The Northern Advocate Daily “NORTHLAND FIRST” Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 1940. Perverted Freedom Not To Impede N.Z.’s Cause

Northern Advocate, 26 January 1940, Page 4

The Northern Advocate Daily “NORTHLAND FIRST” Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 1940. Perverted Freedom Not To Impede N.Z.’s Cause

THE war has produced in this country, as elsewhere, where speech and Press are still free, its usual crop of individuals who apparently deem it to be their duty to attempt to persuade the public that it is a wrong course upon which Great Britain has entered and that, therefore, the Dominion errs in associating itself with the Mother Country. Some of these individuals have brought themselves into conflict with the Government through their conduct. The Government possesses very extensive powers under its emergency legislation tor the maintenance of public order within the Dominion. These powers have been used with discretion, and, in many quarters, it is thought, with too much restraint. To Stop Sedition However, in an admirable exposition of the position last night, the Attorney-General (Mr. H. G. R. Mason) made it abundantly clear that the Government, having allowed sufficient time to elapse for conflicting outlooks to be harmonised in a united and loyal answer to aggression, intends now to put a period to subversive and seditious utterances designed to hinder rhe Dominion’s war effort. Many argue that New Zealand’s soldiers are being asked to sacrifice tnemselves for “high finance” or for some other monster equally indefinitely identified. There are others whose political views have clouded the issue and left them Doubting Thomases. To many of these the action of Russia, their spiritual home, has caused further mental confusion. No one, indeed, doubts that war is stupid, archaic and barbarous, but every thinking person must recognise the immediate alternative. Mr. Mason presented it clearly enough last night: “If Britain falls, so do we, and if that happens our Centennial marks the close of freedom and self-government for the people of our race in these islands.” Inaction now would result in the negation of ail the pacifists and other objectors to war hope for in the future. . _

Russia and the War Although he is out to fight Hitlerism and has taken part in the call for recruits for service with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Mr. J. A. Lee, M.P.. takes a different stand when Stalin comes under criticism. Approval of Soviet Russia’s policy in occupying part of Poland and in regarding Finnish guns as a threat to Leningrad is expressed by Mr. Lee in an article in the Christchurch! journal “Tomorrow.” But it is “Tomorrow’s” editorial comment concerning this latest contribution that is worthy of the closest scrutiny as an example of propaganda designed not to be of assistance to the Dominion in its war effort. Their Commend

Remarking on Mr. Lee’s support for “war against Hitlerism,” “Tomorrow” asks: “Is he so sure that New Zealand troops will be used to defeat Fascism,? Already he sees the danger of their being sent against Socialist Russia. Or to keep the Indian people in imperialistic bondage? “Is he willing to see over £20,000,000 spent in the next three years in training men for the air force alone, given the dubious character of the whole conflict from Labour’s point of view?” “Tomorrow’s” effort to cloud our war aims, insidious as it is, is comparatively mild to .some of the blatantly Bolshevik propaganda which can be freely bought in bookstalls in our cities and which is circulating through His Majesty’s mails.

Apologia for the Soviet’s brutal attack on Finland —a democracy if ever there was one—is particularly ingenious and proves conclusively that those responsible for disseminating such nonsense, are willing to espouse whatever cause Stalin may adopt. The pity of it is that the majority of those into whose hands such poisonous literature falls are notably ill-informed on current affairs and are prepared blindly to accept whatever distortions the “comrades” present. Tighter Control

As Mr. Mason says, some of the utterances of the persons who are openly proclaiming thelT opposition to the war effort of this country may have been of a character which might rightly be described as “subversive” or “seditious” of public policy. No longer will the Government allow to pass utterances and counsellings designed to distract, divide or disturb the people in their prosecution of the stern task to which they have set themselves, Mr. Mason says. But, although the Government has now announced its intention of demanding from dissenters that they “do not seek to hinder the purpose they refuse to help,” Mr. Mason has made it clear that tolerance will still be the guiding principle. The people would not have it otherwise. It would be unfortunate if the war emergency regulations should be employed to check free comment as long as the effect of this comment is in no way prejudicial to the public safety. It would be particularly unfortunate if there was recourse to this legislation on the part of the authorities at a time when preservation of personal freedom is one of the aims which the Allies have set before themselves in the prosecution of the war. Preserve Right of Comment The right of comment, even if it be foolish or mischievous comment, should be respected when there is no reason whatever to suppose, that public order is in any way imperilled through the exercise of it. To suffer fools gladly may not always be easy, but tolerance which this demands is preferable to an impatience which would make martyrs out of fools. Moreover, there might be a public disadvantage in driving underground a form of propaganda of which it may be confidently said that it will not make the slightest impression upon the minds of the great mass of the people. But there is another class, truly seditious, which is in for an uncomfortable time if Mr. Mason can be taken at his word. They are those whose appeal is always to “save New Zealand,” but the method advocated is the progressive stimulation of fears, hatreds and myths in accordance with the teachings of Nazism and Bolshevism.