FRIENDS AND ENEMIES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4816, 28 July 1939, Page 2

FRIENDS AND ENEMIES.

(To the Editor). Sir, —Some few days back, during the debate on the Address-in-Reply in the House of Representatives, Mr. Grigg (National) in speaking on national defence, stated emphatically that our principal enemy was Japan. Mr. Frost (Labour) in reply stated that after a close study of international relationships, and the diplomatic intrigues connected therewith, it was a very difficult matter to distinguish between our friends and our enemies. He further suggested that if the present world crisis brought us to war that it may be a great surprise to many to find which side they were fighting on. The press news of to-day seems to indicate that Mr. Frost's remarks were worthy of serious consideration. China has been let down, and there seems to be prima facie evidence that some suggestion is being made that financial assistance be given to Germany. Whilst admitting that all press news is to be taken as more or less propaganda, it must be apparent to any real patriot that current developments are, to say the least, very disturbing. The question which raises itself in my mind is, Who are our enemies? Those outside our Empire boundaries or those inside. I am beginning to think that the political diplomats who are handling our case are not to be trusted, and our real enemies will eventually be discovered amongst those whom Bernard Shaw was pleased to call "The Commercial Gentlemen of Westminster." I pen these lines with the idea of patriotism to the big human family (of which I am a very obscure unit) uppermost in my mind, and with the hope that' those designated as the common people will awake to a realisation of their own welfare and happiness ere it is too late. Professor Sodey in one of his economic works closes with these words: "The vulgar rule of money must cease or it will destroy us." If this is true (and I am convinced that it is), our only hope is to ally ourselves immediately with the campaign to bring about its cessation.—l am, etc., G. DINNISON.