The New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1925. ANOTHER “MARVELLOUS RESPONSE”

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12196, 22 July 1925, Page 6

The New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1925. ANOTHER “MARVELLOUS RESPONSE”

It would seem that the new Nationalist Party has adopted our evening contemporary. "Ihe “Post” would do well to hesitate before it adopts the Natiopalists. : For the information of our readers, the "Post,” and Mr Wilford, we have summarised elsewhere the opinions of the big dailies on the Nationalist “stunt.” The symposium makes significant reading. The “Lyttelton Times,” of course, is loyal to its patron (political) saint, but even the Auckland “Star,” whose sympathies have always been Wilfordian, tells the Liberal-cum-Nationalist leader that he has made a mistake. The “marvellous response” (to the Nationalist manifesto) we analysed yesterday was nothing to the “marvellous response” of the leading editorial writers. It is there in our news columns for all to study. We wish Mr Wilford and his executive whatever consolation they can extract from the composite article. Broadly speaking, the line taken by our contemporaries outside Wellington' is the line adopted by the “New Zealand Times.” Even the “Post,” which has been astonishingly long-suffering under the barrage of Lib.-Lab. propaganda, felt constrained to reproach Mr Wilford mildly for his (or his party’s) melodramatic manoeuvre. But the occasion calls for something more than mild reproach. Here was a political group which, when refused, and rightly refused, immediate amalgamation involving*a reconstruction of the Government, suddenly turned about and decided to intensify existing division among the anti-Socialists. What sort of spurious Nationalism is this which has been thrust upon us? By this, Mr Wilford’s disillusionment will have begun. There has been no “marvellous response” to his disastrously-inspired call. On the contrary, that call has evoked mostly a chorus of contempt or derision from quarters that matter. No political evangelist ever took to the road with so adverse a wind against him. If Mr Wilford persists in this egregious folly of his, he will appeal to the constituencies several _ months hence without one really influential newspaper behind hint. Is he so intoxicated with his own Nationalistbrew that he cannot comprehend what that means? It would appear so, judging by the second-hand and shop-worn generalisa- / tions he offered solemnly to his audience on Monday evening as profound and original truths. - , Talk is easy to Mr Wilford. The Prime Minister should let him talk, and refuse to be drawn into controversies that are absolutely barren* of usefulness. While the Nationalist chief is oratorically conjuring a new heaven from the legislative empyrean, Mr Coates, whose slogan is deeds not words, will be able to get on with the work to his hand. And getting on with the work—their own work—is what the people most desire to-day.