THE HIGH WAY AND THE LOW WAY—WHICH?

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1922, Page 11

THE HIGH WAY AND THE LOW WAY—WHICH?

No more important decision than that of ‘’The 'Ways” lies before young manhood and womanhood just stepping across the threshold of life. The High Way, the Low Way, the middle way—which shall -it be, which is the sure way to happiness, to success, to attainment of the things which youth asks of life? Youth has aspirations, visions, ideals, a most .precious heritage that may not lightly ibe forsworn, flow do these things lino up with the problems of “The Ways?” Which will lead to realisation stirring within? Thoughts speh as these are doubtless in the minds of many young New Zealanders to-day, an army of almost 50,000 young men and women who will shortly be called upon as voters to exercise for the first time the greatest responsibility and privilege a country can bflHtow upon its citizens. Upon their shoulders will rest this year an unusual responsibility, for. their vote will have power to sway to a decision one of the most important questions New Zealand has ever been called upon to settle, the question of National Prohibition.—No light responsibility, this, for youth, inexperienced, eager, beset by conflicting views upon great problems, unsure as yet of the path ahead. Here, for the first time, they are definitely faced with the need for right decisionare they going to make it according to the dictates of heart and conscience, or will the lure of self-interest beguile them ?

THE PARTING OF THE WAYS.

•Here, then, they stand at the parting of the ways; the High Way, the Low Way—Prohibition or the drink traffic? Or is it to be the. middle way of the drifter, the man or woman willing to let someone else settle the problem for them, willing to drift to and fro on, the misty flats of indifference and indecision? Not many young New Zealanders, one is glad to think, will follow the middle way when the time comes for action. iSo gaze with me for a moment up the High Way, along the path of the years, and see if there be anything there which will lead to a decision on this great question.—The High Way.—And that is the way of Prohibition. Many thousands will find it no easy matter, so far as individual desires are concerned, to stand firmly for Prohibition next month, It will mean sacrifice for many, a personal surrendering to the dictates of conscience, to something far greater than individual rights or liberties. But only in the surrender of self to some transeendant power or purpose can be found the liberty and freedom of soul that is the only liberty worth having. And then the Low Way.—the easy way, the way of self-indulgence, of indolence. An alluring way, this, a brighter way, hut not one which will strengthen character, nor bring to fruition the best of those fine hopes that blossom in the soul of youth.— “And the low soul gropes the Low Way.”—Darkness, and a path of uncertainty where the light of the world fails’ ere you reach the journey’s end.

The Low Way, the way of license, is the way that allows a man to ask that old, old question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” without any sense of moral responsibility. He says in effect, “You may go to the devil by any route you like to choose, only don’t bother me about it.” If a man likes to be foolish and drink himself to death, that is his own business entirely: any attempt to curtail his “liberty,” which involves the curtailment of other folk’s “liberty” also, ie an outrage, and an insult to democracy—A Avonderful argument, truly.—Yet let that man try to buy the smallest drop of chloroform or opium, when restrictive regulations were ■brought into effect. Alcohol brings about more tragedies, more suffering, more disease, more deaths among the peoples of the earth, year by year, than all the poisions discovered since the world 'began, but this fact i« ignored by those who are unwilling to sacrifice the “rights” of the individual for the good of the community.

NO VICTORY WITHOUT SACRIFICE.

The truth of the matter is, of course, that in modern civilisation, the liberty of the individual is, and must be, subordinated to the interests of the community as a whole. The whole fabric of the law rests upon a foundation of “Thou stalt nots,” and the man who breaks its precepts is rightly branded as a social the curse of intemperance makes more social and moral outlaws than the infraction of any other law in the whole legal code. Your feet are set at the parting of the Ways. From the High Way comes the ringing call to battle, the call of citizenship, of loyalty and duty to your fellowmen, your country and your God. From down the Low Way, the sweet, siren call of the world, the call of self — “And in between, on the misty flats, the rest drift to and fro.” Which will be Your way?

How will You vote? Strike out the two top lines, on the Ballot Paper. “BOOSELOOSE.” “BOOSELOOSE.” “BOOSELOOSE.” Say it. Vote it. Work for it. (Published by arrangement with the Taranaki Provincial Prohibition League.)