FROM THE TOWER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 276, 21 November 1928, Page 6

FROM THE TOWER

(By ‘ 'SENTUIBL”) Russian newspapers have been coming out with the heading: “Swine queues awaiting slaughter.” Wo thought this meant that another Soviet election was in progress—but it referred to gentlemanly hogs, not the sort that rule Russia. « * * • I There is a certain incongruity about the inmates of Quarantine Island, Dunedin. These include the dogs of the Byrd expedition and a number of Angora and Chinchilla rabbits. If both get loose, the excitements of tin-hare coursing will seem tamo compared with the fun that follows. * # # ♦ The unemployed of Russia are ri*» ported to bo living almost exclusively on apples. Since “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” Russia will soon be an impossible place for medical men. Which leads us to the consideration of an old joke. Mr Blink: “If a handsome young doctor kept on visiting your young and pretty wife, long after you thought his professional attendance was necessary, what would you do?” Blunk: Don’t know. I’m sure.” Blink (in rapid retreat): “Eat; an apple a day.” *'* * * Even a broken rib does not prevent Sir Harry Lauder stooping to pick up loose cash. Off to New Zealand for the big fishing, he said farewell to British (and Scottish liSteners-in—and i.i said to have been paid £l2OO for doing so. That’s what you might call “red hot”—to draw £l2OO for giving a farewell message to people who have already made you fabulously rich. Ono is tempted to hope the income tax officials dived on Sir Harry before he got away with the loot. The jocose knight will combine business with pleasure, ot course. After ho has done his fishing he will embark upon a professional tour; he comes to the Dominion to recuperate his health, but being entirely unselfish, he will give his purse a chance to recuperate also. Anyone who wants a Mug from Sir Harry around the good old anglers’ camp firn will have to pay for it. That is more certain than that the visitor will catch a mako. • * # * Further instancing the foily of neglecting to pay adequate salaries for special skill. Mr A. J. Wenncrgron. founder of Electrolux, Ltd., arrives in this Dominion to express a glowing opinion of the capacity of New Zealanders, both as regards hard work and reliability. Two “Enzed’s” are manager and sales manager, respectively, for Electrolux in America, and the general manager of the company for Australia is ,a Christchurch man. Con- . tcmporanoously, it is stated that another New Zealand entymologist has been offered a high salary in Austra-x lia. It’s almost a certainty New Zoar land will lose his services. The faefcr is, jt has for so long been the habit of New Zealand to educate her young mon in science and industry to loso them to countries which pay them de-' cent salaries that such has become a matter of course. It. hasn't yet occurred) to the New Zealand employer (unless we except the Railways Department and Mr Sterling) that the way to keep New Zealand brains in New Zealand is to pay their owners what they are worth. When it doos, Now Zealand will begin to pick up. ♦ # * * Mere man will applaud the decision of the renowned woman parliamentarian, Mrs Philipson, who finds it “neither desirable nor possible to reenter the House of Commons, in view of the appeal of her young family, whoso ages range from seven to fourteen years. Here is one woman with whom the claims of family outweigh the inducements of public life. Her retirement from politics may have tho effect of drawing attention to the enormous number of women who choosa careers instead of motherhood, and may possibly have some*'influence towards the inclining of these young women, now hovering on the border between marriage and business, towards the natural. As long as women continue to enter business and the professions (not to mention politics), and displace men, so long will the birthrate continue to fall. The sanctity of motherhood seems in these days to be a bad second to tho sanctity of a job in a store or an office. That wasn’t what populated the British Empire—and it isn’t going to keep the Empire populated sufficiently to save it from the domination of tho descendants of Ham.

Is America still the laud of oppof> tunity? Well, Hoover was born on a farm in lowa, moved with his family as a boy to California, carried his share of the burden of manual labour while he was at school, paid his way through college by collecting laundry from other students, was a mining engineei of distinction in China, Siberia, Australia aud finally in London. And then, after three years of humanitarian work, directed with genius and force, he re- ' turned to his own country as Food Director under Wilson, and as Secretary of Commerce, under Harding and Coolidge. He is known abroad better, perhaps, than any other living American. During the past ton years he became equally well known at home. So all that need be said in summary not only of his qualities, but of the gradual way he has grown upon the nation, can be told in the words of a Democratic paper, the Register, of Alobile. Alabama. Praise from .Alabama for a Republican presidential candidate is praise indeed, “He is self-made and self-reliant; tireless in the public interest; efficient to a high degree; with a record of administrative efficioncy in every enterprise he has undertaken or to which he has been assigned; not vain; never seeking to project his personality; always calm and self-contained; an administrator rather than a politician, understanding government as the problems of b iness are understood, and with equal concern for the Ijpst interests of tho people in all sections of the country, whether in Afaine or California, on the Gulf Coast or in the great. West. Air Hoover ih j big enough and broad enough to see t whole nation.” That is how it was put by the Mobile Register. _J