Rainy Weather
p. 28 · Read in the full issue
Thoughts
When Tahiti Listens to Washington Radio
From Our Tahiti Correspondent OUR rainy season continues, although the calendar proclaims that we are well in the middle of the dry season.
This extraordinary weather makes manifest the irritating character of our so-called civilisation. In more primitive times, when the rains descended and the floods came, we closed the doors and windows on the windward side, lighted a coal-oil lamp, settled ourselves with a good book, and forgot the raging elements Without.
Nowadays, our slender lines of com munication are vulnerable to falling branches and short circuits, and, sud denly, we are in black darkness, groping about in quest of misplaced lamps, our evening entertainment of jazz from Hollywood annihilated, and we remain in a state of desolation until the wires are
day aired S ° metime during the following „ 7 T ° be there are compensations.
We do not have to listen to the ghastly marching song the tinsmiths of Tinpan Alley are trying to fasten on our gallant American Air Force, nor to the publicity seekers in Washington whose only virtue is that they inspire us to love our Commander-in-Chief for the enemies he has made. The personality and manifest objectives of Mr. Roosevelt’s detractors are making his re-election to the Presi dency in 1944 a certainty.
The retention of Mr. Churchill and Mr.
Roosevelt in power—supported by safe majorities in the Parliaments of our Commonwealths—offers the only hope for a sane solution of our post-war problems.
The history of the years following the death of Mr. Lincoln, and of the disaster to all mankind which has been the con sequence of the repudiation of Mr.
Woodrow Wilson’s policies, supply a stern warning.
The most exasperating publicity-seekers are those who pretend to be endowed with wisdom from on high in regard to India. In addition to the fact that the Indian Question is none of our business, the melancholy examples of Hawaii, and the State of Oklahoma (formerly Indian territory) do not offer illustrious pre cedents to certify our inspiration as prophets to guide subject peoples to sweetness and light. The average United States citizen is, to the best of my know ledge and belief, fully aware of the im propriety of such discussion and deplores the tactlessness of those who promote it.
The weal of all mankind, now and for evermore, will be determined only by an unblemished understanding between the peoples of the British Empire, of the United States, and, we hope, of France.
Our publicity-seekers should remember this, and govern their tongues accordingly.
Our recent race riots are a heritage from the politicians who were in com mand at Washington after the passing of Mr. Lincoln, Those who understood the negro and who could have solved the problem before it had become the “Negro Problem,” were outlawed and impover ished during the so-called “Reconstruc tion Period.’' As I write, the question whether Mr.
John L. Lewis or the Government of the United States shall be paramount, is be ing decided at Washington.
This is an extraordinary age. Self sacrifice and valor beyond all compre hension on the battlefield, and greed, malice and political chicanery at home.
We shall, indeed, win the war. But what will follow? Human nature has not varied during the seven thousand years of recorded history.
The Government of Fiji has decided to pay an allowance of 2/- per day to the wives of Fijians who are serving in the Fijian Military Forces and Labour Corps.