WANTED, A STATESMAN!

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16888, 28 December 1916, Page 4

WANTED, A STATESMAN!

TO TUB KUITOH. Sin, —The Government has hitherto failed ■ to face the problem of organisation for wax pui-poses, and this failure is tho cause of grave dissatisfaction and unrest, to a" degree tar more serious than the authorities apparently realise. Individuals have sacrificed their all. As a community we have sacrificed nothing, and the Government of tho day—incapable, apparently, of understanding its obvious duty, or, if understanding it, afraid, for party reasons, to exercise it—has utterly failed to bring into operation legislation which would have for its object the organisation of our population for war purposes, tho taking over of the whole of our industries and prducts essential for war purposes, tho complete acquisition of all profits which con reasonably be classed as " war profits,tho rigid suppression of all forms of luxurious expenditure, both public and private, and finally the adoption of a form of national conscription whereby every individual, physically fit, married or single, would talce an equal and immediate chanoe under the ballot. Under the present inequitable system, one section of the community—the first division—is sacrificing everything, while the remainder renders cither no service whatever or only such service as is rewarded by the State by excessive payment. The Government has already determined wherein economy ca<n be" exorcised with respect to our public expenditure. It is equally within the province and the duty of tho Government to determine in what respect and in what degree our private expenditure shall be curtailed during the currency of the war and to bring in such legislation as will preclude the possibility of the continuance of the idea that a certain portion of the community possesses the right to make excessive profits at the expense of tho man who is fighting for our very existence and at the expense of tho rest of the community. The Acting Prima Minister, who undoubtedly _ has rendered yeoman service in his capacity of Minister of Defence, has admitted that the problems are beyond him. Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward are at present engaged in festivities in tho Old Country and loudly proclaiming what New Zealand has done and what the British Empire should do, but' they remain discreetly silent as tp their inability to deal with the question of the cost of living—a question which, not many years ago, Sir Joseph Ward assured his hearers in His Maiesty's Theatre he knew how to settle, should they place him in power. Tho first duty of a Government is to inculcate an adequate and proper patriotio public sentiment and to carry out publio affairs in accordance with the principle. In times of war particularly, it is the duty of the Government to adopt the initiative, and, regardless of party or private interests, bring into operation comprehensive measures which have as their objective the organisation of everything and everybody m order that tne highest state of effective service may be rendered by every portion of the oommunity for war purposes. Unless the Government acts upon the initiative, unless it is prepared to divest itself of its party clothing, and bo lone as it exhibits a tendency to protect the interests of any portion of the community, it signally fails to discharge its function and duty as a national executive should. The great national spirit which distinguishes France in its hour of peril, haa its origin in the subordination of all individual interests to one common end. This spirit was not brought about by leg"!slative threats. The present position of Franoe is the result of the existence of a high national sentiment initiated, encouraged, and supported by the French Government. In this dominion we. shall only attain the same standard when the Government is prepared to afford the community evidence of it a sincerity by ensuring that the responsibilities attendant upon this war shall be shared equally and at the same time by every section of the community. The Government has hitherto failed to adopt this standard, with disastrous results, as the 'future will establish. Incapable of adopting the' only proper course, our Legislature endeavours to supply by threat what it has failed to provide by reason. Consequently we have on the Statute Book measures that neither represent the true spirit of the people nor supply the most effective means of bringing into operation those forces, industrial and otherwise, the proper organisation of which is essential if we are adequately to * discharge our duties and obligations to the Empire. The doctrine of individual liberty does not ; as I understand it, afford to the individual the right to disobey any law of which he disapproves.. There can be no privilege without a corresponding responsibility associated with it; but I submit that it cannot be laid down as a safe principle that it- i 9 not competent for any member ' of the community, while obeying the law, to take proper and constitutional steps to have the law amended or altered, provided it can be established that it is entirely for tho better discharge of our national oblige tions that such an alteration is both desjr-

able and urgent. If an actual law has passed and received parliamentary sanction, if it be exceptional in any degree, it is permissible for any member of the community to express in a becoming and proper manner his ideas with respect to it. Until we lave on our Statute Boola legislation which, will bring into operation immediate national service, whereby every man and woman is called upon to render equal service in degree as circumstances provide, tin present system is unfair, and grossly misrepresents the sentiments of the loyal portion of this dominion. The present system will find ready and consistent support from the man whose pocket is at present being filled or is untouched, and who, under the guise of patriotism, will maintain that the present system is adequate, and that it would be an act of disloyalty on the part of any individual to venture to suggest any alteration. Such a position cannot, however, long remain tenable, and it is the duty of the community to point out to the Government the proper and only remedy.—l am, etc., G. H. December 26.