POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23748, 30 August 1940, Page 12

POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

Sir, —Your correspondents dealing with "Political Leadership" are doing more dreaming than thinking. A system which "weighed" heads instead of "counting" them misses the real point behind the tyranny imposed upon the peoples of the world, both under autocratic and democratic systems. The educational qualifications suggested are no assurance that there is also strong moral principles, the lack of which is at the root of our political troubles. It should not bo necessary that tho whole nation be able to judge competently all questions coming before a body of elected rulers. It would bo better that we judge the men rather than the issues. Then we could trust them to serve us in the best possible way, if they have the strength of moral principle. Mr. I. E. McMillan suggests a system which he assures lis would solve our problems of misgover.nment. But what is to prevent men elected under his system from combining to further their own selfish interests, whether those interests be political, religious or economic. I venture to say that no system can overcome this problem of human frailty, and the best we can do is to train our youth and children, by example and precept, to a high moral standard, which will obviate the necessity for all this dreaming of systems and -isms, which never achieved anything, except at appalling cost of human life and happiness. Lan Mac Donald. Te Aroha.