OUR GREATEST NEED.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17583, 29 May 1919, Page 6

OUR GREATEST NEED.

HONEST THINKING AND TRUE

REPORT.

By John Galsworthy in "Daily Chronicle."

For the last four years and more we have all been partisans. In every land m this no less than other lands, truth has walked with one eye on patriotism and the other on censorship. Few realise what a state of " suppressio veri" that necessarily means, how often halftruths have masqueraded as whole truths, or to what lengths patriotic -Jesuitry must have gone in every belligerent country. And so the first condition of reconstruction for the wounded world is truth; a clear and just estimate of facts, neither warped by patriotism and hatred, nor decked out with hypocrisy and self-laudation, ihe most unsocial act which anyone can now commit is to speak or write anything without good, sane reason for believing it the truth.

Unless we can clear away the fog which always surrounds the operations of war, unless we can rid ourselves of sentimental and passional partipris, we shall but build castles ol sand. Public men and the press incur from now on a terrific responsibility. Statesmen, newsnaper proprietors, journalists, literary men, who twist or exaggerate to any end X however " patriotic," are doing gieat dis-service to mankind. The holiest and sober expression of what they honestly believe in sober moments is aH that the world's condition can now permit to them. The rest is silence. THE POWER OF REPORT. To put forth irresponsible words, because patriotic or party feeling and public sentiment seem to demand them, though it has become a habit, is no no the less for that a stone ilung at human happiness. To talk wituout sane and sober exidence that facts are as we say they are is to promote evil and perpetuate danger. And they, of course, who wilfully twist or pervert truth for the public eye and ear from personal motives are always better dead. We ought all now to censor our speech and writings, not with our eyes fixed on the good of our countries, our parties, ourselves, but with our minds fixed on the one thought; "Truth, 1' trying each his best to realise what is, before he opens mouth or dips pen in ink. What paralysis will come on some of us, if we do this; and what a blessing for mankind that will be! Do we realise the extent to'which the modern world relies for its opinions on public utterances and tne press? Do we grasp how completely we are all in the power of report? Any little lie or exaggerated sentiment from one with a. bee in his bonnet, a principle or an end ix> serve, can, if cleverly expressed and distributed, sway us away from the truth. Do we realise that? Granted that truth is ever relative-—extract of common sense, and the widest knowledge possible it is still tl.e most precious safeguard of harmony in human life. And what chance shall we' get to know it if our press and public men do not honor it beyond all other things ? TRUE BUILDERS. This matter of truth underlies everything. The growth of democracy brings its importance vehemently to the front j for " the people" are of necessity more in the power of report than the priviJ--1 t-ged few, whose minds are better disciplined, and to whom the sources of information r.:e more open. AYe talked of giving up party in the war; we did but I substitute one great party for all the I little ones. Now we have both the great and the little party feelings to e'eflect report; the times are the more cangerous. Here is a moment the like of which mankind has not known, so big is >t with issue. For the love of our own species, let us be sober, and try justly t>- estimate things in their true proportions ; let us purge ourselves of rancor and wipe the mist of blood out of our eyes; let us steel ourselves against : credulity; above all, let us not make false report! Honesty of thought and speech and written word is a jewel; and they who curb prejudice and seek honourably to know and speak the truth are the only true builders of a better life. But what a dull world if we can t chatter and write irresponsibly, can t slop over with hatred, or pursue our cwn ends without scruple! To be tied to the petticoat of Truth, or eoitfed v ith the nightcap of Silence; who, in this age of cheap ink and oratory, will submit to such' a fate ? If the dish has test its savour wherewith shall it be Hpiced? Shall we consent to be George Washington? The Palace of Truth has never existed, because it was known to he a silent place. We have preferred the Tower of Babble. WORDS AND ACTIONS. None the less does that tower point to the sort of sky. that has hung over i's these last four years. If we do not want another eight million violent ieatlis. another eight million maimed and halt and blind; if we.do not want Bolshevism and anarchy, let us he sober and painfully try to tell'the truth. The whole truth, of course, we cannot tell, because we cannot see it, but at least we can tell nothing but sucih truth as we do perceive, having done our best to perceive it. Report now rules the world and holds the fate of man on the sayings of its many tongues. If the good sense of mankind cannot somehow restrain utterance and cleanse report, democracy, so highly vaunted, cannot save us; and freedom, humanity, justice, all the glib words we have spoken, might just sis well have lain unuttered in the throats of orators. Words are actions in an age when words reach, as they do now. millions of minds which have no means of testing them. I'alse words, and reckless words, and treacheries. It takes all sorts to make a world, and the .honest thought of every temperament is welcome, if spoken and written with sobriety, in no mean mood. But in manipulated news and argument, or in sentimental riot, lies the most deadly danger to mankind "The crying needs of the day in nil countries are clear and honest thought, .sober utterance, and true report.