The Grey River Argus WEDNESDAY, April 7, 1943. CALLS ON MR. NASH.

Grey River Argus, 7 April 1943, Page 4

The Grey River Argus WEDNESDAY, April 7, 1943. CALLS ON MR. NASH.

The anti-Labour press must be running shorter than ever of polical ammunition. It has been using a “dud” variety to tilt at his colleagues during the absence of Mr. Nash upon his. remarkably successful diplomatic mission in the United States.. His return is being made a target for abuse, it being said that he ought now to remain,, that he never should have gone, that some other Minister could have done equally well, that he left a harder task here for an easier one there, that his constituents should not be depraved of his attention —presumably those of some other Minister could!—; that he should not hold dual posts, that it is even doubtful if we need any special ambassador at Washington, that the costs are greater than the results are worth, that the United States has not yet sent here another Minister, that one-man-one-job is being flouted, and that Mr. Nash, anyway, may lose his seat in Parliament • All this is professedly a worry to our evening contemporary, with not a word of explanation why it should be, especially in view of the suggestion that Mr. Nash inay soon lose all of his posts, and of the further assertion that it “cannot be judged whether Mr. Nash’s achievements at Washington have been valuable or otherwise.” It depends, of course, who is to judge. Most people would be disposed to take the judgment of somebody on the spot, rather than somebody so far away as this. There is, in fact, a judgment available from somebody on the spot, one -whose' estimate ought to weigh at least as heavily as that of another so far away as this, admitting an inability to form any judgment, though judging Mr. Nash, as aforementioned, with utterly unmeasured severity. President Roosevelt has sent the Prime Minister and New Zealanders generally his judgment dated March .18, viz.:—“My Dear Mr. Prime Minister; I am sending this letter by Walter Nash, and I hope that you will let Mr. Nash come back to Washington again as soon as you can. lie has been a splendid representative of our sister democracy of New Zealand.” But convincing as that clearcut judgment may be, there are many confirmatory facts. New Zealand, since Mr. Nash went to Washington, has received from the United States such a wealth of war aid as to have now rendered our security here in the Dominion quite beyond doubt. Those who profess ignorance of such means of estimating the vaine of Mr. Nash’s mission ought at least to refrain from attempts to dictate to him, and especially from telling not to go again, but to mind the home front financially. Is he not here now to do so? Is he not to prepare the next Budget? His past ones hav'e been, most successfully implemented, and if the only reason some people have for their anxiety is the. thought that they may have to pay their share towards the increasing costs of the war, they can rest assured that any tax increases will be collected just as ' effectively as during the period for which Mr. Nash has already been away. An example of the value of his mission is the very workable understanding he has reached with the United States

Government on all matters affect,-

ing Uic war and its consequences. Particularly notable is his arrahgenlent that for our future, defence there shall be, a mutual use of bases in the Pacific, ours being- available for any allies and their’s for us. Mr. Nash has been a leader in formulating plans for Allied co-operation in the war generally, and in the Pacific specifically, as also in post-war reconstruction policy. His ability is equal to his financial duties here and his diplomatic duties oversea, so that it could only be jealousy of his success, and of its influence on the fortunes of the Government which dictates a demand that he shall now deliberately limit his sphere of usefulness. Having had such a hand in cementing such good relations and arrangements between the Dominion and the United States, his withdrawal now from his dual role might be a veritable disaster for New Zealand. The lease-lend puts upon his financial office and experience as our representative such a very high premium that it could be equalled by probably no substitute. It is even conceivable that New Zealand. considering its situation more remotely than Australia from the scene of actual hostilities, has had the better deal of the two countries with the United States so that it has paid handsomely for this country to have had as its envoy so influential a Minister. Finally, Mr. Nash has not sought his dual role, nor its continuation, b'ut it is safe to say that if his return to Washington should remain the best thing for the Dominion, the Government will sec that he does return; and, further, that if in that event the Government should fail to see to it, the Government would fail in its duty to the country.