Public Opinion

Southland Times, Issue 25748, 11 August 1945, Page 7

Public Opinion

MR CHURCHILL

Sir, —Once again we find “Not Asleep” taking a one-sided view of Mr Churchill and basing his facts on questionable quotations. If H. G. Wells was the author of that quotation, then he is a man of varied opinions. In his book, “The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind,” he says (on page 577): “Because the British Parliament is ceasing to be an efficient, instrument for the government of a modem community, Mr Churchill, one of the more intelligent among our politicians, is putting forward schemes for its reform.” On the same page he praises Mr Churchill in other ways. In his book, “In Search of Hot Water,” he calls Mr Churchill his “friend.” These opinions are very different from the one “Not Asleep” quotes. Then he asks, “Did we hear the voice of Churchill protesting loudly when Italy attacked Abyssinia?” Yes, we did; and he did not support Hitler and Mussolini. Nor did he praise the Spanish regime. Here is part of an article he wrote for The Evening Standard in September 1936: “Hardly a week passes without some dark, sinister event marking the downward movement of Europe, or revealing the intense pressure at work beneath the surface. The Spanish horror broadens and deepens as the days pass. A sense of indefinable anxiousness, alike about external and internal affairs, broods over France. Hitler decrees the doubling in numbers and quality of the German Army. Mussolini boasts that he has armed eight million Italians. Everywhere the manufacture of munitions proceeds apace and science burrows its insulted head in the filth of slaughterous inventions. Only unarmed, unthinking Britain has the illusion of security.” “Not Asleep” wishes to know why Mr Churchill should be given the credit of warning the nation in 1938 of impending disaster. The paragraph which I have just quoted is one reason. And again in 1938 he said: “It is necessary that the nation should realize the magnitude, of the disaster into which we are being led.” These are only two of the many warnings he gave to the British public. In almost every line of “Not Asleep s letter there are statements open to criticism. I would like to know where he obtains some of his facts. It'is very evident that he has not studied the life of Winston Churchill very closely, otherwise he would not have made such wild, irrelevant statements. Any petty, misguided criticisms that “Not Asleep” makes can never affect the unequalled greatness of Winston Churchill. Nor will they ever convince any sane man that Churchill is not. one of the most inspired leaders of history. JUVENIS.

GRACIE FIELDS’S TOUR Sir, —When something is wanted, Southland is remembered. In war loans we top the pole, and in patriotic funds we fill our quota. When it comes to something pleasurable, we are left out —always and always. Gracie Fields’s itinerary was planned without a thought to Invercargill—no time available. But Gracie Fields spent another day in Dunedin without engagements, and skies won’t fall on account thereof. When there’s a will there’s a way, and no doubt a day in our city could have been arranged. Failing that, could we not have been advised the day she was giving her performance in Dunedin, and could not a portion of the theatre have been set aside for Invercargill patrons? STICK IN THE MUD. PETROL FOR FARMERS Sir,—Some little time ago I wrote to your paper and I made this statement that, although not a great number of tractors were used on farms, some farmers were unable to get sufficient petrol to do their work. However, my statement was contradicted by “Farmer No. 2.” He said any farmer could get all the petrol and kerosene he wanted for production purposes. That statement left a nasty taste in my mouth. Since then there have been a number of letters from farmers complaining, and it was stated that a contractor could not get sufficient to cut the grain crops for his customers. I wonder if “Farmer No. 2” is now man enough to admit he had made a mistake and that I was right after all. FARMER.