THROUGH A WORLD OF CONFLICT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 254, 27 October 1939, Page 3

THROUGH A WORLD OF CONFLICT

PROBLEMS TO BE OVERCOME MUCH THAT IS NEW Ml ST BE UNDERSTOOD In an address to a conference of Hie Wanganui Dist.tci FederVion of Women’s. Institutes, Miss C. C. H Rockell, speaking about newspapers, said the news was becoming increasingly difficult to follow. Now ideas were constantly being brought about, and nevx words were being added almost daily. She mentioneu such new ’ words as “Fuhrer,” "Gestapo," "Totalitarian," and also said that older words had specialised now meanings to-day, such as "minorities.” Miss Rockell gave a warning about propaganda ana the need tor the public to discern that which was genuine news. Propaganda was being indulged in by ali countries but was not necessarily lies. World events, the speaker said, was largely a talc ol antagonism breaking out ncre ana there in the mass. Different viewpoints from levels of society formed a oase for antagonism and there developed such antagonisms as the proletariat v. the bouigeoisc, socialism 1 v. communism, capitalism v. socialism or communism. Then tncre were racial dilierences which provided looci for antagonisms -Aryan v. Jew being one of the more prominent of the daj. A third category of antagonism mentioned by the speaser, me ideo.X gical (governmental). Under th., uranch tnere was created, for instance, the keen difference between totalitarian Stales and democracies. "Must, all these natural community ot interests, whether of occupations, races or ideas, entail active opposition to ‘outsiders?’ ” Miss Rockeii asked. "We, as members of a democratic State, must try and understand all viewpoints, even though it is all so very confusing. Why not try to follow up some one thing in the papers.’ We are all excellent hobbyists and that should come to us naturally. My own such special concern is the refugee problem. 1 had hoped to speak on that to-day, but, unfortunately, our activities in this direction have become much reduced and greatly changed since the outbreak oi war. However, we still have those two great obligations: (1) To show kindness and give help to refugees already here, and (2) to strengthen a determination not only to break down the walls of I prejudice others have built up. but to refrain from building walls of prejudice of our own."