SANDY’S CORNER

Wanganui Chronicle, 5 September 1946, Page 4

SANDY’S CORNER

BULLS AND BEARS What is this game of “bulls and bears" going on in Wall Street? Is it a case of the bulls getting out and the bears getting in, or what? What troubles us is that, the same sort of thing happened after the last war. Has anybody got any insulation? If you saw a bear coming out of the woods round Bretton would you b» any better off if it was a bull And if there was both bull and bear would you we well advised to take to Bretton Woods for safety? We are afraid that these little problems are far too remote for most ot us to find the right answers, and we are far better able to determine whether we like drinking beer standing up or sitting down, and then, having decided that, make up nur minds to do it the way we like least. THRILLERS Sydney's “Morning Herald" expressed a sensible view when it editorially came down in defence of the "thrill--er’’ type of literature for kids—not in defence of it all. certainlv, but with the broad, human belief that boys, being boys, will like to read of boys’ adventures. It is true, of course, that boys of to-day differ from boys of yesterday, and they look for their "Brick Bradfords" instead of to "Wharton,', “Lord Maleverer," and “Billy Bunters" of bygone years. Remember Edward S. Ellis, R. M. Ballantyne. with his “Young Fur Traders," "The Pirate City"? Remember Robert Leighton with his “Rattlesnake Ranch"? Canada was the Great North-west, of purple mapleleafed glory to the young English lad of those days; Australia was the land of the "Never-Never," peopled by thousands of uncivilised "Jackies." with a bushranger element in the back of beyond; China was a land of Oriental, cruel mystery. To-day these places are but a hop, skip and a jump to this generation of youngsters, who regard the world as their backyard, or soon will. They have long since remained cold to the glamour of "Deerfoot on the Prairie,” "Deerfoot in the Mountains," “Deerfoot on th* River." and “Tom Brown,” in his famous “School Days," is unknown. Prairie and mountain, they are commonnlace, not far distant, adventurous horizons. "Jacky" Is not of th* "Never-Never' any more, and children of to-day are more than just thinking of the moon and the planets. That silver orb is actually replacing the red-skinned Indian lands as a place for adventure in childish dreams and the "Brick Bradfords" are th* heroes. But bring back to the screen, just once. "Uncle Tom's Cabin.” “David Copperfield." "The Pirat* City," and even the “Bradford-mind-ed" xoungsters of to-dav would remember that they arc human, and that come moon, come stars. human qualities are the best in the long run.