LABOR AND LIBEL.

NZ Truth, Issue 818, 16 July 1921, Page 3

LABOR AND LIBEL.

The verdict m the Ryan libel, ease m Victoria, once again demonstrates that a Labor politician ihas no hope of obtaining damages for libel when' he is attacked by the plute press. He may be described as a "disloyalist, a: seditionist, a conspirator, and a friend and ally of rebels; but a p)ea of fair comment covers everyhing. Even the personal character of a Labor member may be assailed with impunity (although, of course, this was not attempted m the Ryan case-) In Aus-^ tralia, apparently, a plute paper may say of a Labor man that he murdered his mother and eloped with his aunt; that he embezzled the trust funds of an hospital, and burnt down an orphanage; but that isn't libel; it is merely "fair comment," and doesn't even have to be justified. The daily papers, by their continual attacks on everything and everyone associated with the Labor movement, prepare a state of mind m the class from which jurymen are drawn, that they are ready to believe anything that may be said of any Labor man. And no matter what a. Labor man may do, he remains "suspect." Pie may wave Union Jacks until his arms ache; he may sing, "God Save" till his voice cracks; he may give all his money to patriotic funds; he may go to the war and lose all his limbs (or even 'his life) ; but still, as a Labor man, he is a "disloyalist." The only way to become a loyalist is to vote the Tory ticket. Do that and all your sins of omission and commission will be forgiven you, for Toryism, like charity, covers a multitude of sins. ' » •The plut^ press says of Toryism what St. Paul said of charity: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not v charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.' And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity. I am nothing. . And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned-, and have not charity, it proflteth me nothingSimilarly, a Labor man's loyalty,, or his service for King and country, profiteth him nothing. A couple of years ago, two "dinkum diggers," both of whom had lost limbs m the war^ were stigmatised by the Melbourne "Age" (not by name, but by . inference) as "undesirables" because they' were members of ' the Soldiers' Anti-Con-scription League. They brought a suit for libel; but, of course," they were blown out. because were Labor men. It is now almost an axiom across the Tasman that Labor men cannot recover damages for libel, and It would save a lot of expense and worry if an express statement to that effect were Included m the law of libel.