CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23603, 12 March 1940, Page 6

CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM

A serviceable word on the war has been spoken by Mr. Arthur Greenwood, Labour's deputy-leader in the House of Commons. He has warned Germany not to think Britain is divided because Labour outspokenly criticises the Government. Whether this word will have fill 1 weight in Germany with those it is meant to enlighten may, perhaps, be doubted ; but in these days, when German propaganda uses every possible means to discredit the British cause, it is well to have so simple and straightforward a statement of British practice made publicly. The fact that all political parties in Britain are united in a determination to prosecute the war to a successful issue should be brought home to the enemy. He will wish, for his own purpose, to deny this, fastening upon British criticism of the British Government as proof of his allegation of disunion; this he actually does, going the length of asserting that many in Britain have no sympathy with the British cause, and pointing to public debate, in Parliament or elsewhere, as evidence of this. He either fails to sec or purposely ignores the truth, familiar in a democracy but strange under a dictatorship, that there may be absolute agreement as to the end to be achieved and yet free exchange of responsible opinion about the best means of achieving it. In other words, such criticism is never desi tractive but always usefully construc- | tive in intention. It may be as fully j severe as Mr. Greenwood's terms suggest, and still be a real contribution to the enemy's overthrow. Germany is therefore welcome to .all the cold comfort to be got from the knowledge that in Britain there is open criticism of details of the Government's methods of directing the conduct of the war.