Greymouth Evening Star. SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 1942. AGE AND POLITICIANS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 August 1942, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 1942. AGE AND POLITICIANS.

AUGUST in non-war years in Britain, was termed the “silly season,” because the customary.absence of news during- this holiday season, enabled Press space to be given to the letters from those readers delighting to write to their favourite newspapers, about their thrills, growls, and other topics of interest. Sea-serpents seen, giant gooseberries grown, doubts and convictions on various subjects, were all freely described, and some of this correspondence caused considerable controversy. A deuce caused considerable eontrovrsy. A newspaper in which was initiated a discus? sion arousing widespread interest congratulated itself as securing a scoop. It could not always be foretold even by experienced journalists just what topic would arouse the nation, some of the most unlikely being as the answer to an editor’s prayer. It would have been thought that in this year of grace, when the fate of civilisation is in the balance, popular topics would have been confined to war events and ‘possibilities, but according to the special correspondent of the New r Zealand Press Association, in London, the subjects arousing popular discussion, to-day, have little to do with the world conflict. This sense of detachment in the hour of crisis is a characteristic of the British people, and is a source of some of their strength. The newspapers themselves are not above encouraging discussion, when readers fail to show the initiative. The N.Z.P.A. representative has cabled extracts from editorial opinions regarding the future of the British Parliamentary Labour Party, principally concerning the advanced years of many of the Members. This is a matter in ■which other countries, in'cluding New Zealand, may well display some interest, they, themselves, having similar veterans in Parliamentary ranks. Most political Parties include a large proportion of elderly men in the Parliamentary ranks. Among the Conservatives, it is the older men who have the wealth and influence desirable in their ’candidates. Labour delights to reward the veterans with Parliamentary honours, because they have in previous years borne the heat and burden of fighting for the cause.

Experience has not yet shown that young men would have been wiser choices, allowing f° r occasional exceptions. Politicians, being human, are often reluctant to retire from public life into obscurity, and they do not realise their years are rapidly passing. There is also some reluctance by Party organisers to dismiss those who .have rendered good service in favour of untried newcomers. In British politics, most of those with any following, from Air. Churchill downwards, are approaching the sere and yellow. Age does not wither, nor custom stale, their hold on Party support, if, occasionally, murmurs of revolt are heard from bright young things, who wish a faster pace to bo set. It is difficult to believe that the British Labour Party is in the doldrums, as now alleged. It has been freely predicted that the next general election will see a Labour victory, owing to the nation being grateful for the co-operation with oihcr Parties Labour has shown during the war, and also to the belief that the Conservatives have had long enough tenure of office. Labour has few outstanding men in Parliament, to-day, but have the other Parties much more to boast fibout in this respect? Many electors think it would be wise to have a post-war National Government, with the two leading Parties’ members, being more equal in the next Commons. Some Labour veterans, including Mr. Clynes, now in his 78th year, have already announced a desire to retire, but it will be surprising if the new House is composed mainly of juveniles, Labour or Conservative.