A PLEA FOR SINCERITY.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXI, Issue 122, 9 May 1931, Page 9

A PLEA FOR SINCERITY.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Instead of sincerity in the conduct of our national affairs there is a class-consciousness which is apt to look at every problem from the class point of view rather than the national. Politics is probably responsible for this because many politicians, desirous of attracting votes at election, are apt to express views likely to suit their supporters rather than boldly to voice opinions which may he unpopular but which are none the loss sound from a nntiohal standpoint. This Ims been very evident in recent Parliamentary debates. Tl’o Dominion is suffering from a huge fall in its income yet the Labour Socialist Party has consistently opposed every move for economy and as persstentlv iidvociited greater taxation to enable us to iiuiiutain n scale

of expenditure which was barely justified when the country’s income was £25.000,000 more than it is now. In private life not one of these members would advocate the maintenance of the same expenditure if his personal income had decreased by as much in proportion as the national income has, so his opposition to national economy cannot be sincere. He must be fully aware that the welfare of every one in tho country, whether on wages, or in business, depends on the sound administration of national expenditure yet he is not sincere enough to say so. He prefers to make party capital out of the situation and’is insincere enough to state that the necessary economy is an attack on one class alone. He tickles the ears of his followers by telling them that everyone who advocates economy in public expenditure is trying to crush the worker and boost the big financial interests. That those working for economymay have the best interest of the worker quite as much at heart as themselves is not admitted for a moment. The man who does not agree with their remedy must be the workers’ enemy. Not only do they imply that they alone are right, bnt that they alone are honest in their opinions.

This want of sincerity is a danger in times like these, because it fails to acknowledge that a man may disagree with the workers on manypoints mid yet be none the less their friend. The effect is shown repeatedly in the correspondence of the daily papers. Honest, criticism of tho economic position appears to “Labour” supporters to he almost nn offence; it is very often described as a definitely, hostile attack on the workers ; it is never admitted that the critic may bo 1-onest; ulterior motives are always ii uted. How is it then possible to arrive at the truth when the issue is clouded by such suspicions? Genuine and perfectly sincere differences of opinion undoubtedly exist ou many of the problems of the day, hut the Labour Socialist advocates will never admit this: they prefer to imnute sinister motives to those who differ with them. This is not sincerity—it is trickery designed to prevent the truth being realised unless it coincides with their views. —Yours etc., N.Z. WELFARE LEAGUE. Wellington. 8/5/31.