Readers Write

Northern Advocate, 27 January 1939, Page 4

Readers Write

In reading your Leader of January 7 I cannot but think, as I have often thought before: What a pity this

i HE PRESS AND THE CRISIS.

little country has ► so many newspapers which re-

present the best in with style and printing excellent, but not one with an intelligently independent spirit. One would think they were all edited by the London “Times.”

They sell to the people the ideas' they want, whether they be for good or otherwise—excellent salesmanship, but what else? At this critical time, when we so badly need good leadership in public opinion, the New Zealand papers were all alike. Every one wanted peace so that they could go on their usual business, so they all acclaimed Mr Chamberlain because he gave them a peace at any price, and now, bedause one head of a great nation shows some independence, we ger criticism—no doubt, because we realise our own weakness in not responding in a similar spirit. Where is that country “who rules the waves” ? “That Empire upon whose soil the sun never sets”? One of the proudest empires that ever existed. ' It is kow-towing to, and hobnobbing with one whom they scorned out a short time ago. But has that great nation sunk so low as today it appears, or is it only its politicians who have. done so? ‘'Today that great Empire needs a great statesman, and I cannot see how we can expect 'a politician to be a great statesman.

The pluto-democracies of today do not tend to allow the type of man who can lead in a crisis like the present to rise to leadership. Instead we develop men, intelligent enough, but artists in compromise and deception—with their greatest objective satisfaction to the class who pay and keep them in office. How can such leaders hope to succeed against such leaders as the totalitarian States possess? It is absurd to expect it.

And you criticise Roosevelt bgpause he, one of these same diplomatic leaders of a pluto-democracy, happens to be in such a detached position that he can act, or at least speak, his honest convictions without getting his head bitten off at home. I wonder if Chamberlain wouldn’t like to be in the s*ame position, and what do the American people care whether Hitler is irritated or not?

Your further criticism leads to the direct cause of the present situation, and the real reason for America’s desertion since signing the vindictive treaty after the war. The whole American nation repudiated that treaty and predicted its results. Hitler was only possible on account of it. Perhaps he will prove a blessing in disguise. He has shown that democracy under plutocratic guidance and control is. a failure. It can’t even defend itself.

If we keep plutocracy we must lose democracy or bow to totalitarianism. Perhaps we may learn before it is too late to dump plutocracy, and have real democracy, but I can see no signs of it yet. It even looks like we might be like the “Advocate,” follow the crowd and become totalitarian ourselves.—WlLLlAM H. CHETHAM (Takahiwai).

IMemo: The subject of this letter is referred to in our editorial columns'.— Ed., N.A.]