Report of the "Better World " Competition
" IF there were dreams to sell, what would you buy ? ": we asked our readers for a recipe for a Better World, and we have for the most part received their tabulated dreams. It is all very well to say, " Peace on Earth," that we should love our neighbours as ourselves, and that the sun should never cease to shine. But this world in which we live is one of competition, insecurity, over-population and perpetual motor traffic. Even the suggestion—and there were many in this vein— that we should " Slow Down " is the cry of the defeatist. To abolish noise, smoke, litter, dogs in towns, rats, motor cycles, &c., &c., these are all much more constructive suggestions.
This competition gave an excellent opportunity to the idealist, but it is the suggestions of the realists which are, in our opinion, of the greatest value. The prize of five guineas is awarded to Mr. Wallace C. Smith, whose recipe for a Better World is neatly expressed, and includes some of the funda- mental and yet possible improvements with which the Spec- tator concurs :— " Reduce the Drink : sweep all the Slums away : Raze Tariff walls : provide a Motor-way : Industrialize the Dole : give Liberty
To foster Self-respect whoe'er we be :
Safeguard the Child, and train the rising Youth To build the world on Brotherhood and Truth." —WALLACE C. &KITH, Lamorna, Truro, Cornwall.
Other entertaining and original recipes are:
" Let education (intellectual and practical) provide equal oppor. tunities for both sexes and all ranks of society, with these aims (A) Teaching the best use of leisure. (B) Equipping people for, and interesting them in, their future work. (C) Inculcating the ideas of good citizenship—i.e., service, responsibility and co-operation."— G. RusszLn, Steep, Peterafield, Hants.
" It would be a better world—i.e., Great Britain—if every dole. receiver is compelled to kill one rat per day—Sunday rest allowed. This is apropos of your review of a rat book in the issue of November 23rd, which states that this enemy ' is more numerous than the human population, and does damage to the extent of hundreds of millions of pounds in the year."—S. G. Wuszams, Bessbrook, Ireland.
" Let us all realize the truth that doing gives greater satisfaction than having ; taking part than looking on. Ask any small child : ask any millionaire I "—E. Oemesnarr, 63 London Road, Biggles. wade, Beds.
" Kill all the women : the human race would then die out, and the world would be populated only by animals ; and they, I'm sure, could not make a worse mess of it than these so-called human beings."—NORMAN STUCKEY, 11 rue Scribe, Paris.
" First set to work the idle folk ;
Then free our towns from alums and smokes Plant gardens where the land lies waste, And cultivate Svectator taste."—" J. M. J."
Previous page
