UNDERCURRENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18888, 7 March 1933, Page 4

UNDERCURRENTS.

HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE, (By “Gleaner.") TRIPE AND CHILDREN. The Bishop of Waikato, the Right Rev. C, A. Cherrington, was certainly to the point when referring to lack of discipline in the younger generation. He characterised a great many of the criticisms made about modern youth as “tripe." A peculiar word, but one that fits the case to a.nicety. Furthermore, the Bishop inferred that the remedy was to reclaim the fathers and mothers, so that the children could have decent homes to live in. That may be unpalatable to parents, but there is no getting away from it. * * * • Reminds “Gleaner" of an occurrence in the United States of America. A magazine offered a prize for the best answer to the query: “Why do modern children stay out so late at night?" “Because they are looking for their parents,"- was the winning entry. « » * • The war, in "Gleaner’s” opinion, was directly responsible for this state of affairs—it took the woman out of her own sphere, the home, and put her into munition factories, offices, transport work and a host of other things. For what women did then no praise is great enough. By taking over men’s jobs, some of which were too heavy for them physically, they released more fighting material for active service at a time when the need was urgent, and things critical. Without their aid we probably would not have been victorious. Grant honour where honour is due, and all honour to woman for what she did in wartime.

Unfortunately, when the war was over the women did not go home. They left the physical jobs which were too heavy for them, but remained in men’s positions in offices, eto. By doing so they contributed in a very great measure to the unemployment problem, but as well, and perhaps, from the moral aspect, worse, the home life of pre-war days became a thing of the past. With father out and mother out all day, what could one expect? Emancipation for women Is a conceeded right of modern times, but •surely there is a limit. Clubs, social and sports, bun fights, etc., mean long hours away from home and its virtual disintegration in many cases. The children have perforoe to look after themselves. With what result? Grown-ups plaintively refer to how badly brought up the modern child is.

The man is affected too. Without the draw of a perfect home life h& 0%-erstays his boosing hours, and joins any old thing to try and keep amused. Few men are there that care to go “home” to an empty house and study or do something else useful. The man, like the child, needs the influence of a woman to stir him to strive after better things. For, after all, what is ambition but the love of a woman?

Can one blame children for getting out of hand under the circumstances? They have an example set them, but a bad example. They follow the lead of their parents. Let women go back to the home and make it what it ought to be. There will be no need to worry about the children then.

* • • • WHEN IS WAR WAR? So. Paraguay after fighting Bolivia for about two years has decided to declare war!

That will place one sanguinary scrap under the Marquis of Queensberry rules. Perhaps Japan will put matters on a sporting basis, too, and declare war against China. Another little affair which still goes merrily on, although it Is apt to be lost sight of, is the argument between Colombia and Peru. About time they put their quarrel on a legal basis and declared war. • * • • A “ SURLY ” SETTING. “ Civilised but surly” is the reported description of an ancient “type" of human being, evidence of whose existence Is said to have been discovered at Old Gaza by the expedition led by Sir Flinders Petrie. The reports do not explain how personal character is diagnosed from venerable relics and remains, and we are left in the dark as to what constitutes evidence of “surliness” after the betrayer of that characteristic has been laid under the earth for several thousand years. Certainly it looks like a clear ease of "the evil that men do lives after them,” but it would have been interesting to know how the unearthers of these ancient Inhabitants arrived at such a definite conclusion that they had not been planted sunny-side up. However on general grounds perhaps it was a pretty safe conclusion. It is more than probable that life In Old Gaza was not exactly soaked in the “ Sunshine Susie” atmosphere. For the Philistines lived there, and there must have been plenty of things to encourage a certain grumpincss of outlook among them, including tlie general attitude of their neighbours the Children of Israel, whe seldom seem to have lost any opportunity of making themselves unpleasant by word or deed. Perhaps the whole time and place lent itself to surliness: such chronicles as remain to us seldom suggest an area that was richly endowed with sweetness and light.

CALLED TO THE BAR. Tn Prague there has just been opened a “ cosmetics bar ” at which bottled bcaufv will he sold in its various forms instead of bottled wines ami spirits. “ Samples of new preparations, ’’ it is said, “ can be ordered and tried at tbc bar." At ttie same time, there does not appear to be much real call for this addition to the resources of civilisation. since most of the ladies who are deeply adleted to tills form of facejoy seem to carry their own first-aid out 111. about, with them and to take a positive delight in doing own “ running repairs ” at any place or time when they think that attention is called for.

The bar idea seems superfluous; why rush in for “ a quick one ” when you are, as it were, carrying a fullsize hip-flask about with you? However, if it becomes the fashion in Prague to get all this beautifying business over at the bar, instead of letting it spread out into more public apartments, the new arrangement may lie regarded as a real improvement on the old.