest human interest at the present day. The con duct of men under the impulse of merely selfish motive is but a rudimentary phaile of the subject. With the element of immediate personal interest eliminated, the bearing of each citizen in time of national excitement is; of importance directly proport-.oiial to the part lie plays in influencing the trend of public opinion a:.d public action. The thoughtful student of human natuie find's a "war scare" opportunity for proiitable observation of individual attitude and action, and-, if his vision has power to range beyond his immediate environment, he learna larger lea.nns, and mayhap adds something to the little store ofWs .visJom. For those who aspire ihrouj-h the power 0 f the press to act as trusty guides to public opinion this attitude of calm observation 'is absolutely essential. In no function of public life Is a well-balanced judicial mind more wisely employed than in consideration of questions involving ,thc possibility of international conflict. That those who direct the expression of opinion through the press do not always preserve this judicial demeanour is a matter at pre.«it unfortunately only too obvious. That the discretion of our o wn journals is not taken lor granted was well evidenced by the AgL'nt-Oeneral's late telegram to the Premier, in which .precautions were suggested l'esl "the newspapers should take an alarmist view" of the situation created by the North Sea incident. This was hardly "pleasant reading for the .newspapers," but we "whosj witheis are u-nwrung" have no hesitation in saying that the Agent-General's lears have not been without justification. There exists in New Zealand, as in Britain, a considerable " yellow " press element, which on the least appearance of national provocation lends its columns to truculent verbiage and empty '•high-fnlutin'.'* In the leaiding cplumns of such journals a matter of international difference involving any British interest is nev- | er treulcd. as sub judice. Their fulminations excite tho worst elements of national bias among the unthink- I ing section of their renders, thoir ' proudest achievement apparently being t 0 carry conviction by uiwarrantid anticipations and unbecoming braggadocio. This class oi writing is too often mistaken for laud- ] able patriotism, and is even regarded with tolerance if not approval by 1 many who In matters of private business ore men of sound judgment and irreproachable fairness of mind. They look upon the literary antics of a pseudo-patriotic posturers in much the same lenient spirit as that | in which tho sober citizen smiles at the exuberant horse-ploy of a tipsy i Jack-Tar. But the thoughtful patriot, Mia citizen who loves the honour of his country too truly to voice his thoughts in more gasconade, cannot but regard suxh exhibitions with I something of sorrow ami contempt. In public life, as in private, the mun who has least recourse to mouUiin-gs and vapourings is he who, when his I country calls, has the, highest will to I do and suffer. At the moment of writing I ho statesmen, of our ow„ and another givut empire are practically standing between two peoples whom Irresponsible writers on both sides are urging on to conflict. While not counting as of one straw's worth the influence of any colonial journal on the illtimate issue, we cunnot regard with like indifference the power of the London press. The opinions expressed by the great journals of the World's Metropolis exercise an influence the importance of which cannot be exaggerated. It is therefore with tho deepest regret that vvw have read the bellicose and intemperate excerpts from th.'-ir iiditorials which the cable has recently so freely poured upon us. In sincere patriotism and loyalty to our King and country we yield precedence to no journal within the wide rango of tiie British Empire : nrcH it is on these grounds that we del it our duty to say lhat the language of too many of our English papers has not been of tho kind which makes for peace. We all recollect how our national feelings were stung by tho unmeasured abuse meted out to us by n section of the Cont'nwtal pre.s during the South African war. Russia, at English hands, Is undeniably suffering in like

measure during its present strugglo with Japan. This has naturally revived and intensified a longstanding but often latent antagonism between her people and our own. At the most critical juncture of the present misunderstanding bow much more becoming was the cabl.d "high olbcial opinion" limn the editorial utterance of the I'all Mall Gazette. " 1 believe we shall worry through all right," - u>;l llio lormer. " Admiral Itohjeshenski was either mad, drunii, u. is now a liar." said the luiii'i. This, as serious conuneul cm live ollicial report, of the distin gilis! cd otlicer of a civiij-Sed countiv is coui'lud in language which in good society, cciint of law, or Parliament would carry its own Cole denuuilion. The ''high official's- " word.-; bespeak a man, and are of the spirit that makes for honourable peace. The l'all Mall Gafcetlx-'s comment is of the reckless, irresponsible kind thut makes for war ; uiul, us one who ought to know has said, "War is hell." Wise, then, are those who rely for guidance rather mi the wisdom at their statesmen than on the mad incitement of un ill-informed section of the press. We may be sure that the British Cabinet is fully conscious of the awful issues u t slake, and that no unreasoniog clamour will be permitted to Inmiemp its deliberate judgment. The reference of the North Sea contretemps to the j arbitrament of the Hague Tribunal is so far a statesmanlike decision. No individual at present seems seized of the full facts of the cas«i and had there been even a shadow of possibility of the truth of the Hussion story, to have plunged two great nations and perhaps the world into war without judicial investigation would have been a monumental crime. This opinion stands logically tenable against every argument. So long ns England acts calmly, firmly, and justly, her honour remains inviolate. H would be lamentable that at the pns.nt juncture the two great Asiatic powers of Europo should engage in conflict, even with a substantial casus belli. To fight through mere mutual anger would be national madness. That the present anger may yet give place to Immediate calm is too much to expect, but sotm abatement of the rancorous tone of the press on both sides' would be a welcoma relief, and a good omen during the necessary- period of susIKniei judgment. If, unfortunately, the results' of arbitration are such as Britain or Russia cannot accept witli duo respect for right and honour, and the rulers of two great empires are Constrained to "cry havoc and let. slip the dogsi of war," the steadier and uioTo circumspect journals of our o wn side may bo relied on to play their patriotic part with no fervour and earnestness than those directed by rasher and hotter spirits who already shout defiance and "Bicent the battle from afar."