A CHANGED NATION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15191, 11 April 1917, Page 8

A CHANGED NATION.

AN INTERESTING LETTER. The following extracts from a letter received by Mr Pullen Burry, of Napier, from his brother in Sussex, will be found interesting as throwing a- sidelight upon some of the sociological changes which seems to be resulting aa one of the effects of the war: It is remarkable what a rgeat difference there is in tone between men. No one seems off-handed. All hide their troubles and los.ses. A stranger to see us would say, "What a marvellous nation. Have they no feelings, have their women no hearts? They hare, but they have no time to worry and mourn. Such a nation as England is becoming will be the wonder of the world, and all without revolution or riot-

Sweetness and gentleness between men and women have won the day. The parsons are clearing up the mess that a hundred years of dust had accumulated. Politicians have scrapped their party machine. Professors are completely ignored in political economy. All seem under some potest spell such* as I could imagine accompanies settlers in some newly-broken land.

Farmers give up land and gardeners their men, and all give up their money, and this without yelling "patriotism" at street corners. Quietness, orderliness, and respect for authority such as are now the order of the day. There are no yells at defeat, no bell-ringing at victories. Women lose their sons" 1 , say nothing, look their husbands in the eyes, and catch the first morning train for the munition works. The" leader has been found. The people recognise him. The law stands out of his ay, and the brains of the country flock to him to He given encoiiragement and work, and plenty of it. Through it all he breaks not down, does not slacken, but gathers momentum from everything that «uffets him. These are terrible times, but faith has never been stronger with us that this devil's job is nearly run out, than it is at t»his moment. I see on all sides the men and the heaped material that will at no distant dale bring about the. utter confusion of the Central Powers. It would impress yen to hear, as I do, as chairman of the Sussex Tribunal, the willingness of all to serve their country.

The "conscientious objectors"—and I have about, thirty of thorn, for we can get no other labour for the land—even do what they can, and many of them are heroes in their own—to my mind — misguided way. They are indeed despised and rejected of men. Yet. some of them have sons at th<? front, and others with all I»heir brothers there, and themselves doing what under ordinary circumstances, in their position of life, they would scoru to do ... . You would bo surprised at the occupations now engaged in by women. They act as railway guards, collectors, 'bus and tram girls, pass inspectors, police, postmen milk-deliverers, and in fact there seems to bo no end to t»he efficiency of the female. But this will not last long after the war. Thousands of colonials who came over have married, and almost "innumerable terriers" who never dreamed of the hymeneal knot have taken to themselves wives. ' I calculate it will require ab least a million of new -homes for the people to live jn after the war, and that to reinstate the streets and warehouses and shops will take years. . . . Although their elders suffer, the children do not, except in the matter of hoots and clothes. Wc are getting as shabby as Fagin the Jew. In fact, I have bought no new clothes since the war started, nor will I buy ,a.ny until peace is declared.