LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 August 1939, Page 4

LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE

1 APPLICATION TO PRESENT PROBLEMS. It is not the general habit of politicians, or even of ordinary men, to look very far into the future, says the “Manchester Guardian.” It is felt that the future is best served by a constant application to present problems. But when so much of the present’s time must be given to armaments and the turns of foreign policy it is still necessary for a country which pursues an enduring security to look within at its social services. It seems to have taken a long time to bring British aircraft factories into full production, but more years than those are needed for the rate of infantile mortality to be appreciably reduced. And’yet, setting all thought of wars aside, how valuable is the life of a child to Britain. It is estimated that even by 1941 there will be nearly two million fewer children under 15 and nearly one million more persons over 65 than in 1931. In those figures, which speak of a‘ change in population levels which will hasten more and more as the century advances, lies a problem for the future which will be greatly important ■ not only for Britain's internal economy, but for her whole place in the world. Such things must not be forgotten in the press of present interests. But if there is one thing which no country can afford to overlook it is the welfare and health, even more than the numbers, of its children.