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"Countryman" KtoHard Now
"Countryman'' writes: As a casual
contributor to "The Leader" 1 must
thank last week's correspondent for so I
nicely reproving me. Mv friend evi
dently missed the title "Big City" Cou
sins, and in bringing: Adelaide under
this title evidences the very element
that formed the basis of my contri-^
bution. I think trap-door spiders and
stars, as well as cows, are to be found
within a few miles of the G.I'.O. as
they are in the country; but my refer
ence was to the average city persoii,
not of the slums or Stock Exchange.
My friend notices only the lack of
sophistication about the young country
man entering the train and shaking ,
hands alround. We may assume lie
was unsophisticated, friendly, honest
and desirous of spreading the happi
ness he felt. Yet the two isolated in
stances given by my friend are so far
from the average that might be expect
ed that other than this reference they
may be forgotten. My point is that in
the main country folk live closer to
.their Creator, are more open and hon
est, work hard and earnestly, and shun
time-payment possessions.
Not the least worthy of their char
acteristics is the desire to give full
value for the price paid. For instance:
While the Federal Government has a
surplus and thousands of civil servants
in the cities are squealing for the re
turn of wage cuts, the man on the land
is begging for a price for his products
that will enable liini and his
family to live at least decently. 1
do not know of a single instance where
an employed civil servant is suffering
privations.
If primary producers as a whole had
been as "sophisticated" as some of
the big city business people, strings
) would long since have been pulled and
pressure brought to bear to lift the
huge load placed by the tariff on the
shoulders of primary producers in or
der to give better returns for capital
invested in the cities and the workers
who are represented by so many pow
erful unions.
My friend does not seem to realise
that the public service vote can sway
governments, but the voice of the pri
mary producer is unheard because lie
j thinks justice is a divine right. The
other fellow believes that justice is
what you get by kicking good and hard,
"oiling" the works and using every
bit of influence you can swing-whe
ther anybody else suffers doesn't mat
ter much. The god is Self.
In mv original article I endeavour
ed to hit the lighter vein, but like all
countrymen, I fee! that the city has
had things its own way too long, and
the time is coming when primary pro
ducers will carry into effect their ideas
of justice-honest, even-handed, in the
interests of the whole community. In
conclusion, just a little information for
my friend. My girl friend (we are
married, but she's still as dear as ever)
surely does powder her nose, but it's
foible. It certainly bides lines that 1
feel liave too soon appeared as a re
sult of ceaseless work. She will not
go for a holiday until we've paid all
our creditors. .
Her hands are rough and when she
makes feeble attempts to restt»re their
beauty, or hides them in gloves, I un
derstand and feel all the more bitter
towards those people in secondary in
dustries whose wives get radios, radia
tors, coats and costumes on the time
payment plan, whose show and empti
ness is only equalled by the arrogance
with which they demand all they can
get out of life-and look contemptu
ously upon my family sustained by
what honest labour can win from the
soil and sell on an unprotected mar
ket, while 1 ain forced to pay taxes
that help to provide the comforts so
unjustly gained and so often flaunted
in the faces of those I love. The con
sideration of the average city person
is pictured in the bargain-counter rush.
Even among themselves. Self is god
<md they would, trample each other in
the dust to gain personal benefit. My
friend, give me the country life and
its clean," simple honesty.
"Countryman"
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