“NOTHING TO RETRACT”

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 54, 27 November 1928, Page 12

“NOTHING TO RETRACT”

Sir,—When I said in iny letter discussing the political situation that “the amount of twaddle that is. expressed day by day,” etc., I had no thought of offending anyone, or of .having overstepped the limits of truth. Even m'y irascible friend'“Phil B.” could not have found a more fitting word than “twaddle” (to which he so strongly objects) if he .had - heard it said, as I have, that “Sir Joseph Ward has called upon Coates to resign. •so that’s the end of-him.” Or-if'he hadread in your columns the suggestion that Mr. Polson should be selected to form a Ministry. I have as much respect and admiration foi'-Mr. Polson as anyone, but to suggest that he could, without experF ence, successfully conduct and control the business of Parliament, ■ even if he; • could form a Ministry, is mere-twaddle. and I think Mr. Polson himself 'would be the first to admit that without taking offence. So I have nothing to retract-in that connection;' Yet I am accused by iny self-appointed castigator of using “oftensive expression biased in character,” of being afflicted with “mental flatulence,” and “political inexpertness,” and I must be one of “the dogs” too which he thinks should be. "called ofT.”. To be able to survive all that nnd still possess a smile is clear evidence that'those diseases are not fatal to one who has neversuffered from them. It is merely a matter of the diagnosis being all wrong; but who expects an "ordinary workaday citizen” to be an expert in the diagnosis-or treatment of -physiological impossibilities such as “liiehtal flatulence” or the miraculous transformation -of the genus homo into the genus .canis.... ’ Most “workaday citizens” have the good sense to leave things alone wlifch -they, do not under-, stand-: but: my censor goes so fur as'-..t0 lay down a programme for Parliament to follow, oblivions of'-Hi'c fact that most of its items had already- been adopted ami practised by the Uqatcs Government without his assistance. As T did not touch upon any question of policy, and confined myself solely to (he position of parties ns they now stood, and wiint are the rights of the several parties witli regard to constitutional procedure. I fair to see bow his references to other matters cair be regarded in any sense as a reply to anything I have said, therefore he leaves me nothing to reply to except his personal innuendos. I have not. the least objection to him..noting upon his own- advice to "gel down to tin tacks." sitting oil'.them. nnd - pondering over them to his heart’s content provided he' first turns the sharp ends downward so that I mnv hot ha've to.encounter his wrath when .he..comes -to. reply .-to-what. 1. ,-eafl.v did sny.-I am. Uellipglou. November 2L