The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, February 7, 1941, THE POLITICAL FRONT.

Grey River Argus, 7 February 1941, Page 6

The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, February 7, 1941, THE POLITICAL FRONT.

lii announcing the plans of his Party to devote this year to a campaign against the Government, the Leader of the Opposition, while quite within his rights, has an obligation which the public should see that he does not sidestep. In view .of the extreme degree in which the Government is preoccupied with the national war effort, Air Holland acknowledges that this is not at all the time for ordinary political hostilities. It is not indeed an explicit acknowledgement, but is one that has been implicit in his claim that, instead of opposing, his Party should instead be united with the Government. It is because the National Party has not been so united, therefore, that it is setting about its campaign against tin 1 Government. Consequently, the only solid ground on which it can base its fight is that of bettering the war effort. No minor issue would justify a claim to be given priority over that of the .war effort, whilst any which would be calculated to lessen or weaken it has no right to be waged at this time, however opportunely it might be given predominance in peace time. Air Holland says that he and his Party must make maximum use of the newspapers and the platform in placing their claims before the people, because the radio is under the control of the Government. This may be meant as an excuse for subverting the issue of the war to some others, but it is no- fair plea to make. The public are well aware that neither the Ministers nor Government members of Parliament have made the slightest resort to the broadcasting service for party objects during the past twelve months and more. Every broadcast statement has been entirely taken up either with war objects or the exposition of matters of administration which had nothing to do with contentious questions. On 'the other hand, the National Party is well aware that it can rely upon nearly all of the newspapers to-day in the same degree that it has done in previous general election campaigns, and the reference to the broadcasting service appears simply 1o be designed to justify the National Party immediately in raising contentious questions quite secondary to that of the prosecution of the war. Nobody, indeed, has the right to say that the coming general election should not be seriously contested, but the Government has the right to have it recognised that war obligations preclude it from commencing thus early a campaign which must be calculated to divert not only public attention from the real issue of the day, but governmental attention as well. As the people expect, and rightly expect, that Ministers shall devote their best efforts to the conduct of the war they must at the same time concede that Alinisters deserve the

fullest support from every section of the community in the conduct of the national war effort. It is undeniable, for instance, that taxation is at present substantial, that industry is extensively regulated so as to ensure the maximum economy and efficiency in Ihe war effort. It would be positively inimical to that effort were the National Party, Air J. A. Lee, or any other opponent to attempt to discredit the Government by exploiting any feeling as against Ihe financial obligations that all must share in this great emergency. To proclaim this attitude is not to say that it is going to be generally adopted. It must rest with the commonsense of any and every section of the people whether an unfair advantage is taken of a grave situation. By comparison with any other British country, this one has met its war obligations most efficiently and with less hardship for its population than probably any other British country. Therefore, it behoves electors everywhere to beware lest some side issue should be deliberately magnified into a major issue for mere party ends. The Government has fully justified its decision not to relinquish during the war the responsibility which the electors so undoubtedly placed upon it, but it has done this only by placing first things first, and by shaping the national activity and economy so that they best would, assist in the great struggle to defend our own national heritage and the rights of democracy in every country. H is not to be expected that the Government meantime will be following the example of the Opposition and concentrating attention upon the general election. Ministers and supporters alike recognise that there is something to be won, the importance of which dwarfs absolutely anything that might be 'at stake in a political ballot. So long, therefore, as the public maintains this year the same sense of proportion that it has shown since the Avar broke out, there need be no misgivings about the election campaign.