Truth PERFIDIOUS POLITICIANS

NZ Truth, Issue 731, 21 June 1919, Page 4

Truth

PERFIDIOUS POLITICIANS

THE PEOPLE'S PAPER.

SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1919.

Ministers and the American Meat Trust

Politicians have always been more noted for perfidy than for principle, and Cabinet Ministers for mendacity rather than 'meekness. But never have these traditional traits or characteristics been so much m evidence as during the term, now happily near a close, of the National Ministry. Readers of "Truth" scai'cely need to be reminded specially of the numerous occasions upon which this People's Paper has nailed, like a bad coin to the counter, the statement of some Minister •, or member. And none of these was what might be termed, a mere terminological inexactitude, o# temporising evasion. Many a time such a statement as we refer to could be honestly and correctly described only by the use of a short but strong AngloSaxon word of three letters. It has passed into a by-woi-d that an official denial is an affirmation. But, unfortunately for the integrity ana uprightness of our modern ...statesmen such official denials sink, into insignificance before the deliberate deceit and damnable denial of the truth that has been repeatedly heard from the lips of Ministers during the last four years. The famous or infamous proposed Bill for the conscription >of youths of nineteen years is a case m point. Again and yet again the Minister of Defence, and the Prime Minister (as Mr. Massey egotistical prefers to be called, rather than Premier) m Answers to questions put by various members m the House, denied that such 'a thing* was under - consideration. It will- be remembered that on one occasion Mi\ Massey amplified his denial by asserting- that the i matter had never been, before Cabinet. It will also be remembered that on top of the Prime Minister's denial, "Truth" published a copy of the proposed Bill, and at an investigation- before the Public Service Commissioner as to how . I the Bill had come into this journal's possession, the statement was made that instead of the matter not 'having been before Cabinet as declared by the Prime Minister, it had been discussed by Cabinet at least on four occasions, when the amendations m the draft were made. When Mr. Massey, or the I Minister of Defence, or. any other of 1 the Old Gang assure citizens on their ■honor that certain things are as they, say they are, it were • perhaps as well to ask them if their "honor" was the same as was pledged (and forfeited) when they declared that a Bill had never been drafted or its proposal discussed, while five variations of which were on the files of every member of Cabinet. • • • For three or four sessions past the question of the invasion .'Of New Zealand by the American Meat Trust has been raised m the House. This question has been brought forward by Liberal member, Tory, member and Labor member. On each and every occasion the Ministerial reply has 'been that the Government had "no official knowledge" of the American meat monopoly operating m God's Own. During the session of. 1917 and that' of- 1918 members representing farmers' interests were insistent m their assertions that the American Trust, m the form of Armour and Company, had New Zealand's meat industry by the throat. The Prime Minister smiled incredulously, but assured his followers that his Government was quite able to dope with the American Meat Trust, even if it did try to get a foothold m New Zealand. The confident tone m which this was stated by Mr. Massey was such as to make his loyal followers 'believe that once the Meat Trust attempted to invade New Zealand, even "Armour" wouldn't save it from an ignominous defeat. Faint rumors continued to be whispered m the lobbies that Armour and Company were operating on the meat sent to feed our boys at the front and our fighting kinsmen from other parts of the Empire, but these, politicians, Press, and public were assured, were merely rumors, arising out of ungrounded fears. The statement, that the American Company had a profit on every pound of .Cantor bury lamb and New Zealand mutton .sent to the front was laughed at as too ridiculous to call for refutation, and at last people grew weary of protesting. The war is now over, and the boys have come back m thousands, and cne of them, having read of the contro- ■ versy concerning the Meat 'Trust, has been thoughtful enough to. bring back with him and hand over to "Truth" the tag and the wrapper from a side of Canterbury lamb, which was one of many thousands that passed through his hands at the front. The tag-, has a lead seal attached,' bearing the mystic letters, "C.F.M.C./'' and the word "Canterbury." The tag: bears the same legend, with the word' "Armour" underneath the quartette of capital letters. The muslin wrapper is stamped "Canterbury, N.Z., C.P.M.C. Armour. '' Of course, all this may have an inno- I cent explanation. It may be explained that it is merely a coincidence of. names, that the Armour m Canterbury is not the Armour of Ameiica. But m "Truth's" opinion such explanation would not be half as innocent as the individuals who would believu it. « * ■ ■' . * The longest lane has a turning, and the longest Parliament an end. Tn a few months the National Government will not only go out of office, but utterly out of existence. As the date of the. elections' draws nearer, the Tory Press is insistent on the foolishness of re-erectir>g the party division m- politics. The Tory pen-pushers may yx-s---sess their souls m patience. There need be no "re-erecting" of party divisions, for the simple reason that the party division's were' never demolished. Every Act, every regulation, every move made by the National Government which ' was dominated by the Massey ites was proof of that fact. The National Government's chief concern was to conserve i!ic interests and multiply"" the opportunities of the Haves at the expense of the Havenots. Let the workevs call to remembrance the many sins of omission and commission of the Old Gang during the weary years of War. Let them compare their promises' with their performances, and see how they square. And while Ministers and politicians who were parties to these things, or who -sat like dumb dogs and allowed them to be done without protest or blame, make new promises never so rosy, remember, from ,what is here related, how unstable is the honor of a politician, and , how precarious the position of a people that trusts thereto, and act accordingly.