Grey River Argus and Blackball news

Grey River Argus, 26 November 1914, Page 4

Grey River Argus and Blackball news

Deliver >d every morning m Greymouth. Kim..aia, Hokitika, Dobson, WaUiend/SsSfflt Nelson Creek, Ahaura, Ikamatno, Wamta «^fe C £T d ? n '£ nnau & a « Bunollie, Cobden v ? t • ,? oklrl « p a*ara, Kaimata, Aratika roerua, I bourne, Jaokaons and Otira»

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 19 14

Mi-. P. C. Webb, the >Social pemocratic candidate for the Grey seat, had an opportunity on Tuesday! night of giving an account. of his stewardship," but like the counsel with no case he abused the other side. As for his criticism of the Argus, we have no fault to find. We have given Mr. Webb hard knocks and we expected that he would endeavour to give a quid pro quo. That is just as it 'should be. His references to Mr. Michel, the Reform candidate cannot be similarly justified. Mr. Michel, spoke for over two hours in Greymouth, and he made not the slightest reference to Mr. Webb. It cannot be said that he had not plenty of material if he had desir- , ed to make use' of it. But Mr. Michel had the instincts of a gui- { tlcinan, and was determined, 'f possible, to keep the personal element out of the contest. Mr. Webb has willed otherwise ar.d ho cannot complain now if Mr Michel deals with- him as he deserves. Mr. Webb says that the leaders in the Argus commence with Paddy Webb, the Socialist, an.l eiid Avith the Kaiser, and by way of' variety commence with the Kaiser and end with Paddy Webb. This is not quite correct, but still it is near enough. We admit that the two individuals get a fair share of our space, perhaps moL-e than their intrinsic merits deserve. But we consider that the greatest curse to. New Zealand is the Red Federation whose political mouthpiece is the Social Democratic Party. The greatest curse to the world at the present day is the German military caste. As Mr. P. C. Webb is a leading representative of the Social Democrats and the Kaiser the leading representative of the German Avar lords they naturally come in for a good deal of attention. Neither should object. Botli love the limelight, and even if it is only "the litle Argus" that focuses its gleam on them they should be rather pleased than otherwise. It is wonderful tHe similarity that exists betAveen the Federation of Labour and the German war lords. In the first place both are controlled from Berlin, and both are advocates of the "to hell with agreements" doctrine. Both believe in .shock tactics and wearing down the opposition with brute force. Men, women, and children, who stand in the way of their advance receive scant consideration, and the doctrine of. sabotage bears a striking analogy to the German vandalism in Belgium and Germany. Mr. Webb Avaxes indignant because Aye presumed to ask for a 'definite statement of his position as regards the defence question. He denies that lie is a pro-German, and charges the Argus with being the only paper in New Zealand that questioned the loyalty of a member of Parliament. A man is judged by the company he keeps, and Avhen we remember that the acting editor of the Maoriland Worker expressed the hope that he would soon see the Red Flagflying over Parliament Buildings ancl that New Zealand Avould be th e first Socialist Republ ic, we

be as solid as we would wish in such a crisis as at present exists. We are glad to hear that he is at one with us in the conviction that the war so far as Britain is concerned, is a just war against German militarism. He says that he spent more time with the expeditionary force than any other member, but knowing Mr.* Webb's penchant for endeavouring to find out material that may be used for an attack on the Government, we may well ask ourselves whether.it was this and not a spirit of Imperialism that was at the root of his visit.' Prior to the Huntly Disaster, the Federation of Labour could not say anything bad enough about the miners who formed the new union. They were called "scabs" and other euphonious epithets were hurled at them and shooting was said to be too good for them. But no sooner did one of those awful disasters so unfortunately attendant on the work of those who delve iii the bowels of the earth for its hidden treasures take place than Mr. p. q. Webb went off post haste to the scene of the accident. It could not be said to be love of the miners who had been Mlled, for they were only "scabs" and shooting was too good for them, but merely the hope that something might be picked up that might be used

as political capital against the hated Massey Government. Mr. Webb did not visit Greymouth when the wreck of the Kairald took place. It was not that he could not spare the time, but there was nothing in the disaster that could be twisted round into % a charge against the Massey Party. These may appear hard things to say, but there is no use in saying one thing and meaning another. When we remember the scathing remarks made by Mr. Webb on the local platform with I reference to Sir Joseph Ward and tlie gift of the dreadnought, and then read the report of his speech on Tuesday night where he in a milk and water kind of way supported Sir Joseph Ward's scheme, we wonder what has become of the consistency which he claims to be such a marked characteristic of his politics.