LABOUR DISCOVERIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22609, 28 June 1935, Page 14

LABOUR DISCOVERIES

TO THE EDITOIi

Sir, —Mr MacManus's letter this morning is not helpful to the point at issue. We can agree or disagree as to the value of the woyds which Dr M'Millan omitted from his quotation of Burke, the omission of which constituted an incorrect quotation. I am not disposed to accept the excuse proffered by Mr MacManus that the words were omitted with a desire to save your space. The words omitted would have occupied one line of space, and the excuse is much too thin. The important point is that Dr M'Millan attributed three quoted sentences to Burke. I could not find them, and Mr M'Manus says he cannot find them. I say that, if the sentences arc not Burke's words, Dr M'Millan has no right to eay they are, and Mr MacManus cannot contend otherwise. Edmund Burke's " Works" contain over 3000 pages of print, and it is, therefore, quite impracticable to follow Mr MacManus's example of quoting new extracts and opening up new issues. But it is both possible and proper that the question of Dr M'Millan's attitude towards accuracy of quotation should be settled. Mr MacManus will agree with that.

Apart from the main issue, Mr M'Manus amuses me. He allows his feelings to dominate his judgment. A few days ago he was impeaching the action of the National Executive of the Labour Party "When I was nominated for Chalmers," he said, " I find an attempt is made to deny me the same right to go into the selection ballot —I who have been a ' track blazer' of the movement," etc. This morning he is mollified because the National Executive has written him a letter "highly appreciative " of all his services and has had the decency to cut his political throat as gentlemen would

do so. The fact that Mr MacManus was a " track blazer" does not count in these latter days, when capturing seats for Labour is the first and only consideration of the party. It must be clear to Mr MacManus that new brooms are much more popular than " track blazers" with the National Executive. It was not always so, and though Mr MacManus's simplicity and trustfulness are very touching, the issue he raised was his right as a member of the party to allow the other members of the party in the Chalmers electorate to say who should carry the party banner in the electorate. Ii one might descend from the comparatively sublime to the comparatively ridiculous, it is impossible to imagine that Burke, in similar circumstances, would have been so complacent or so apologetic regarding individual rights as has Mr MacManus. ''John Blunt's" idea is that I am anxious to discredit Dr M'Millan. I am anxious to establish n decent standard of literary ethics. If Dr M'Millan cannot or will not comply, then the discredit is not of my doing. As I have no business to advertise, no desire for publicity, no direct or indirect interest in political preferment, I can say my say and have it judged on its merits by all readers who are not blinded by party prejudice or hampered by party allegiance. That unqualified affirmation should meet " John Blunt's " suggestion of a whispering campaign based on speculations as to _my identity as " an educated man " inspired by "self-interest." There are many educated men quite free from party ties who are genuinely interested in questions of literary accuracy.—l am. etc., Dunedin, June 27. Plain Bill.