Letter To Editor Will Slavery Return?

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 March 1948, Page 2

Letter To Editor Will Slavery Return?

Sir.—Eamon de Valera is a statesman. He sees the United Nations for what it is, a new edition of the League of Nations. Without a change of heart by certain Powers, he says, there will be war. As to whether Eire will again be neutral, he was non-committal, but his comment was statesmanlike: it is a big decision for a small nation. If it goes to war and loses, it suffers heavily. If it wins, it gets little say in the peace, anyhow. New Zealanders will agree with him about how much say vze get in the peace. We helped to win this latest war, but we cannot get rid of the man-power bureaux when we have won. What will they be used for when the slump comes? If a vote were taken, it would be overwhelmingly in favour of closing them down, but there will be no vote taken. What we need is far-seeing public men and fearless speakers. Judging by the title of Mr M. L. Daly’s address at Runanga on August 27, 1945, “How Slavery was Abolished, and How it May Return,” Mr Daly seems to be both far-seeing and fearless. I was not privileged to hear this able speaker in August, 1945, but it will be remembered by most of your readers that manpower direction had then been made legal, and it seems reasonable to suppose that Mr

Daly must have warned his hearers against the new form of slavery. If Mr Daly could be induced to give a series of public addresses throughout the district on the possible return of slavery through man-power direction, I would contribute substantially towards the rent of the halls. I* think I could also guarantee him full houses at every address. Do not people flock to listen to visiting Communist orators, or to drink in the words of travelling Revivalists? Why should not Mr Daly be heard, in the" advocacy of freedom? —Yours BYSTANDER Greymouth, March 10.

Reply To Correspondent

j. c.— Merely propaganda .—Editor, Evening Star.