TACTICS OF A BULLY

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 130, 29 November 1919, Page 9

TACTICS OF A BULLY

REDS' STUPID BLUNDERING

WHY DO THEY BLOCK FREEDOM

OF SPEECH?

(rublislied by arrangement for the New Zealand Welfare League.) The Red Label Party, which is calling itself the New Zealand Labour Party— an insult to New Zealand I—has a bad record of bullying, treachery, and un-. scrupulousness lo get its own way in the unions it resorted to crying down the moderate men who ■ tried to get a hearing. The fair minded trades unionists know many instance's. of that sort of thing inside their unions. We remember the instance of the strike period of 1913, when one of the Red leaders put the motion at a union meeting thus • "All in favour of the motion go to my right, all the scabs go to my left." Because the Reds have been able, by unscrupulousness, to capture some of the unions and tho political Labour Party, they think now that they can ride rough shod over the public at large. The disturbing of publio meetings, and blocking of other candidates, other than their own, from receiving a fair hearing, is the bullying method that the Labour Party's supporters are deliberately carrying out. It is no use Messrs. Semple, Fraser, Read, or any of them pleading that they are not against freedom of speech Their-professions are hypocritical and absurd. The evidence against the Labour Party on this head is absolutely damnatory.

WHERE' WERE ERASER'S SUPPORTERS on the night of Mr. Pirani's meeting, which was practically broken up ? The Chairman of Mr Fraser's meeting explained as a reason for the small attendance, that ''Mr Fra-ser's supporters had j gone along to Mr. Pirani's meeting to ; ask that gentleman some questions." ; How did he know they had gone there, - ' unless it was a frame up ? i MEAN ATTEMPTS AT DEFENCE. I The Maoriland Worker, 26th Novem- ! her, 1919, on this subject says • "We i have the best of reasons for saying that j the people who refused to listen to Mr j Luke are not declared Labour support- ! ors, but belong to a class wiiose political I sympathies are unknown." Why do they j not name the class whose political symI pathies are unknown? Why do they not | name the class? The reason is, that they can't light straight and fair. They hint, Mid suggest, and side step all the time. We think there was a .mean and contemptible reason why they did not name the class. Since Mr Luke's. Mr Pirani'- and other meetings were violently upset, a ru- ! mour has been insiduously spread abroad ; that it was returned soldiers who constituted the rowdy element at Mr. Luke's . meeting. We believe thus rumour to be ' false, and therefore expose it as early |as possible. The party's paper is very candid when il, says "There is no excuse for indulging in high Muting uou- ' sense iiud shoddy philosophy about the 1 right of political free speech, which is | not an unmixed blessing by any means." j Well, oiu- earthly bl.ssings are generally | mixed, but enne, people all believe that 1 the right of free speech is a blessing | worth retaining, although this Red Flag : scribe may think otherwise. j. THE PARTY ORGAN PLEADS j GUILTY. i The paper we quote, proceeds thus : "That Labourites do take a prominent part in heckling public speakers of the alleged Liberal end Reform Parties is admitted, but to saddle them with all the blame ior turning a political meeting into a fiasco, i. palpably unfair." This admission is- like fchs plea, of a criminal , who, in answer to the charge, cays ;

"Guilty, your Honour, but I'm not the only one."

THE VERDICT AND PUNISHMENT.

In the face of, all the evidence presented, wo believe the public, as an honest jury, can return only one verdict, which must be that the Labour Party is guilty of unfair practices, trampling on the rights of free speech, attempting, in a spirit of brutal tyranny, to prevent peacel ful citizens from hearing the speeches, of candidates who are standing for election ; denying to other candidate., than it_ own, the right to speak, and establishing an unlawful authority of violence and abuse. The punishment -is :■ "Vote them out!"

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