“ABOUT TIME MR. NASH CAME HOME”

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 172, 17 April 1937, Page 10

“ABOUT TIME MR. NASH CAME HOME”

Nothing to Show for Trip

MR. F. W. DOIDGE REPLIES TO HON. P. FRASER

■1 don't think people in New Zealand want to know what Mr. Stanley Baldwin said about Lord Beaverbrook. They want to know what Mr. Neville Chamberlain has said to Mr. Nash.” This comment was made yesterday by Mr. F. W. Doidge, in the course of a rejoinder to the Acting-Prime Minister, Hon. P. Fraser, whose reply to Mr. Doidge's references to the Hou. W. Nash and the London "Evening Standard” api>eared in yesterday’s "Dominion.’’ Mr. Doidge, who visited Wellington yesterday, left for Auckland last night. "The sensitiveness of Socialist Ministers to criticism is evidenced by the fact that a 40-line comment, by me calls for a two-column reply by the Acting-Prime Minister,” said Mr. Doidge. "And in the course of the whole two columns, Mr. Fraser does not instance a single achievement by Mr. Nash in Britain as a refutation of my contention that Mr. Nash’s mission has been a failure. Surely that points to the fact that Mr. Fraser is in agreement with me.

"Mr. Nash has had practically no 'press’ at Home. The great newspapers have hardly mentioned him. I have seen his name twice in the 'Daily Express’ and once in the ‘Daily Mail.’ The ‘Daily Herald,’ organ of the Socialists, have certainly given him more prominence, lint the great national dailies have, almost ignored him.” Mr. Doidge said that Mr. Fraser disparaged the influence of the "Evening Standard.” Anyone who knew anything about the English Press knew that “The Tinies” and the “Evening Standard” were, in political and financial circles, the two pre-eminent publications in London. But seemingly Mr. Fraser had forgotten that there were other publications in Britain which had been raising awkward questions. Did Mr. Fraser fail to observe the recent criticisms of the “Economist”? And had Mr. Fraser forgotten the article in the “Financial Times” in which New Zealand’s Prime Minister was referred to as "dangerously ignorant”? Surely Mr. Fraser did not need to be reminded of what the English Press had to say when Mr. Savage “bounced the ball” and talked of debt, repudiation? Apparently Mr. Fraser held the belief that: New Zealand Ministers might say what they liked, but that in Britain —as in New Zealand —no newspaper must dare to criticise.

“Mr. Fraser thinks it necessary to attack the Beaverbrook Press,” said Mr. Doidge. “He quotes Mr. Baldwin’s attack upon Lord Beaverbrook. It would be as well to recall the circumstances. Lord Beaverbrook was determined to force his policy of Empire economic unity upon the Conservative Party. The main plank in that policy, as everybody knows, involved a tax on foreign foodstuffs, but a free market for the Dominions. Mr. Baldwin declared that never so long as he led the Conservative Party would he agree to a policy which involved foreign food taxes. Beaverbrook, in order to force the Issue, fought byelection after by-election. With Admiral Taylor as his candidate he defeated the Baldwin candidate in South Paddington. With General Critchley as his candidate he had the satisfaction of seeing the Baldwin candidate left at the bottom of the poll in East Islington.

It was in the height of the by-elec-tion in St. George's that Mr. Baldwin delivered a personal attack on Lord Beaverbrook which he has long regretted. And it. is significant that soon after that attack Mr. Baldwin capitulated. and a tax on foreign foodstuffs became an integral part of the Tory Party programme. “All of which, of course, is by the way, and only in answer to Mr. Fraser. So far as I am concerned, the simple statement made by me in my Clevedon speech still stands. Mr. Nash went Home full of good intentions and spectacular promises. He promised us trade pacts with Britain, and alternatively trade pacts with foreign countries. He has been away for five months and a half, and even Mr. Fraser does not claim that there is anything to show for it. ’ Every mail has brought us news of Mr. Nash’s joyful junketing. But no news of any practical achievement. It is surely not unreasonable, therefore, to suggest that it is just about time Mr. Nash came home.”