MORE WAR WANTED!

Grey River Argus, 27 April 1942, Page 8

MORE WAR WANTED!

ITo The Editor.] ’ Sir,—The daily press has, for a long time, carried a large number or letters signed bv the usual “Constant Reader,” “Pro Bono Publico,” “Disgusted.” “Veteran,” “Lover of Freedom” and others of like intelligence and courage, condemning or viciously criticising the Government 'and the Labour Party, and in some cases telling us what doctrines we, in their imagination preach, and the dreauful conditions we are wilfully preparing for the unsuspecting popuia<The remarkable thing is that these people are, in some degree at least, “sacrificing” or having a harder struggle because of the conditions of the past few years. Many of themwere directly involved in the last war, and suffered or paid—or both —accordingly; most of them had to bear the burden of the depression years and in some instances were dragging out an existence on the dole; all of them are affected by the present war, and will be more and more affected as the war becomes more intense.

All of them are opposed to the Government and the Labour Party, who are both opposed to the conditions which breed wars, depressions and slumps. They are, therefore, nil in favour of more wars and more depressions, since they prefer the system which now prevails in all countries except New Zealand, and which is clearly. at the bottom of the troubles now tearing the world into whastly areas of horror and destruction.

And they are so “patriotic” that they spend their time and postage on venting themselves on the Labour Party and the Government, instead of doing a little “unifying” and constructive work, while, at the same time, their complaint is that the Labour Party is preventing unity 1 However, there is one glimmer of hope for the future; they are all so ashamed of their reactionary political views that they refrain from signing their names; perhaps they are worried by fear that a genuine thought is beginning to stir their feeble minds.

But if “patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel,” then it might also be said that anonymity is the last refuge of a coward. The Labour Party membership is neither furtive nor fearful, and welcomes nonest criticism; what have anonymous scribes to fear ? I am etc., ERNEST CLAYTON. President, Caversham Branch N.Z. Labour Party, 53 Cole Street, Dunedin, Otago.