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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 13, No. 4. March 23rd, 1950

Butterfingers

Butterfingers

Sir,

Opinioch has continued to overlook the conclusion—genuine internationalism: it has slipped through his fingers while he juggled with ideas.

Could he not even trouble to quote me correctly? To say that the play was 'lousily done' is hardly to say that the play itself is 'lousy'. I made no mention of the Oxford Group: I made no mention of conversion "on the spot" with which he juggles. Shifts of this sort are an old sophistic trick—and there are too many of them.

1. It shouldn't have been necessary, to over characterise so blatantly, to a "selected" audience least of all. The idea should stand without much doctoring.

2. O. merely equivocates on "national boundaries." Certainly MRA has spread to "selected" countries. If we can choose who we are to co-operate with, who is to be a priori "evil," then we make hay of the ideal of co-operation. By condemning any ideas out of hand without attempting to understand them, we are sowing hatred, and being guilty of Stubbornness and Absolute Dishonesty. My point remains: call them 'supranational blocks.'—The hatred and the lack of international understanding are still there.

3. I should have more faith in O's "faith devoid of dogmatism" if he hadn't gone on so hastily to stigma. Use "materialism" in that dogmatic way. He makes the answer not "simple" but facile.

4. Considering the amount of space Salient devoted to the existence of God last year, I doubt whether the Editor will allow this one to be reopened here. Opinioch, may, if he wishes, admit that he is too small to get himself out of his own messes without an invisible means of support. The idea of God as the Universal Mechanic in times of breakdown amuses me; it does not convince me. The conclusion remains overlooked. The danger of hatred implicit in MRA is not to be dispelled by a Battery of Virtues with Capital Letters.

Jiminy Critic

(This, as a reply to an article, has been allowed to exceed 250 words Opinioch may reply at exactly the same length.—Ed.)