GENERAL ELECTION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 169, 29 April 1943, Page 2

GENERAL ELECTION.

VIEWS OF PEOPLE'S MOVEMENT.

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 28. On behalf of the People’s Movement, the president (Mr James Crisp) has sent a letter to every member of Parliament, the president of the National Party Conference, attacking the holding of a General Election this year. The letter states that an overwhelming majority of the people are ready now to' give their member a mandate to drop party politics and form a united war. government. K "It is a mistake to think that people Want' you to submit yourself to the electorate,” 'Says the letter. ‘.‘They don’t. They will willingly support yon if you join in an administration representing all parties, with the sole objective of utilising the energy, - initiative, and money they are offering for the war effort.”

The letter expresses the belief that the present arrangement of parties will 'becoine the principal election issue if the parties continue to turn a deaf ear to the demands, of the people. ‘Tt c 'is r not in'' keeping With democratic principles to force an election bn the* people when they do nbt want it. On the contrary, the principle of democracy is lost if Parliament *8 a divided House when the- people are demanding that it be united.” The personal aspect of forcing a division of the people in placing party before the war effort is emphasised in the letter.' Would it hot be far'better to concentrate all their abilities on this, -and then attempt to realise political ideals in the new world after the war? it asks. These questions had been answered once before to the satisfaction of the country. “Why have you changed your decision? Is it because of the rift which came in the War Administration? If so, we ask you to try again, this time more detertnined than ever to keep party in the background, because it was party that caused this situation. Is it, on the other hand, because you believe you should settle the future of your party for another three years? We repeat, the people do not want 1 an election to determine whether the present Government or the present Opposition shall rule. If that is. the question in your mind, we want you to know that it will not be in the minds of the people. “Preoccupied as they are with the burdens and sacrifices of war, saddened with losses, and anxious for the future, the people will make this an issue between yon and themselves whether party or the people shall rule,” the letter states. It-was impossible to deny that the war was entering upon its most critical phase. Greater efforts, bigger sacrifices, and more grievous losses faced the people for the next 12 months, perhaps longer. “How can you think of dividing them, of clamouring for their attention while the enemy is still unbeaten and may strike madly and desperately in efforts of undreamed-of horror, even at our own shores? We ask you to form a national war government, and if you cannot agree upon this, to form an .all-party parliamentary war council with power to advise on all aspects of domestic and war policy. Any arrangement is better than the calamity of an election during these critical coming months. We ask you to heed the voice of the people before it is too late,” concluded the letter.