BELLICOSE OPPOSITION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23500, 14 May 1938, Page 18

BELLICOSE OPPOSITION

Mr J. A. Spender, that Nestor of political journalists, has recalled a principle laid down by Lord Rosebery in conversation over 40 years ago, notes the Sunday Times, in comment on the bellicose attitude adopted by the British Labour Opposition. It was that, while an Opposition might legitimately go to all lengths in opposing a warlike policy of which it disapproved, it ought never to urge a reluctant Government to a policy which led or might lead to war. It ought not, because it had not the requisite knowledge. Only a Government could measure what forces were at its disposal, and whether is was in a position to wage war successfully. Some will perhaps question the first half of Lord Rosebery’s proposition; for it may be assumed today that no British Government would go to war save to avert real dangers of which an Opposition might not always be fully aware. But the second half is surely indisputable. War has never entailed upon a nation such heavy risks as it does now. Those who have the responsibility for gauging the risks must be allowed to gauge them; and nothing but mischief could follow if their informed judgment were overborne by criticism necessarily based on much less complete knowledge.