“ POISONOUS PROPAGANDA ”

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4670, 14 December 1944, Page 4

“ POISONOUS PROPAGANDA ”

A speech that was entirely characteristic of him was made by Mr Semple', Minister for Works, at the A boa Party conference in support rf a remit pledging the party to the establishment of a daily newspaper by next September, says the ‘Otago Dady Times.’ It would be a pity to attempt to summarise the speech as it

■s reported in the party’s, own organ, tha only paper that was allowed to ’end a representative to the confer-

ace. and therefore, we reproduce, with s curious metaphors, the report from hat publication;—

Long- ago it had been realised, said the Minister for Works that the poisonous propaganda put out by the daily press was a millstone round the nock of progress. The editors of these papers used the editorial “we,” continued Mr Semple, and the people were stupid enough to swallow what they said. “Who are ‘ we ’ ?” asked the Minister. “Some little individual about as wide between the shoulders as a pawnticket, sitting in the editorial chair writing editorials that blackguard men and women whose boots they are not fit to lick,” In time of war they urged men to the slaughter, but if someone charged them with a hatpin they would die of fear. “These are the people we allow by our apathy and indifference to mould public op nion to send poison out to the rank and file, some of whom are c-tup’d enough to believe : t.” Comment on fustian of this description would be superfluous. It need only be stated that the editors of military age in New Zealand who were physically fit for reception into the armed forces answered their country’s "all and served with the colors both i the last war, at a time when Mr Semple and seme of his Ministerial col’eagues were ingloriously staying at homo and again in the present war, •luring which Ministers have been men to the slaughter.”