The Grey River Argus WEDNESDAY, December 15, 1937. HERALDS OF THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Grey River Argus, 15 December 1937, Page 8

The Grey River Argus WEDNESDAY, December 15, 1937. HERALDS OF THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Even if they still feel obliged, for the sake of appearances, to hold their gatherings in a hole-and-corner fashion, the National Party at least have their propaganda going full blast in the press. Up in Auckland this work is to be supplemented by the abilities of a University Professor, who- is resigning his position for .the purpose. Significantly his slogan is to be the same as that of Hon. A. Hamilton, whom the Press Association reports at length in a declaration against the Government’s legislation. They intend, until the General Election, to revive the ancient cry which heralded the long and progressive Administration founded by Ballance and Seddon. That cry is the cry of “Anti-Socialism.” It is as characteristic of the Nationalists to-day as it was of the Tory element in the early nineties that they utterly refuse to define their own political philosophy, and prefer to stand or fall by one of mere negation. Whatever this Government has

done in the interest of distributive and commutative justice they declare to he socialistic, and every action of the State to prevent economic rapacity they term despotism This may go with people who regard the majority as fair quarry for plundering, but the day.has probably gone when the quarry will fall for such propaganda There is certainly prosperity to-day, says Mr. Hamilton; but it may be gone to-morrow. Nobody can yet talk of to-morrow, however, whereas everybody remembers yesterday. It is not long since the Government’s. marketing i policy was being criticised by the Opposition on the score that it did not go far enough in the way of the price guarantee. It is now being called coercion. Emphasis is laid entirely on the means taken by the Government to attain its objective, which is a fair return for all parties to industry ana commerce; but the object itself is entirely ignored by the Opposition. ‘ Evidently slumps and instability are preferred, so long as they offer an opportunity for exploiters, the regulation of whose operations so as to ensure a degree of price and wages stability is declared to he State Socialism. The thing is being done in the United States and in other countries where no politicians attempt to confuse it with an attack on freedom, and in New Zealand the great majority are ready to judge it bv results rather than by pure prejudice. Mr. Hamilton’s line may be judged from his objection to State enterprise m the housing sphere lest private landlords stall not retain a free field. To say evictions are essential foi then enterprise is to condemn it outright. Yet nobody honestly could assert rent restrictions hitherto have been the reason why private enterprise has left a leeway o twelve thousand houses to be made up. Whatever could be said against such provision for tenants as the Government is making, there is one thing that cannot be said of it. This is that private enterprise will begin to be checked Private enterprise have already proved utterly inadequate. People for decades have increasingly been found to depend for housing finance upon the State. The National Party, when it proclaims itself the defender of private as against public enterprise, i thinking more of monopolistic enterprise than anything else. _Lt i prepared to see the public interest in the railways utterly sacrificed on behalf of sectional interests which simply expect facilities that owe their existence to public finance. Finally,tlie National propaganda makes giec play upon State expenditure, carefully refraining here, as in the case of marketing, from acknowledging the results, but e ™P h * Sl *’ inc onlv a comparison with pre depression times. . The ordinary citizen is not so foolish as to ignore altogether the credit side of the ledger, and to look only at the expenditure side. He is rather disposed to make a comparison whic .i the Opposition is very anxious to obliterate. The real question is as to what extent the State is beino- mortgaged to those who live upon debt. Let Mr. Hamilton contrast the oversea bon owing o_ this Government with that of any predecessor and he must admit the country pays its way better than it ever did, without _stintin o its people, or halting its industry at the dictate of money-lenders cither here or anywhere else. Even if Mr. Hamilton and his followers arouse honest doubt in the minds of some when they claim that State Socialism is what has .come about in the Dominion, the people who may become doubtful on this point will be as free from doub., as the Opposition Leader on another point. What they and everybody else are certain about is that prosperity has come about.