** * *
Looking at that English report on answers
to questions. I find certain revelations made
candidly and without self-consciousness by
young people. They are aware, it seems, of a
desire to escape from home life and parental
authority. Many of them think this ia due to
the war, which was like a shadow over their
childhood and took their fathers away. If
father came home again he was rather a
stranger. Anyhow, they had learned to do
without him. Then there are movies, dances,
girls. They meet girls on equal terms without
watchful elders. It is good for boys, they think,
if a girl is “good and decent” or "the right
sort.”
Tn England they spend their evenings away
from home because of bad housing conditions,
overcrowding in mean streets. There are lots
of reasons for this new liberty. They do not
accept what, the old folks tell them. In the
matter of religion, for instance, they are rather
doubtful about the truth and sincerity of
preachers and teachers. Some of them state
frankly that this religious stuff seems hypo
critical because those who profess to he good
Christians are pretty poor citizens and quite
dishonest.
Most answers are rather crude and boyish.
Their lists of living heroes include Lloyd
George. Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks
and professional athletes, jockeys and foot ball
captains. None of the answers go very deep.
They leave a lot to be explained in the mind
of youth. lam not one of the pessimists at
the present time, although I confess that for a
few years after the war I had secret despair
on this subject. In Europe, including England,
a whole generation of youth was wiped out.
