FRIENDS OF THE SOVIET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21999, 4 January 1935, Page 13

FRIENDS OF THE SOVIET

Sir, —What is there about • Russia j which seems to extract from most of her sympathisers every grain of common sense or elementary justice? Russia is always right, the British Em- , pire always wrong—yet they continue to live in it. The British Empire must not bo in a position to defend herself, j but Russia, on the contrary, is quite i right to be in such a position. The ; British Empire is grumbled at if she j takes steps to teach a small proportion 1 of her menfolk the use of arms, but Russia is to be admired because she expects nil her menfolk to know how | to use them. Why? Russia allows no individualism, no free speech—which j is presumably considered quite right for Russia. The' British Empire allows every ; scope for individualism and free speech j to the verge of danger, but she gets j no thanks for stopping at that verge. j Tf these privileges are ever so slightly j diminished, there is a general howl, j Why? If it is right for a country to | learn to defend itself, it is right for i all countries. If free speech within j safety limits is good for ono set of in- j dividuals, it is good for all. If individualism is an advantage in one set of i human beings, why not in another? i Cannot all sycophants of the Soviet j start a little colony under Russian j rule somewhere within reach of Moscow? The Soviet would, I am sure, welcome them, and it would take some 1 months for them to learn the difference ] between the standard of living of ; Russia and of the British Empire. : They would last, perhaps, for nine j months, for what would life bo if they f were not allowed to growl at their Government ? Fbihkd.