THE PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTOR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 117, 20 May 1932, Page 6

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTOR

Sir,—lt is wonderful but. true that England is usually at her finest and noblest when confronted with a crisis of tho first magnitude. Recently, when Mr. Snowden in the House of Common* presented his Budget which hit. tin people of England just as hard as the recent measures of our own Government. have hit us. the House rose to its feet and cheered. When an appeal was made for a prompt payment ot income tax the people lined up m queues. Tr. view of the financial crisis the delegates to the Indian Rouikl Table Conference voluntarily forwent their expend : numerous citizens sen’ cash gifts t . tho Treasury, others sen’ gold or silver, some pensioners relin quishel their pensions, in at least (im case a portion of the offertory in church was forwarded to the Goiern ment. All ihis in response I<> M>’ Snowdon’s challenge to a ready re sppnse to th rt drastic measures the <««»' ernment felt necessary in order tha’ “they will show to tho world an example of tho indomitable British ’•'piril in the face- of difficulties.” An American newspaper correspondent re marked: “Yon Londoner* have got me beat.” Dr. DadfiMd. a Gorman cor respondent, reported: “I ndiminisheu moral forct in tho minds of the whole people, that, is the secret of the Eng lish in this hour of crisis.” The distinguished Indian. Professor R. K Sorabji, wrote: “The peculiarity of the British Raj is that it goes on whatever happens.” Have we in New Zealand laced oui crisis in anything like the same fine spirit J 1 fear not. There has been something of the spirit of the man depicted in Punch who, on receipt ol his tax assessment, said: ‘‘l'll bear il. but I'm d if I’H grim” Bui chiefly there has been grumbling ami protest. “What, a morgue to live in’ is the first thought, of anyone who returns from Australia and observes the serious look on tho faces of New Zealand people,” said Mr. W. C. Mac way at. the Canterbury Advertising Chib. This is due to the lack of moral leadership. The members of the Government, while doing their honest best have, like so many “hardheaded business meu,” overlooked tho psychology a and human -aspect of the situation. The Press could have done much more. Two inches only were given to the Prince’s speech to the youth of Eng land which contained so inspiring a message, including this: “Tho enemy to-day is depression and apathy. Let us attack them with two of our old fashioned ehara<*'.eristics —good sense and humour. . . Depression and apathy arc the devil’s own; they are not English, so away with them.” We are enduring tho judgment brought on ourselves by defiance alikt

of the Christian spirit and economic law. Rich and poor alike have to go through a time of great trial and testing. 1 should like to see a concerted cffoit to bring home to all of us the lad that su-di a testing time can bo for each one of us a blessing or a curse, and that it depends on ourselves which it is to be. It can either lead to discontent, miserable worrying and self seeking, or to cheerfulness, quiet confidence and sacrifice. The Daily Express struck the right note when it. said that, what the hour required was “a living belief in tho higher values of life, in the sense of brotherhood, in the magnificence of moral strength, in the glory of service, in tho splendour of indivi 'ual patriotism, in the grandeur of personal loyalty ami in the nobility cj civic responsibility.”— Yours truly. “SURSCAI CORDA.”