“FIRE-EATING SENTIMENT”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22366, 13 September 1934, Page 10

“FIRE-EATING SENTIMENT”

THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE LABOUR MEMBER’S CRITICISM (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, September 12. What he called the “ lirc-cating sentiment” of the Minister of Defence (Mr J. G. Cobbe) was strongly criticised by Mr D. G. Sullivan (Avon) in the House of Representatives to-day when he expressed his indignation at a statement made by the Minister in reply to a Labour interjection that “he did not Want the support of the Labour Party, but the support of the patriotic section of the community.” Mr Sullivan said that it would be almost impossible for any Minister of the Crown to make a speech that would arouse such intense opposition to the proposals he was to put before the House. He mentioned the remark quoted above. Mr H. Atmoro (Nelson) : A silly remark.

Mr Sullivan: That is putting it mildly. Indeed, there are men on these benches who have given their services in the war and who have suffered. Any man ought to be ashamed The Speaker: Order! Order!

Mr Sullivan: Well, I think it is shocking that the Minister should have made the remark he did in reply to that interjection. What is the crime of the Labour Party that it should draw forth this silly speech from the Minister? There are so many in our midst who are without the ordinary necessaries of life, and because there are men who are more concerned about feeding these people than feeding guns the Minister describes them as unpatriotic. I thought we were back 20 years listening to the stuff with which they used to dope the people in the years from 1914 to 1918. The Minister has quoted without the context from German writers and others who are breathing fire and blood and murder, and has represented them as the views of the nations. That is the sort of thing 1 loathe. It was the philosophy of prewar years that in order to preserve peace it was necessary to prepare for war. That philosophy had been exploded. I am confident that the people of this country will not stand for the fire-eating sentiment expressed by the Minister, who is in no danger of having to go to the next war should one eventuate. Mr Sullivan drew a contrast between the attitude of the Minister and the action of the Christchurch branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, which admitted, to honorary membership a former German soldier. He charged the Minister with stimulating war sentiment and “ playing the rotten game of armament firms to propagate race hatred so that they might make profits out of spilling the blood of millions of people.” “ It is the desire of the teeming millions of this world to preserve the peace of the world,” added' Mr Sullivan, “ and it is terrible for a Minister of the Crown of this young country to speak the language used 20 years ago. I hope that other Ministers will dissociate themselves from the warlike speech of the Minister of Defence.” THE MINISTER DEFENDED Mr W. J. Poison (Stratford), 1 the next speaker, said he regretted that Mr Sullivan had seen fit to attack the Minister of Defence in the way he had done. The Minister was trustee to the security of the people and it was hia job to attend to the defence of the country. “ I say without fear of contradiction,” continued Mr Poison, “ that of all the able Ministers of Defence we have had in this country none has carried out his duties more assiduously, more carefully, and -more capably than Mr Cobbe. At a time when the nations of the world are arming, when Britain itself, after doing its desperate best for peace, has been forced to begin arming again, I say our Minister of Defence would be betraying the trust reposed in him if he failed to do his part, however unpleasant it might be. The Minister is naturally a man of peace. We know that the function he has to perform is no doubt distasteful to him, but he has his duty to do and he is doing it faithfully. I say that this attack by the Labour Party is most improper and unjustifiable.” Mr Fraser; What silly rot! Mr Bolson: This party attack is in conformity with the policy of the Labour Party, a policy which has left the Empire almost defenceless. It is not the policy of the present Government, however, or the Government in Britain. We should thank heaven that our Minister has some sense of his responsibility.”