PARTIES AND DEFENCE.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14666, 15 May 1913, Page 6

PARTIES AND DEFENCE.

A leaflet, which appears to be one of a series, has reached us from Bristol, the headquarters of Mr T. C. Gregory, the most energetic of those British antimilitarists who are conducting a campaign of calumny against our defence systom. It is tho usual kind of rubbish, consisting chiefly of extracts from articles and letters in those New Zealand journals opposed to the Government which lend themselves to the uses of the local anti-militarists. Wβ now understand the principal object of those unpatriotic people who are co industrious in seeking space from the newspapers for their vituperative attacks upon our defence system: they know they can make no impression on the New Zealand public, but they have learned that they can keep Mr Gregory and his friends supplied with material for their deplorable campaign at Home. One of the lotters which is quoted with special approval in tho leaflet before us appeared in a Wellington journal, which gives up columns of its space to malignant attacks on the Reform Government. This letter, which was signed "Liberal," was printed by the Wellington paper, less, we suppose, for its wild references to tho defence system than for its hearty assaults upon " the fat 'Reformers' " who, during tho Boer War, "sang 'Rule Britannia , and "fooled our boys." Mr Gregory does not care a fig for the "Liberals": he assails Sir Joseph Ward as well as the present Government. Perhaps our Opposition friends will not caro very much whether they assist in the spreading of libeb upon this country and its defence system, if in -the process of doing so they can slander and misrepresent tho Reform Party. Indeed, we

no«l not haro written "perhaps," for we find from the leaflet that Mr Gregory has been furnished ivjth a choice piece of ammunition in the shape of tho I untrue suggestion by a local paper that IMr Allen did not refer to the expodij tionary force before leaving New Zea- ! land. I There is another matter which this I leaflet deals with which really ought to ]bo cleared up. Mr Mackenzie, tho I High Commissioner, took occasion some time ago to deny that I the workers of New Zealand

are opposed to our defence system, and he referred to Mr Veitch's wellknown statement in Parliament that tho workers aro not so disloyal as to oppose compulsory training. Mr Gregory retorts by quoting a statement by Mr E. J. Howard in a local paper. Mr Howard said that Mr Mackenzie's statement ivas "contrary to fact." and, after declaring that the workingman opposes the Act, added (referring to tTio Conference at which tho Red-Feds assimilated tho old U.L.P.): "Tho Con- " ferenco held at "Wellington last week "gives tho Ho to those who say tho " workers aro in favour of this Act. "Tho Conference held last week in " Wellington was largely brought about "by tho fact that this Act has got to "be fought at the next election." That statement has never been questioned, nor tho views expressed in it repudiated, by any leader associated with tho new "Labour movement."' Labour Party, Social Democrats, Socialists, and Foderationists —all have accepted the declaration of tho January Conference against the defence system. "Wo know that tho great mass of tho workers (and nearly everyone in Now Zealand is a worker) approve of tho defence system, and are opposed to tho now "Labour movement." Of course, tho Social Democrats and their allies and masters of the Federation of Labour aro entitled to their views; but tho public is equally entitled to know what those views are.. Tho Unity Congress Committee, which is managing tlio whole "Labour movement" pending tho ratifying Conference of next July, comprises leaders of tho Federat:on and tho old Labcmr Party, and speaks for tho combine. This is tho organisation with which tho "Liberals" aro hoping to effect an alliance. "Wo believe that thoso who honestly supported the TLiberal" administration would have nothing to do with such an alliance. In fact, tho official spokesmen of tho old "Liberal" Party aro as littlo representative of any considerable body of opinion as is tho now Federation of Labour. When the election day comes, Mr Massey will have no moro powerful weapon than the public's determination not to commit the defence system \to tho mercies of either the Labour Federation or its "Liberal" allies.