"PLAYING THE GAME"

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 49, 26 February 1918, Page 8

"PLAYING THE GAME"

<■•; ifO'IBB EDITOR. . ■ i| Sir,—Mr. yon. Haast in his letter to '(.you last evening'has once more stated *. that "tho suggestion, was made in Mr. i Massey's presence to Mr. Brandon that .. he should stand, and he declined." I have repeatedly denied that any such suggestion was made. . ■:, I am sorry that Mr. yon Haast lends himself to repeating what is untrue, but : I suppose that, following Bismarck, who ■altered a telegram, Mr. yon Haast will .; say "the end justi6es the means."—l ■ iam, etc., :' A. de 8., BRANDON. • 26tli February.

TO THE EDITOR,

' .Sir,—Mr. vnn Hnast and I-arc doomed j to' disagree. I cannot admit even that, •Mr. Whyte and I are disposed of in a few lines, or at all. I regret to trouble you again, bnt Mr. yon Haast has repeated the statement that Mr. Brandon was. seriously asked 'to stand, but declined.' This statement has been denied by Mr. Brandon both in the press and on the platform. Surely, Sir, in all fair ■controversy the denial of a man such as Mr, Brandon should be accepted. Ho could never have anticipated on the part of' the Reform Party tactics so deplorable. This repetition seems to ms to violate the principles of the "square, deal" of .which, in this election, Mr. Brandon has heard so much and aeen so little. The.Empire is in dire need of its l)83t brains, but though Mr. Skerrettwas available, party politics intervened and Rejected him. The same party which rejected him now orders us to swallow Mr. \L«ke on tho ground of dire national necessity. Really it is too absurd. For tha rest: The result of this election will .prove nothing as to right or wrong, Mr. ;von Haast to the contrary notwithstanding. Many supporters of Mr. Luke freely admit that they do not think him tho best man, but must vote for him. Tho election, therefore, will indicate, only, how many electora will, to gain a fleeting political advantage, abdicate their right to follow the dictates of reason and the promptings of conscknoe, to the . permanenfei^radation of thg^si|»dard of

public life for the raising of which Olivier in his "Ordeal by Battle" pleads so feelingly and so well. Trusting that you will not find yourself compelled to eradicate any extraneous matter from the above.— I am, etc., ■,

E. F. HADFIELD,

26th February.