WELFARE LEAGUE AND A NEW ZEALAND SPIRIT

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 33, 9 February 1920, Page 2

WELFARE LEAGUE AND A NEW ZEALAND SPIRIT

.'',"."" ' '.""" '10 "THB'HHTQB." ■." Sir, —I hope you will allow me space for comment upon the Welfare League's new policy. The league has definitely offered its services to.the public'for the purpose of promoting a New Zealand spirit in enterprise, in place of the sectional spirit prevailing at-the "presesnt time; and it proposes to develop this spirit by insisting upon full-public.dis-closure of the conduct of our national enterprise, and upon the control of that enterprise by practical experts. . If the leaders of the league, are gincere, in this policy, and their public record as -individuals justifies the belief that they are, a great opportunity is thus provided whereby the public may secure the voluntary services'of a body of able men, with wide and successful j experience in our enterprise, capable of leading a popular movement designed I to assist the Government of the day by j promoting a general understanding of j what is essential to the conduct of enterprise in a. national spirit. Here is a way to bring into peace enterprise the national spirit that so developed and strengthened our resources for the purposes of war. ■ The Prince of Wales tells us he; is com.; j ing to New Zealand in the "Digger" spirit. That spirit was expressed for us by General Russell on his return to New Zealand in the following 'words :—"The whole Division has been actuated by a corporate spirit, which New Zealand must foster in the future; with one common aim, united for one object, there is practically nowhere New Zealand may not go." The Prince has in. view, therefore, the great purpose of promoting among us a corporate spirit of Empire, and just as in a football team the primare duty of each member is to organise and develop his 1 own forces, so in this purpose the first duty of our people is to organise ourselves as a national body, trained to the same implicit obedience in the national aim that footballers give in their game. If we take up whole-heartedly this proposal of the Welfare League, we will, be able to help the Prince in his difficult task by giving him the assurance that we have formed in New Zealand a league designed to promote the "Digger" spirit in national life by the simple process of letting the. light into the operations of national enterprise. May I venture to suggest to the leaders of the league that the most workmanlike'course is for those in each separate, occupation to form, in that occupation, a branch of the league and to select from among themselves their most experienced and trusted leaders as delegates to a central body. Only thus may the leaders of the league be a body of experts, having a practical knowledge .of the whole national enterprise, which consists solely of the practical organisation of ouv people and property in the common aim of supplying efficiently one another's natural needs. . , . ■

It is obviously to the great advantage of all professional and salaried or wages classes that such a league should be promoted, and by coming forward and givj ing support to the Welfare League these classes can make it their own and re\cue it from dependence upon sectional support. ■ ,'' i Such a movement will not hurt capital ; on the contrary, it will make it more secure, because it will enable the holders of small savings to ascertain the truth, that they own to-day: the grenter portion of the capital in New Zealand. —I am, etc., F. G: DALZIELL. 7th Febnin^y. '