EMERGENCY AND THE REMEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23951, 28 October 1939, Page 9

EMERGENCY AND THE REMEDY

ro THE EDITOR Sir, —What a contrast do the heroic acts of those who serve their country in war, and fall in this service, present to the disgusting attitude of writers like “E. W. F.j” “ Business ” and some others who forget that when the Labour Government calls on the people to produce to their fullest capacity it is only echoing the sentiments of the British Government, which claimed that production overseas helped to win the war. Yet your correspondents would nlace a sprag in the economic wheel by producing less. This would have the same effect as sinking a vessel laden with goods to feed troops. Imagine writing like that in a German newspaper! The writer would be either summarily shot or placed in a concentration camp. The advantage of free expression of opinion is that the public is enabled to know who the irrational rationalists are who are disloyal to the Empire. Last election freedom of speech taught the public how insurance companies and other financial interests that live largely by usury bought up sterling funds to embarrass the country at a time when huge loans were due for conversion This disloyal action caused the public to return the Government to power with a greater majority than ever.

The conservative Australian Government has restricted imports and licensed the exchanges as a war measure Surely then as imitation is the sincerest form of flattery one would expect the ariti-Labourites to sink their political prejudices until after tire war. and unite behind the necessary war measures which include restrictions of many imports. When men giving their lives at the front are suffering more dinner times than dinners through communications during artillery action being cut. one would expect the irrational rationalists to put up with some inconvenience until peace is again restored, especially as a lot of water has been washed under the bridge since the formation of the Labour movement, as being in office brings responsibility.—l am. etc., 4/1530.

[lmport restrictions were imposed by the Government long before the war began They were rendered necessary by the Government's squandering of funds within the Dominion. There has been no evidence of the buying-up of sterling funds by financial interests to embarrass the country.—Ed.. 0.D.T.1