MR. MORRISON & MOSLEY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 136, 6 December 1943, Page 4

MR. MORRISON & MOSLEY

Sir,—Some points have been lost sight of in the Mosley affair. It is said, for example, that by releasing a Fascist, Morrison has made a "psychological blunder" because it will be disliked in Russia. Since when have our decisions as to what is right and wrong been dependent on what Russia or any other State will think of them? The British Parliament, by endorsing the. Mosley releases, has clearly demonstrated again its moral leadership of the democracies. The principle that a man is not to be gaoled for his opinions was waived only under the threat of invasion, and only then to the extent that he be detained if a danger to the state. Britain has retained a healthy dislike of this ordinance, and the Home Secretary is proving that his conscience has not succumbed to his absolute powers, by a constant revision of cases and a release of those whom his expert advisers consider no longer dangerous. Before the war I had the privilege of knowing Herbert Morrison well, and can vouch for his loathing of Fascism and his personal dislike of Mosley, who stirred up anti-Semitic trouble in the East "of London, where Morrison's constituency is. Yet, for the principle involved, Morrison has made a decision which he knew would be open to misunderstanding, and has been willing to jeopardise the great promise of his own career. Let every New Zealander who cares for liberty weigh these factors. Let him weigh also the fact that Morrison is unpopular with Trade Union leaders and the Communists because he has always maintained that the British Labour Party is answerable to the people of Britain and not to trade union bosses or to a foreign executive. There are all the marks in this agitation of a well-organised ramp to bring Morrison down. In , this relatively trivial affair*we see a good example of British principles in action. Justice and mercy are being shown to those who would have denied them had they been in power. This is what democracy, owes to the Gospel.—l am, etc., HOWARD WADMAN.