“FALSE PHILOSOPHY”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27039, 25 March 1949, Page 6

“FALSE PHILOSOPHY”

Sir, —For over a period of 30 years I have been under the impression that it is a perhaps unwritten law of journalist etiquette never to divulge the name of a correspondent. If my impression is correct it would follow in consequence that you, as the editor, have been guilty of a breach of same, in so far that you have allowed various of your correspondents, “ Matilda ” in particular, and the rest seem to have taken their cue from him, to refer in their replies to your correspondent H. Gow as Miss Gow. For reference, see the letters by “ Totalisator,” “Gow to It,” and “Loyalty.” After reading such letters I have ceased to wonder why the writers in question see fit to hide their real identities under a nom de plume.—l am. etc., Greg. [ln no circumstances do we divulge the name of a correspondent who desires his letter to appear under a pseudonym. When, however, the correspondent prefers the name to appear it should be obvious that we cannot prevent others from determining identity of the writer.— Ed. ODT.]

Sir,—As “ Young Sarah ” seems to have disproved most of the assertions contained in “ Incredulous Ike’s ” last letter, I will attend to the two remaining items to be commented upon, first, your correspondent's continued harping upon the appointments made .to certain Labour Party trade union executives. His latest complaint was that these vacancies were not advertised. Can he recall any advertisements containing the vacancies filled by the Tory Government with their supporters? Certainly not, so why does he continue to moan if the Labour Government follows suit? He cannot have it both ways. The other item was his rather scurrilous attack upon the character of a certain Government official now stationed in London. This gentleman (a Taranaki tradesman) became a bankrupt during the depression years (like many thousands of others) and after he had rehabilitated himself in civic life, he commenced paying to the District Official Assignee moneys to reduce his indebtedness to his creditors, and before he left the Dominion for overseas had actually brought his payments up to the satisfactory dividend of 17s 6d in the £. Can “ Incredulous Ike ” find any fault with this man’s integrity after his excellent effort to meet his liabilities? Surely not! Has he no sense of responsibility, or must he just babble on for the sake of showing his lack of fair-mindedness and logic?—l am, etc.. Plain Jane.

Sir,—Your readers should find no difficulty in placing “ Evil to Him Who Evil Thinks." His scurrilous attack on America betrays a bitter hatred for the nation whose timely aid to Britain and Western Europe, and whose signature to the North Atlantic Treaty has brought to earth with a crash all " Uncle Joe’s ” dreams of world control through Communism and State slavery. Four years ago we had high hopes of world peace; but there is no peace. Instead, we face worse perils to-day than those we surmounted in war—treachery behind the Iron Curtain and treachery within our own land. We know that our desire for peace has been frustrated by the disruptive influences of Communist Russia. We have learned twice in our lifetime that it is madness to wait until we are attacked before we take steps to protect ourselves. America has also learned by bitter experience and will not be caught napping a third time, much to the disgust of our local Communists and their bosses in Moscow. The Western nations are rearming in fear of a third world war brought about by Russian aggression and lust for power. Times without number we have been warned by the greatest statesmen and the greatest military leaders in the world of the great danger in allowing Communists to gain control of key industrial trade unions, but we heeded them not, and today we face the inescapable fact that the free world is now forced to stand firm and halt the march of Communism into Western democratic countries. If Russia forces war upon us. I would advise “ Evil to Him Who Evil Thinks ” to remember that it will not be merely a war for power. It will be a war for men’s minds and men’s souls, and that America and the British Empire will be. as always, comrades in arms against those nations opposed to world peace.—l am, etc.. Matilda. [H. Gow, who initiated this correspondence on January 26, may reply; otherwise it is closed.—Ed.. ODT.]