"DO YOU REALISE THE WAR?"

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1124, 18 December 1914, Page 7

"DO YOU REALISE THE WAR?"

THE ENGLISH TEMPERAMENT.

CALM IN DISTRESS OR PROSPERITY.

[Fbom Oub Ladt Coeeespomjekt.l LONDON, November L. "We often wonder if you people in England realise the war as we do here where everyth.ng that bears tion'to it sinks into insignificance, fffc in a letter from New Zealand a tew days ago. ' , . The query is excusable enough, since never was' a war' taken so quietly m England, though perhaps v so seriously as this one, and, if ail outward sign., of excitement are hushed here,' it is hardly likely that evidence of inward fears and joys will transport themselves thirteen thousand miles—to make no ment on of the official Press censorship that takes heavy toll as news passes through its cold hands. ,; . Never d.d one realise before 60 implicitly the truth of the proverb that one half of the world wots not how tne other half lives, and once again, how many worlds there are m the world oi England, even of London. Judging from letters from home and frorri the New Zealand newspapers,, there can be hardly a family ,n the Dominion but has identified itself with the practical arising out of present world calamity, instead of h. Government leading and d recting the people, as here, news from home read* ■as if citizens themselves aided the Government by their wonderful vigour of generosity aud their grasp of the necessity for as well as/Rational responsibilty in order that their conntry inigat feel the upheaval ' with as little harshness as possible. The difference between the recognition of tho nearness of the menace that has been a nightmare to English people and New Zeaianders for years is tne difference in the conditions of each. There are so many people in this country that nothing but a gigantic blow that laid them all low at identically the same moment could ever induce perfect equality of mind. Tradition is at the bottom of their sense of security, and a perfect faith n the power* that be, however they may amuse or;upset themselves in numa. tim-s by -loathing' these roundly. The English nation plump* sol.d.y, if unconsciously, for the conviction that aL is for the best, and, after -dJ, nothng is more reassur ng than that hjavc titled empty old phrase. . .' CABBAGES AND BOMBS. So, even now, there are groups of English people no more personally affected by this devastating war thaiv by a bank smash in, let us. say,. Liberia', aud they won't genuinely be until a bomb uproots ' the very cabbages in the.r back gardens. • No judgment this, for their kind hearts are kinder than ever before, and their hands are busy iu all odd moments rnak.ng . wonderful woollies tor the men who are ensuring for longer still the safety of their island heme. The difference is that, taken as a whole, tta people of the Mother Country give all they can spare, in the best eases, the people of New Zealand more than they can spare if necossarv. It is extraordinarily difficult* almost impossible, -in this 'Country to reach every person; it's not nearly so d'fhcuii it home, where tht bianco is always ■ that a man or woman has a stake in the Dominion and realises 'the Vhttv as well as the joy of citizenship. This'war has been yet one moro'objeot-les on as to the small power that a vote bestows in spito of all the tribulation that (for some) tho coveting of one involves. Never for one moment was tho wisdom or tiselessncss of putting the decision as to war. or neutrality before tho general publ'c di cussed either bv the governors or tho governed. ' Seme would sav it was too serious for that. There is more to be thankful for than could ever be measured in ike calm that shows in England distressed as in England in prosperity. It is -nrolv a magu"ficence sometimes be to tho more bu..yj;nt, ;xv;u,,- L o-ia..„ -.,., i; 1 , ~ ;,, u tude of those of younr>- lands !---tha t, in this diro period, neither loud 'Ciies of hurt nor of rejoicing have been heard That is why those with no relatives at or prepar lig "to go to the front and wmi no great affection for newspapers stilly harbour minch aloof. Never has the value of dignity bfen more evident. Brarerv is looked for and shewn, with the other be* utiful quahty adebd. he would bo a fool who d remember as in the eFetfi English nat on and such rubbish.