NOT RESPONSIBLE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 275, 14 August 1920, Page 7

NOT RESPONSIBLE

A. WORD TO MR. P. FKASEIt, M.P. (Contributed by the N.Z. Welfare league.) In answer to "Eubiun" in your columns ribilitv „«"«"■ 1 -?- J ,»»««»* "0 responpatvW' i t) , lsloynl .. sta^ ,nH,t of kw paitjb othcml organ" when-it says: willL ° a i k ," Up - ot ' F* Em P iTC - That will _bo a. blessing to the world and an msjuration to tho cause of Lab-

111 7TK r r,tes , : lnm compelled to slate definitely and explicitly that neither S«f1??v tl0 ?' gU "1? dent labian' nor the article from which the quotation is taken expresses the opinion or represents the views of tho'New Zealand Labour Party." On that wc say definitely and explicitly that if the "\e,v Zealand. Monr Party (so called) allows a paper to publish important statements as its "official organ," then it is responsible, and if tho paper i.3 not the "official organ" of the party it ought to take slcps to stop the printing nnd publishing of the false heading. It is easy for Mr. Fraser to attempt to shuffle out of responsibility by saying the opinions and views are not those of bis party, but the writer of the article is presumably a member of the party as ■well as Mr. Fraser, and tjie paper is accepted as the. party's "paper." It is a shuffling game to uphold the paper which reeks with disloyalty and coarse abuse, nnd slip out of a tight place when compelled to face-a definite situation, by •using thp lame excuse tbat the opinions of the paper are not those ot the party •whew organ it is. After all, is not Vlic editor of this effusion simply carrying to its logical conclusion the misguided agitation of tho party in what it politely calls "self-determination," nnd what others call secession and disruption? You' cannot • scatter gunpowder and expect people to believe you are against explosions. If you will .throTy matches about carelrsslv then it is you who are responsible when the fire breaks out not merely the rats who have carriedtb© mntobes that you threw down. Disruption -may not be the aim of Mr. Frnser and his party, but their viows on loyalty, responsibility, and love of country and Empire are such that they must forgive w for asking if. it is not time to give up playing tho jams of make-believe, shuffle, and cross. They cannot get out of it by pleading no responsibility. Seeing that it is their paper that is 'being dealt -with, they are either responsible or irresponsible. If the disloyal views are not those of Mr. Eraser's party, it ought to step their publication. What oto Mr. Fraser and his party going to do about it?