AUTOCRACY IN GOVERNMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 23817, 22 February 1941, Page 15

AUTOCRACY IN GOVERNMENT.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—l wonder very often whether the Labour section of our community are aware of the fact —strange as it may seem—that’ the controlling powers bchiud’ouv Government are so actively working in the establishment of national Socialism on the exact lines adopted by the National Socialist Government of Germany? Here is an example of this, taken from the Aberdeen ‘ Press of some 18 months ago. The writer makes what the editor calls “ an interesting disclosure of Germany’s internal methods. Ha says: “In Germany bureaucracy increases in power by the hour. Officials are always visiting the small business man’s factory, to find out how much material he has, and to tell him how, to whom, and at what price he may sell it. He cannot maka a deal without official consent—and that consent is so difficult to obtain, so many men have to be seen, so many forms filled in, that most German business bouses nowaday employ a ‘ contact ’ man, whose solo job is to secure official permission for the completion of orders. These men, whose only qualification is the fact that they are ‘ well in ’ with the party, draw large salaries, for they are indispensable.” ■, Business men will recognise this as a realistic descriptioh of Labour autocracy m commercial life in New Zealand to-day. How long arc we going to tolerate it p The craze of the Government for “ filling up forms ” is fast verging on sheer lunacy.— I am, etc., February 21- Qt'O A ADIS.