“THE DISRUPTING PRESS”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23830, 9 June 1939, Page 15

“THE DISRUPTING PRESS”

TO . THE EDITOR Sir,—ln your issue of June 5 you make a strenuous and ingenious attempt to belittle the Labour victory in the Christchurch South constituency, and to detract from its completeness. Thus, Sir, the leading daily newspapers of this country have kept an evil eye fixed upon the present Government in a biased determination to give no quarter, no credit, no praise. With a persistency begotten of deeprooted bias they watch for every loophole and grasp the slightest straw, splitting it from end to end, figuratively speaking, in a tireless effort to influence public opinion against Labour’s policy. It requires no eye of magic to read in this whirling sea of antagonism the spirit of the capitalist and his desire for ascendency that his riches may be more secure, and it is fairly certain, too, that, were his (the capitalist’s) desires gratified, the worker would again be hurled back into the rag depot and the bread queue. The whimsical analysis of the recent by-election printed by you is grossly misleading. To those able to do their own thinking it will appear a grand enough victory in the circumstances and quite a substantial vote of confidence in the Government’s policy. It is a defect of democracy, flowing out of inherent weakness in human nature that in spite of a decisive verdict of the majority the minority can, and usually does, play the “nigger in the woodpile.” For the good of the country it becomes the plain duty of the minority to fall into line and contribute to a whole-hearted support of the elected party instead of seeking every opportunity to undermine confidence, create fear and panic, and sow dissatisfaction, thereby obstructing the progress of an accepted programme as in the case of the present Government’s policy. These salient facts are accentuated by reason of the circumstance that the minority party in New Zealand politics happens to comprise those who count themselves more or less as the “ upper 10,” who notwithstanding, hold a disproportionate amount of influence in their hands, in

the form of vested interests, money nower, power of the press, etc. When democracy says No! pride is hurt.-and various passions find 1 outlet and expression in destroying criticism, and a conglomerate mass of spoiling tactics. Two instances of these influences at work are observable in the attitude of the New Zealand branch of the B.M.A. and in the transfer of big capital to other countries. Such is human selfishness.—l am, etc., Oamaru, June 6. Videttes. [Abridged.—Ed. O.D.T.]