Political Dignity

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20074, 21 October 1939, Page 14

Political Dignity

Sir,—l suppose that most people are not concerned about Mr. Goodfellow, but we are all concerned regarding the terms in which the PrimeMinister of this country replies to criticism. Is it possible to Imagine Mr. Neville Chamberlain, Mr. Mackenzie King, General Smuts or Mr. Menzies employing the methods or language of Mr. Savage in replying to a critic? Even the ardent supporters of the present Government must be well aware that the standuid of our Parliament has never been at a lower ebb, find this latest illustration seems to indicate that our Prime Minister has been studying with appreciation the speeches of Herr Hitler, from which he has assimilated methods of abuse, vituperation and argument. We find that this critic is a “gasbag ” his statements “beneath contempt” and that any criticism of himself or his colleagues is “decrying the country.” Like Hitler, when referring to the indebtedness of the country, he entirely ignores the reasons and explanations regarding it or the financial confusion contributed by himself and his parly and the frequent absurd contradictions and mistakes he has so often made when delving publicly into the realms of figures. He, however, intuitively quite understands the psychology of those to whom he looks for support and is indifferent to such errors and incon sistencies, as he accurately gauges the mentality of those to whom ho appeals. “Experts” in any department may safely be scoffed at, for like Hitler, ho and his colleagues are themselves super “experts,” without any tedious training, in finance commerce and all business activities, transport, education, defence, sheepfarming, dairying or anything else, and need no “so-called” export guidance in any direction

We would not be disposed to wonder whether tiie high office ol Prime Minister of this Dominion were "beneath contempt” if it were clothed in a little dignity and decorum, so that the people might regard it with respect as an example to tire nation. PRO PATRIA.