The New Zealand Times WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4. 1925. THINK NATIONALLY—THEN VOTE RIGHT

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12286, 4 November 1925, Page 6

The New Zealand Times WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4. 1925. THINK NATIONALLY—THEN VOTE RIGHT

Is New Zealand to be led in peace, as in war, by a New Zealander who loves his land, or is its destiny to be left to the dictates of one who is not a New Zealander and who can never be one because He is a determined Socialist and an international? That is the outstanding question for the constituencies to-day. By all the rules, the Hon'. J. G. Coates has an ‘easily demonstrable paramount claim to the confidence of the country. He is a soldier, with honours, and a proper Imperialist. x Mr Holland is neither soldier nor Imperialist. He is first, last, and all the time a Socialist. Mr Coates has brought a new and invigorating touch to politics.

Mr Hollarfd would foist on this community a fusty, visionary, and utterly discredited doctrine dating back to Marx. Mr Coates has proved his administrative ability as Minister-in-charge of Railways, the Post and Telegraph Department, and Public Works.

Mr Holland has no discernible administrative ability. He stands on a platform the foundation of which is as impracticable as a proposition to bail, out Port Nicholson with a bucket. Mr Coates is pledged to a programme which takes thought of all the people; a programme which is well within his own and the country’s capacity. ; • Mr Holland’s concern is the interests of' only those who vote for him. These he has promised the moon, not troubling even to indicate by what means he proposes to bring that orb to earth. , Mr-Coates holds by the existing social order—as any sane man must. , . Mr Holland plans to pull down the present social edifice and reconstruct it according to his own weird specifications. Mr Coates believes in defence policy. Mr Holland doesn’t. No defence is the creed of his Left Wing, which would have no feathers to fly with if Japan kicked in the door unexpectedly. Mr Coates gets things done, and will get other things done. Mr Holland’s first aim is to do ... . fpr private enterprise.

We do not regard Mr Coates as a super-man. But we do believe him to be a leader who is entitled to prove himself as head of the Dominion. He has courage, vision, initiative, earnestness, vigohr, and, above all, tolerance. These are the essential qualities. . . His political goal is the prosperity and happiness of the nation —not merely a section of it. He deserves a full opportunity to realise that ideal. This will be made possible only by the electors returning to Parliament men imbued with the Coates ideals. That is the plain duty of the dectorates to-day. New Zealand is too splendid a little Country to be handed over to, experimentalists, each and all of whom are bound hand and foot to a rickety platform. , , Socialism is unsocial and disruptive; a will-o-the-wisp flickering across engulfing marshes. It has been a success nowhere. It will never be a success anywhere.