PROPAGANDA TRUCE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 198, 19 May 1941, Page 6

PROPAGANDA TRUCE

Arrangement Dead Letter, Says Mr. Holland

MINISTERS’ SPEECHES

The opinion that the arrangement between himself and the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, to reduce party political propaganda to a minimum had already become ir dead letter is expressed bj the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. Holland, in a letter he lias sent to the Acting-Prime Minister, Mr. Nash. Mr. Holland’s letter was in reply to a telegram received by him from Mr. Nash in response to representations made by Mr. Holland over statements by the Minister of Health and the Minister 01. Industries and Commerce.

The text of Mr. Holland's letter is as follows:— , “Dear Mr. Nash,—l have to thank you for your telegram of May 'l l, > ll which you express the opinion that the recently-published .statements ot the Ministers of Health and Industries and Commerce in no way infringe the agreement between the Prime Minister and myself. "Your attitude suggests that there is little to be gained by further discussion, and vour unwillingness to ensure that, In future, such obvious propaganda will be restricted, forces me to the reluctant conclusion that the arrangement between Mr Fraser and myself lias a.ready become a dead letter. “I am only too ready to recognize that Ministers must be free to make essential public statements, but the two statements in question go tar beyond that. Mr. Nordmeyer’s attack on the medical profession and his threat ot coercive action were unprovoked, unnecessary, aud very offensive to a large section of/the people. His allegations tend to divide the public, whereas tlie Prime Minister and I reached an agreement which was to minimize precise!}’ what Mr. Nordmeyer has been aggravating. If Ministers are to be under no obligation to restrain their propagandist activities, then there can surely be no corresponding obligation on members of the Opposition. "I appreciate your natural impulse to defend your colleagues, but it is another matter altogether to justify every action they take, and I lie hope vou express,' Hurt party politics will be avoided, cannot be realized if wliat I have complained of is allowed Io eont inne."