“Soft Sort of Slabber ”

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 278, 24 November 1939, Page 6

“Soft Sort of Slabber ”

FARMERS HIT BACK AT RADIO INSULTS Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 23. Reference to tlic Fanners' Union us “Public Enemy No. 3” by the Controller of Commercial Broadcasting, Mr. C. G. Scrimgeour, in a recent broadcast, brought a strong protest from members of the executive of the North Canterbury branch of the union yesterday. A resolution deploring the attack, and expressing the fullest confidence in the president of the union, Mr. W. W. Mul-

holland, was carried. Farmers had offered the Government their fullest co-operation and had undertaken to increase production, said Mr. A. M. Carpenter, and he was therefore amazed to find that the Government, Government Departments, and the broadcasting authorities were abusing the Farmers' Union. “It is terrible to think that wo farmers, who provide the vital finance and production of the country, should be, by Mr. Scrimgeour or any other man, dubbed Public Enemy No. 3.” said Mr. Carpenter. “After sacrificing ourselves to production at a time when the Empire has its back to the wall, this abuse is intolerable.

4 4 1 am sorry for the people in the towns who hear and believe this stuff,” said Mr. Carpeuter. “They do not understand the position. I am sorry if they arc taken in by this and Xhe. soft sort of slabber that goes .with

it. But why docs lie single us out! YVliat have we done 1 ’’ Mr. It. G. Bishop, IVe arc agin the Government. Mr. Carpenter said that tho unioa simply could not allow the untruthful and unjust calumny to go without the strongest protest. The forces appeared to be gathering against the farmer, and it was time to i/drm that the unioa was never more united than it was 10-dav. That was true also of farmers as a whole. ‘‘ We want to scotch at once the idea that the Dominion president does not speak for ail farmers, and that wo arc not united,” he said. The following resolution was carried: “That this branch deplores surli attacks over the air as that recently delivered by the Controller of Commercial Broadcasting, .Mr. C. G. Scrimgeour, in which he described the Farmers’ Union us 1 nblic 1-neiny Xo. 3, thus seeking to divide tho people at such a critical lime, especially as the Farmers’ Union is co-operating fully with the Government; and that this branch fully supports the efforts of the president in protecting the interests of farmers and in seeking higher production.”