PARTISAN CRITICISM

Evening Post, Issue 122, 26 May 1933, Page 6

PARTISAN CRITICISM

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—"'Anti-sniper"' ,is not a .type of ;. critic' that is able to make much contribution to New Zealand's problems, beI cause he is ,obviously under the handicap of being unableto make himself -acquaint-. I ed with* the subject on which lie writes. Advocates of any principles or policy arenas- a -rule, quite prepared to admit that in putting forward'these principles they invite criticism*. They probably admire criticism, however adverse, based on study far more than the mere superficial adoption of their principles by those who are prepared to swallow 'anything without- trying to understand it. But those who misrepresent facts, or fail to make themselves acquainted with facts in regard to what they are criticising, can I help no one and are only trifling with J the public they: address. "Anti-sniper" could, by the most superficial attention to J the public statements of the New Zealand Legion, have avoided the following misstatements :— (1) "The Legion.has been preaching dire disaster and destroying confidence." This is not true. The Legion has definitely! asserted that if the people of New Zea: land are' prepared to have their eyes opened to the real position, they are able to restore sane prosperity and happiness. (2) "Hie Legion has insinuated.all manner of things against our Parliamentary system." This again is not true. There has been uo insinuation in regard to the system of Government or that by which Parliament is constituted and acts. Its, statements in this'respect have been perfectly definite and what it has said, is available to anyone, who-wishes to1 deny j. them' to do so and' bring proof the I statements are; wrong.. ■[?■' -: j (3) "Those who support' the Legion, are' helping 11 to retard the return of the country to better times.'^ This is a /air i Statement of opinion, but is merely an unsupported statement and nothing more. The Legion has given reasons w.hieh Have been-sufficient to make a. large number of responsible people think otherwise, »nd any statement such as that of "Antisriiper" to have any validity must take cognisance of these reasons and rebut them. •■'"' ■• ■.'■;■■■:••■•■ ... 1 (4) "The National Council of the ; Legion prefers to obtain the power, of Parliament by shifting the political' rights of the people'to itself." If this is true,., then the, Region's aims as. given by itself are lies meant to deceive, v because !it has specifically stated that by its .constitution the National Council could not: have, nor did it want, such- power. Serious allegations of this type must he: supported with something better than, the ipse,dixit of anonymity. V (5) By implication it can be fairly, taken from the letter that the Legion has indulged in or countenanced wholesale ridicule and criticism of the present members of Parliament. This also has no foundation in fact. I" fact, the letter is a failtype of a. form of criticism of the political partisan too -indifferent to make himself acquainted with his subject but hppinjr by forcible expression ami dogmatic assertions to hide the obvious fact that be knows nothing;, and probably cares lew, of the matter on which he writes.—l am, CtC" ANTI-HUMBUG. ... ... (