PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS TO THE JUBILEE CONVENTION OF THE W.C.T.U.

White Ribbon, Volume 39, Issue 463, 18 April 1934, Page 8

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS TO THE JUBILEE CONVENTION OF THE W.C.T.U.

Wellington, Manli lath, IH3I. To the Memliere ami Delegates of flu* Jubilee Convention of the W.C. T.l’. of New Zealand. Dear Sisters, At this special Conventi<;n, u short review of the last Mi years seems to be in order. The storx of the Women's Christian Temperance Union is essentially the storx of the growth of the woman's movement in New Zealand. I'lior to 18X4, here, as elsewhere, women's activities were almost entirely limited to the Home, the Church, and the School, while the right of women to higher and l T niversit> education xxas only then liecoming a recognised fact in national life. In the face of fierce and unreasoning opposition, the traditions of centuries were being slowly broken down, as women forced open the door of opportunity for themselves in business and the professions, claiming the right, as individual human beings, to selfexpresxion in all avenues of influence and sci \’ice, hitherto the preserves of men alone. In England, at the lieginning of the ilith century, and even earlier. Elizabeth Klstoh, Mary Woolstonecraft, and others were ostraclsni for daring t«» prove that women had gilts of the mind equal to those of men, and for relndling against the old order in woman's position. Josephine Butler's fair name was 1 1 ragged through the nuid because she claimed for woman a soul, and worked for an equal moral standard between men and women, and against the moral and physical destruction of those who were tin* victims of men's lust and immorality. Florence Nightingale was proving, h> sheer courage and administrative ability, her right to defy the red tape mismanagement of the military authorities. when, with her own hands, she helped to smash open the huts containing food and medical supplies, and so saved the lives of thousands of her wounded and dying soldiers on the beach at Scutari. While these things were happening, the Itronte sisters, .lane Austin, (leorge Flint, and a host of brilliant women in Kngland. were writing into the literature of the nation the contribution that women must make to the humanities of life and its higher culture. Parallel with ail this, in America. Susan IV Anthony, Klizalxdh Cady Stanton, who, with other leaders, had sensed and voiced the necessity for political poxy or in the hands of women, through calumny and opposition, they worked on. even the Church itself lending a hand in persecuting them America, too, had her strong sweet singers amongst women writers, who saw the tT.rist ideal shining afar, and sought to bring the vision nearer. Of such were Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin," and

Ann Ward Howe, composer of the “Hattie Hymn of the Republic," immortal productions both. Nurtured in these spiritual aspirations on both sides of the Atlantic, and as part of them, emerged Frances Willard, one of the greatest women of her century She was an impassioned speaker and riter, full of spiritual zeal and love for humanity, \xith Christ’s teaching as a I>ackground and authority, from which she never wavered. To her came the call to gathei up the scattered strands of these ideals and longings, and to weaxe them into one coherent whole of National and World-wide influence and significance. Thus, through her prophetic vision and guidance, for the first time in history women became united in one liattle-front against the forces that undermine the work of the Home and the Christian Church. Out of these elements was formed the Women's C.T.U., pioneer of all future women's organisations. Individual women had done much and suffered greatly in pointing others ‘o the stars and opening their eyes to tin light, but Frances Willard it was who saw so dearly the irresistable power of unity, to give women a hoi>e of the realisation of that light in their own lives. As organised by her, the W.C.T.U. is a prototype for nationally and internationally organised liodies, that has required little, if any, alteration in all the years that liaxe passed since then. Its platform is comprehensive, with, as she herself said, work for a"’ to do. It sets out to secure social and moral Justice, the sanctity of the home and tin family, the emancipation and complete freedom of women, and the outlawry of war and the traffic in alcohol and other drugs; und to-day these things are still burning questions of the utmost import to all right-thinking men and women, just as she saw them so many years ago. In her were combined in a most remarkable degree a deep inner and spiritual conviction, with a clear intellectual and practical expression, and a perfect genius for organisation. The direction of her whole life's work, its sanctions and inspiration, are inimitably expressed in the famous lines inscrilied on the pedestal of her statue in the White House at Washington, lines from one of her speeches advocating the franchise for women, when she said “Ah! it is women who have gix'en the costliest hostages to fortune. Out into the Imttle of life they have sent their liest-beloved, with fearful odds against them, with snares that men have set for them on every hand. Beyond the arms that held them long their boys have gone for ever. Oh! by the dangers they have dared; by the hours of patient watching oxer beds where helpless children lay; by the incense of ten thousand prayers, wafted by their gentle tips to heaven, I charge you give them power to protect along life's treacherous highway those whom they have so loved, and when the sons they lox r e shall go forth to life’s battle, still let their mothers walk l>eside them, sweet

and serious, and clad in the garments of poxver." Such was the woman whom to-day w* holt'-or as our founder, and she organised the Women’s Christian Temperanc. Union of America, and a few years later travelled herself, in company with tw< friends, round the world, organising national branches of th:s Union in almost every country. A little later Mi> I*eavitt. another world missionary of the W.C.T.U., took up the work. an.l helped to establish its branches in this land of ours in 188 f«, the first branch having been formed in Invercargill in 1881. In the years that followed. New Zealand women sought to carry on the work of their great founder, inspired oy the objectives of the “Women’s Crusade" of a fexv years earlier, which aimed to sav< men from drink by the voluntary signing of the total abstinence pledge and the voluntary closing of the saloons, which happened in many American States during the Crusade, in answer to prayer. New Zealand women quickly found, however, that In common xvith then American sisters, they were |>owerless in the etui against the huge vested n terests of the liquor traffic and other national evils. They became convinced that Frances Willard's attitude toward.* the franchise was the right one. Leaders in this reform were not wanting, ai d following in the footsteps of Mrs Muel ler, tla* W.C.T.U., led and organised bx Mrs K. W. Sheppard, !>egan its hard fight for the franchise. Public men of sympathetic understanding and influ • nee, like Mr Alfred Saunders and S' »ohn Hall, put their whole weight on tie side of the W.C.T.C. and its demand Year after year memliers worked for it. and year after year they walked tiestreets of every city and town of New Zealand collecting signatures to tin* immense petitions presented front time to time to Parliament asking for this reform. finally granted in 1893. The whole story of this campaign i to )>e found in a little book, “Woman’Franchise in New Zealand," by Mr \\ Sydney Smith, and in a booklet, socially prepared for this Convention by Mrs Peryman. In the years that followed the W.C T.l’. has gone on, slowly but persistent 1> gaining ground for the w-omen of tin country, until now they are eligible to sit on practically every local body oi educational and administrative institu tion in the Dominion. In 1919 the right t«» nomination and election to l’a» liament was also granted. Quietly xvo men have used their vote during !<• vearg in helping men to build up a social and industrial structure in thicountry which counted human life, health and happiness as of first import nice, and an economic system that ensured to all honest effort at least a liv ing wage and decent conditions for industiy and health. Time does not permit me to go into Hie long list of social, industrial, and humanitarian legislation that has been incorporated into Nexv Zealand’s na

i ionttl lif** since women had the vote. IMiss HendersM ha* prepared this list j, ,| 11 who wish to w*«. I Jut the ffut remains that, although we had until now do woman in our Parliament, women were not idle. but worked through men who were sympathisers to t’aeir ideals, [mu in New Zealand we are happy in having many men of this stamp. |)r. .1. B. Condliffe, in his book, “New Zealand in the Making." has this to say: ' It is difficult to explain why so many tiitieal observers should have considered the effects of the woman’s vote to be lo slight On the contrary, there appear to have Im*«*u very definite and important consequences o f the activity of women in political affairs. The extent ©! these consequences has possibly been masked by the fact that feminine pressure ii|*>n Parliament has taken its own Rharact eristic form and has worked vith and through sympathetic male legislators.” Be these things as they may. the fact I mains that in the years that followed I lie gaining of the franchise bv the rvi’T.r.. New Zealand pioneered for the world much outstanding social. (conomic, and humanitarian legislation, md set a standard of national life not in massed by any other country. From its very inception, the Wofkien's Christian Tem|*erance t’nion has l en opposed to war as a means of settling international disputes, and was the first group of women to advocate Peaceful arbitration and international in iderstanding in its place. I Many of its members played a lone 1: md. and were the objects of abuse and milch misunderstanding as a result. Tins was especially so during the (beat ■War, and even here in New Zealand as I .r as certain members were concerned. rune that time, however, public opinion as gone forward a long way, and groups of men and women everywhere pave Income organised for the same purpose, and with the same ideals, including the I.eagu*' of Nations and its many auxiliaries Of the Pifcitt* ana tli in is eminently true, for hoe we hav« i« tivelj at work: The International W.C.T.U. The International Y.W.C.A. The International Student (’hristian Federation. 'rite International Y.M.C.A. The Women's International League for Peace. The Pan-Pacific Women’s Association. Ml sowing seed which must result in a P'i< h harvest in the days to come, x Putting as the\ do through the haliers and the clashes of race and colour, md revealing the essential oneness of i ulna ait y, thes« influences are at work • evening the whole of thought in this a w world of the Pacific, destro* iug the ‘oots of race hatreds, national autagoii•vm, old world prejudices, and pointing o a Utter life in the future. Through the World \\ C.T.U., the Inernutional Council of Women, the Pan'icilic Women's Association, and the nternational Standing Committee of *\ oim n’s Organisations at Geneva, we

can voice for New Zealand women their support of and faith in Disarmament, and their intense opposition to the Traffic in Arms for private profit, which has l**cn hitherto so largely the cause *f failure of the Disariupment Confer elite. The following statement is cleurl} indicative of what has happened, and w hat will happen again:— KXKMIES OF PKACK. TIIK TKI TH ABOI’T WAR MAKING Lieut.-Colonel George A. Drew, a Canadian oiTicer, in an article in “Maclean's Magazine,’’ says:—“The only chance to achieve any effective measure of disannuim-nt is to disarm first the enemies of peace.’’ The failure of past disarmament conferences to achieve results is attributed, generally, to an alleged condition of distrust amongst nations. The truth is that there is a sinister influence at work. It is the armament industry which is smashing civilisation by bringing to naught the efforts made by the League of Nations in an advance toward the outlawry ol war. The armament firms, operated for profit, are opposed to disarmament. With them it is a cold-blooded business proposition to maintain markets which yield high dividends. The Naval Disarmament Conference at Geneva in 1927 disclosed that behind national competition in armaments lies a vicious commercial organisation which seeks to promote international ill-will in order to maintain its profits. In Sept* niher, 1921, a Commission appointed by the League of Nations decla red:— 1 That armament firms have been active in fomenting war scares. 2. That armament firms have attempted to bril*e Government officials. 3. That armament firms have disseminated false reports in order to stimulate armament expenditure. I That armament firms have sought to influence public opinion through the control of newspapers. In 1929, Dr. William B. Shearer, an American, sued three Arms for 255,65f> dollars, which he claimed in his writ was the balance due to him for his “services in preventing any results from the Naval Disarmament Conference at Geneva.” An inquiry set up by President Hoover produced tlie admission from officials of three countries that ihey employed n.en and spent money to promote international ill-will for the purpose of maintaining sales. In Kngland, a one-time ohscu r e Greek, now known as Sir Basil Zah roff, is th** King of Armaments, . Salesman of Death. He controls Vickers, Ltd., a company with 80. non shareholders. comprising, in additLm to people in ordinary walks of life, Cabinet Ministers, leading M.P.’s, publicists and clergymen. Zahuroff controls similar compute *s in five uifferent countries. He had iteresis in Krupp’s. He controls oi >mpanies. and has spun a web

of influence alsiut politics in Nurope bv his control of newspapers. As a paradox, Zaharoff was a confidant of Llovd George in discussions on the advisability of peace in 1917, and was ‘‘all t<«r continuing ihe war.” The menace of the private manufacture of arms was never greater than it is to-day. It received emphasis during the Sino-.lapaneso conflict, when, on tin* one hand, statesmen In Hritai’ . America, France, Italy, and elsewhere were urging that Japan should recognise the Kellogg Pact, renouncing war. while at the same time private manufacturers of arms in the same countries were shipping millions of pounds worth of material which made war between China ami Japan possible. Can there lie any question that It Is incumbent upon all nations to prohibit the manufacture of war equipment and to assume control of the export of all war material? (Compiled from Colonel Drew’s article.) “INTKRNATIONAL CRIMINALS ” WASHINGTON. March !». “in the Senate debate oil Mr Curl Vinson's Naval Bill, which comes to the vote to-morrow, and which will probably I** approved. Senator W. E. Borah attacked the munitions industry of the world, particularly that centred In America, which, he said, was spreading war propaganda in the Hast, where it was being declared that the American recognition of the Soviet was a hostile act to Japan. He denounced munition makers as “international criminals,” who would sell war implements to kill their own peoople. “ *1 do not lielieve that tin* munition manufacturers can bring about war with Japan.’ Senator Borah continued, ‘but if they should the world will see our soldiers shot down with munitions made by tin* people of their own country.’ * H*> added that complete Government control of production was the only solution of the problem.” letter on, in our Convention, we shall have opportunities for passing and sending forward resolutions on these two most important questions of “Disarmament’’ and “The Private Traffic in Arms.” The question of peace and disarmament Is on** of fundamental importance In any proposal for economic reconstruction or the redistribution of earning power amongst th neoples of the earth. Much more cou'd be said on the subject. but time does not allow Coming now to the present, of course the outstanding event of this last year has »*een the election to Parliament of our first woman representative. Mrs McCombs, to whom we tender our very heartiest c ongratulations and wishes for long years of health and service in this capacity. Tt has taken fourteen years of eligibility to break down the stublwirn resistance to a woman In Parliament. Truly we are a remarkable people In this respect—the first country to grant women th** vote, and on** of the last to use that vote in placing her where she can be most effective In carrying into

lx*ing our well-considered demands. W** ertainly art* a conservative crowd as far as women arc concerned, for it takes almost a super-woman to win our confidence, while practically anything in the way of a man will satisfy us lor even the highest positions of trust and responsibility. This is the opening of a new era for New Zealand women, if they will but realise it and cse the opportunity when it comes, as com* ! will very shortly, to elect other women memliers to keep .Mrs Mct'omhs company, and stand b> her in her sometimes single-handed fight for wo neifs demands. It means, however, ♦hat women must, us so many did, to my knowledge, for Mrs McCombs, sink party for the time l*eing, if necessary, ard 1h» loyal to their womanhmxi and to other women who are willing to give their services thus to their nation and their fellownine and women. We are confident that our objectives are safe in Mrs McCombs' hands. She is one of us, an officer of our Union, am) knows our work and our demands, and the whole background against which we are struggling. We feel exceedingly honoured that our first woman member is a memlier also of the White Rlhlion Army With regard to our main objective, the abolition of the liquor traffic. Owing, probably, to the fact that we have had no poll for nearly seven years, there seems to have developed, even w’ithin our own ranks, and amorgst the people of the churches, a false ense of security. or, shall we say, indifference, with regard to the strength and Influence of the drink evil in this country. Why this attitude should have come about on such a vital question it is difficult to understand; but, let there be no mistake on this score, for by whatever name you may call it under whatsoever guise it may he sold or consumed, alcoholic drink remains the same deadly habit-forming drug and racial destroyer that it ever has been. He it as light w ine, h *er, "home brew ." or spirits, it is the alcoholic content that does the harm, and nothing *>lse. Some people might find cause for gratification in the fact that young people in Britain, anyhow, are drinking less ix*er. Hut if this is to lx* countered by the <•* resumption of greater quantities of win *s and spirits, as seems probable amongst the more well-to-do classes, then the poeitioii for the nation is worse, and not lx*tt**r. Let us hope and earnestly pray that the general run of youth is at last learning to drink less. Pert; inly, national drink bills are lower tnan thev were in prosperous times. T ie liquor interests, however, are not go in,” to let it rest at this; their profits are down, and insidious and farreaching plans are afoot, full of heartless cruelty, to m crease drinking amongst youth the work! over. It seems at times as t.i.mgh Satan himself were incarnate in the vested intei ests of the liquor traffic. The International Wine Office is hard at work with absolutely false propaganda, purporting to be scientific truth, thereby catching the unwary ami uninformed, and enhaving

foolish women and girls in a false idea of security. The International Wine Inhibition in New York is part of this, as well as the pseudo scientific cables flung out to the world every little while, and emanating largely from the International Wine Office in France. For pure inhumanity the brewing interests of Britain cannot be surpassed. Listen to the following: Sir Kdgar Saunders, President of the Brewers’ Association of Britain, says: "That is what may happen unless we do something to attract and s«*ciirr the younger customer, who, in turn, will lx?come tin- mainstay of the public house. Unless steps are taken to sa> to him that England's ix*ei is the best and the healthiest leverage he tan consume, and to bring liefore him all the goodwill and contentment that the public-house imparts in England, and to carry on this goodwill, we shall certaintly see tin* Trade tin a declining basis.” This warning was reinforced in his final appeal:— "I am not saying that tile present beer drinker should drink more, but rather that we .want new customers. \\“ want to get the beer-drinking habit instilled into thousands, almost millions of young men who do not at present know the taste of beer.” Sir Douglas Haig, in April, 1918, w hen things were le? perate for tin* Allies in file Brea* War, said: "With our batks to the w 11, and believing in tin* justice of our cause, each one of us must fight on to the end.” A greater enemy is threatening us now, a more relentless foe is at our gates The sanctity of our homes, tin* freedom of m nkind, the sanity of our race, are in he Lila nee against this huge vested interest. "With our ljacks to the wall, and believing in tin* justice of our cans**, we must fight on. and fight on." till death or victory, in the name of Him Who has said, "Surely I will lx* with th *e." In New Zealand, we of the W.C.T.U. have done what we could during the years of the long, slow uphill battle with this organised evil. All along the line we have continued our work of education amongst children, young people, and older women, often uncheered and unassisted, even by th** churches or any other bodj of Christian people. We did our part in all efforts to gain a national vote on the continuance or abolition of the traffic, the fKation of the number of licenses in tin* Dominion. the abolition of barmaids, six o’clock closing, and the holding of th** "No License" areas. Certainly, the drink business has been held in rh *ck in this country to some extent, but by no effort of its own. purely through the work of the Temperance bodies in our midst, of which the W.C.T.U. is by no means least But that traffic is chafing at all restraint and at any curb upon its extension, and at tais moment is busily at work it venting fresh means and opportunity for increasing the sa! and length of life to itself, as well as for teaching the youth of the country to drink.

Longer hours for sale and a longer period between polls, as well as a general move round of licenses, are in their minds. It is for us to watch and pray and work that these things may never i>e. From these few very sketchy re marks it will be seen that, since its inception sft years ago, much has been attempted by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and much lias been achieved. .Much more, however, re mains for us to do; an immense field of research and education stretches out l*efore us; most of our major objectives lie ahead of us still, awaiting solution (bn activities, so far from easing ofl. must gather fresh incentive, a new dynamic, a strong and lasting purjKj.se. which will endure as long as man has sorrows and Christ has work for us to do. ’i ll** ravages of the liquor traffic are still with us. The gambling evil is pushing its tentacles into every avenue of our national life. Tens of thousands of New Zealand children are still ignorant of Bibb teaching and th** message or' Christ. Tens of thousands of New Zealand children are ix*ing cared for, far from the love of home and parents, in State, Church, ami private institutions, almost entirely as a result of drink and drinkinduced conditions. The peace of t lie world seems trembling on tiie very edge of collapse, between the search for a disarmament formula and all the furies of a new armaments race let loose amongst the nations; between, on the one hand, intense nationalism and tin* rule of dictators. and on the other, world cooperation and a brotherhood of peoples, as so many desire and work for. What, then, of the future? Problems there are in plenty for us to face. Courage, patience, a deep understanding, and, above all, faith, are absolutely necessary for this facing of the future. . So lucrative are many of the* things that hurt mankind, and so deep are their roots that only Christ's very presence*. and His commission and cominanunifnts to us, can arm us with th** power and th** courage to go forward for Him and for humanity. Let us take just one question and consider the facts. In my heme town there is living ;• family, the mother is feeble-minded and a drunkard, the father is feeble-minded. There an* eleven children, including an illegitimate daughter of the mother before marriage This girl is feeble-minded, has defective speech, and could lx* admitted to a mental hospital at any time. Of the other ten children, only on * is of normal Intelligence; lie reached Standard V. at school. Six of the boys are in mental hospitals and special schools, custodial cast for life. Another boy, mentally backward, has deficient speech, a id is hoarded out by th** E location Department at present. Two girls, one in a mental hospital, and c ie in a special school, custodial cases for* iif** 'l'lu* cost io the State of this

family is approximately £ 16,0(io, of which the father has contributed £6. With the exception of the one normal hoy, none of the other members of this family know the meaning of happiness. Case 2. Another family, which was \ iniled for a long time before being recommended by rr.c* for commitment, lived under very Isid conditions. There were six children, all poorly nourished, one child of whom died suddenly, and at the Inquest the Coroner said the cause of death was pneumonia, associated with malnutrition. There was hardly any furniture or l**dding, although assistance had often !>ee i given both parents are feeble-minded, and the mother seems incapable of the simplest cleaning or cooking. Four of the children were committed, two of whom have had to be placed in the Mental Hospital I >epartmeat's care, ami the other two are mentally backward. Since then the mother has given birth to three more miserably weak children physically, who appear to In- weak mentally These people and other relatives receive charitable aid and are only too ready t«> apply for help from any source. Case S. With regard to moral d**enerates, the Education Department has had. m the infants' interest, to as>ume the direct cure of a great many illegitimate children, in addition to ail those in their parents' care, over whom ii exercises supervision. Among all children committed to the Department’s care, one-third are of illegitimate birth I instance twenty-one children of six .-asters. One sister had four illegitimate • hildren, another six illegitimate children, md another two. Of the other state is, one married a drunkard, and their liv<- children had to Is* committed; another sister (of indifferent character) mm i ied a man who afterwards served a long term of imprisonment, and thre< of their children had to he committed. Kive of these sisters were of immoral character. and some of their children have proved very troublesome. Three members of one family had suicidal tendencies. Most of these twenty-one children were of poor physique; six suffered from tuiiereulosis, and one is almost completely blind. The respective fathers contributed to their children’s support £482, leaving a sum of £9518 to l>e ixirne by th.* State. And this same deplorable increase in the mentally unstable the unfit, and criminal section of the community -for crime is always closely allied to mental defect goes on. Our nation is breedng largely from the most undesirable • lements in our midst, while families of “*d healthy stink, from whom we expect the finest developments, culturally and morally, are restricting the birthrate of the fit to a degree, which, if cop finned, can end in one way only, the final destruction of the race. Is it n« t for us women, as the transmitters c> life and keepers fff the race, to give d’*ep and practical study to this problem? Surely constructive education along eugenic lines is within the power of all. Our own literature will provide a perfectly sound common-sense •md scientific background for this purpose, }f only we will make use of it.

JMist month I had a letter from Dr. Saleehy, the great research scientist and eugenist, m answer to a question of mine, asking him whether certain modern scientists are correct in lx*littling tiie effect? of alcohol as a racial poison and a prolific cause of mental degeneration. In his letter he declares that there is nothing later in scientific findings than those given in a leaflet entitled "Guard Your Race” which is the name of an address given by himself In Toronto in 1922, and which has lx*en on our literature shelves for years. He tells us in his lxx»k, "Methods of Itace Regeneration,” speaking of work by the biologist Macdougall and others on germ plasm work recommended by Professor (lilbert Itourne, of Oxford, for English students; —“In this new work I venture to find steadily accumulating warrant for the view that certain substances, of which alcohol, lead, and the syphilitic toxin, are types, are racial poisons, which may originate defect, abnormality or disease in a previously healthy stock, the more important of them Iteing capable of producing poisoning of the germ plasm, which falls most severely upon the mendelian factors of the nervous «r system of the unborn child. To all and sundry I would say, ‘Would you befriend men, women, and children? Go, protect pa, jnthocxl from alcohol; and fear not that kind of laughter which is as the crackling of thorns under a pot.'” Sir Truby King has fully endorsed all this in his advice to mothers aad expectant mothers, and to his own testimony. Dr. Saleeby adds that, amongst many others, of Professor Stockard of Cornell I’Diversity Hospital, Dr. Pertholet of Lausanne, and Mr. Mjeou of Norway. And coming quite close home, Dr. Grey, Director-General of Mental Hospitals in New Zealand in his annual report for 1932. says, in writing of tiie causation of mental disorder; "Contrary to popular lielief, serious massed stresses do not produce insanity. The healthy, stable brain is callable of resisting tremendous stresses. A sound inheritance is the lx*st insurance against mental disorder.” Hut he goes on to say: “As is well known, alcohol and syphilis can cause profound disintegration of the nervous system, with resultant insanity.” Surely no more authorities need lx* adduced to make causation in a huge numlier of cases quite clear, and our duty, as teachers of total abstinence, is thus raised to the highest nossihk plane, and its necessity made imperative in race regeneration. To those who imagine that classification. segregation, or sterilisation are sufficient to stem the rising tide of mental defect in out nation, we would point out that in Great Britain, Australia New Zealand, America, to say nothing of other countries, the authorities are agreed that the ni. nbers of these unfortunate people are so great that the resources of the nations are utterly inadequate to cope with the cost of segregation. Sterilisation may help to cut off the source of supply for a time, but cannot possibly prevent the poisoning of healthy’ stock by alcohol and

Y.D. in future generations. A further opportunity for studying this question will lie taken during Convention, as well as for passing necessary resolutions. This brings us to tiie end of a very inadequate review of the past, and leaves us, perhaps, staggering at its demands upon our faith and resources, as far as the future is ours to make or to mar. World problems lieyond our own special missions we have not even touched upon. And yet, as women who claim to have ideals and constructive ability, we cannot for one moment escape our contribution to all that goes on in the world as we take our way through life. We may not ac knowledge, hut we cannot escape our influence on others, dull and negative and uninspiring though we may choose to make* it, for our lives ami activities are, in their repercussions, as wide as the world itself in spite of us. It behoves us, therefore, to recognise tne upbuilding forces and throw in our lot with them, and as well to recognise the destructive forces that arc* undermining civilisation aggravating disease, crime, injustice, and death. “The interlocking factors in these destructive forces are ignorance, selfish individualism, indifference, social maladjustment, and economic insecurity." The? whole social order is changing, former economic and financial methods are in the melting ix>t, man is machine governed to an unbelievable degree*, while at the same time he is demanding a fur hit *er standard of life physically and culturally. Would that It were spiritually as well. The wealthy are piling up wealth, while the poor mail is losing even his own true right to work. Slum areas at the bottom, and self-indulgence at the* top, are euting the very heart and nerves out of the so-called Christian nations; tariff i>arriers and closed markets are keeping food from the hungry and destroying employment. Can we women not make some attempt to discover where civilisation has gone astray, and where national life has missed the path to happiness and losl the key to life? It has i>een said that whatever a woman sets herself out to do, with knowledge and purpose, that she succeeds in doing. Have we women ever consciously armed ourselves with the knowledge that gives purpose and power to life? Have we ever set out honestly and earnestly to try and discover what is wrong with a world that can produce, for man’s needs, far more than he can consume, and yet cannot provide him with the work and tiie means to use this overflowing abundance? Oh, why is it that man has inverted God’s purposes, . d In the high places of power has gathered unto himself riches untold and uselc while his brother-man trumps work less and foodless in his desperate* struggle with a hopeless existence? If we have not searched for this knowledge, or used it frankly when we have found it. then upon our heads falls the blame We have not used our talents as we might have done

If Communism, Socialist 1. r Fascism overthrow tin- present order, if revolution or world war suddenly break upon our complacency, with all their destructive fury, whose will be tile blame? Not surely those who go work less and hungry and can And no place in God's world to call their own. Rather shall we not ask ourselves, what, as professed followers of Christ, have we done to bring about a better order in man’s relation to man. Our young people, the present builders of State and Empire, have lost faith in us and our teaching. We have not been sufficiently steeped in the spirit of our Master, the way of the Cross, and the way of service to them is futility, accounted foolishness and a stumbling block, for we have brought the world no farther forward, say they. Self-expres-sion is all they ask for self-expression, that so often ends in self-service instead of self-sacrifice and service f>r others. Their ears are deaf to the call, “Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die?” And until they hear that call, and until we hear it, and turn along with them to a life of service in all our dealings one with another, no economic system, no stabilisation plans, no banking reforms, no redistribution of incomes, no nationalism, and no internationalism will I >l it this world right. Justice and mercy and service to humanity alone will bring true and lasting prosperity and happiness. This is attainable, and we women can help enormously to bring it to pass. Rut wo must first of all equip ourselves with the knowledge, which in itself Is power. We must do things and stand for principles b« cause in our very hearts and minds we are convinced that they are right, as measured by the standard of Christ the only standard bv which we can arrive 0 T means, too, that we must study to know the mind of Christ and the depths of His far-reaching principles of justice and sympathy, Interpreted by hope. Further than this, we must seek also to understand mankind, his aspirations, and his frustrations, in the light of history. of science, of social and national change and growth, and as d»monstrut ed in the long, slow, upward trend of human desire In its search after God We must understand and have a broad svmpath; with all <he great t.n building forces of our age and generation and never stand aloof and criticise, even if we can help but little \Vb<n we *have convinced ourselves of the utter truth of these things, in a universe planned by the Creator for H ! s glory, tin n the power that is akin to Deity will he our?, and we shall find ourselves fitted to use it to the full. Hut before this power is ours, \v* must be willing to learn of Him. f need he. “until the Cross in meekness is lifted, and the head l*mvv low for some thorny crown.” For “not by might and not by pow» r. but by My Spirit, salth tin* ls>rd,” and by this Spirit above shall the vision come to pass “There is,” as Huxley says, “no alleviation to the sufferings of mankind.

except veracity of tin light and of action, and the resolute facing of the world as it is when the garment of tnake-lielieve, with which pious hands have sought u> hide its uglier feature.-., has been stripped off,” and we add, thus letting in the spirit of light and hope from Him Who stands knocking, knocking for ever at the door of our hearts.