MR NASH AND THE WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24526, 7 February 1941, Page 9

MR NASH AND THE WAR

TO THE EDITOR Sir,—The average New Zealander is a tolerant person, but sometimes he breaks into righteous wrath; and I was very wrathful when I read a letter signed "J. J. N." in Thursday's issue of the Otago Daily Times. The letter is headed "Mr Nash and the War." " J. J. N." asks, " What M. Blum did for France with a 36-hour week. France is now Hitler's slave, with a 60 or 80-hour week." That was the part that annoyed me. Does '' J. J. N." not read his paper? It is not so long ago that Mr F. W. Doidge, MP., made disparaging remarks in the House about M. Blum and his politics. What happened? Our Prime Minister (Mr Peter Fraser), amidst approving " Hear, hears" from the Labour members,

told Mr Doidge in effect that he was not fit to clean M. Blum's boots. Later in the session Mr Doidge asked Mr Nash, Minister of Customs, if he was aware that objectionable literature was being brought into the country, and he mentioned a book by M. Blum, in which a loathsome crime was glorified. What happened after that I do riot know. Presumably the members of the Labour Party would be only too glad to black this remarkable person's boots. —I am, etc., X. Y. Z.