ADVICE FROM LORD ELIBANK

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21990, 14 January 1937, Page 4

ADVICE FROM LORD ELIBANK

TO THE BDITOB O* THE PRESS. Sir, —As one who has been an interested reader of the comments of Lord Elibank, first, in Canada, where he presumed to direct the defence policy; second, in New Zealand, where he endeavoured to disrupt our internal policy; and now, when he endeavours to show Australia how to run her external affairs, I fear that in appointing their world president, the chambers of commerce have selected one who is bringing the whole movement into disrepute. It is usual to assess the policies of such organisations by the utterances of their executive officers, and if this holds true in the case of the chambers of commerce, then they had better realise that the day when commerce can run roughshod over the destinies of man is swiftly coming to a close, as is evidenced by the strikes in France, United States of America,-* and the great swing to Labour in our own country. Such high-handed action as hinted at in the comments will never be tolerated in this generation. When one finds a man who claims to know more of the internal feelings of a country in a three weeks’ visit than a Minister of the Crown In the game country, then no further comitfent is required to show the whole thing is absolutely preposterous and ridiculous. If this type of man is indicative of the class of man representing the industries and commerce of the world through the chambers of commerce, then the opinions given by them will receive scant attention, and the whole movement will be dragged in the mud by the braggart comments of men to whom the souls of the people are measured only in the terms of money.—Yours, etc., _ R.M.R. January 12, 1937.