POINTS OF VIEW

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 60, Issue 4235, 24 January 1940, Page 7

POINTS OF VIEW

> OPINIONS OF OUR READERS. RESTORING WATER SUPPLY. Sir,—-Referring to the article published in your last issue relative to the cloudburst at the headworks of the water supply, and the work done by borough employees in restoring that supp.y, it is evident that in mentioning Mr Close’s name in connection with the measures taken on Saturday night and on Sunday you gave credit where credit was not due. Mr Close was far distant from Te Awamutu at the times stated, but if it were possible for him to be in two places at cnee then one must give him credit for all the wonderful things he is supposed to be able to perform. It is undoubted that good work was done under trying conditions by the men responsible for the restoration of the water sendee, and it is only fair (this being the reason for this letter) to state that there are other loyal servants besides Mr Close employed by Te Awamutu Borough Council.—l am, etc., JUSTICE. BRITISH LEADERSHIP. • Sir, —Many will endorse* the doubts expressed by Mi P. L. Horabin, M.P. for North Cornwall, as to the suitability of Mr Chamberlain as a war tinie Prime Minister. I submit that a man over seventy years of age is too old to guide the destiny of the British Empire through the* grim struggle which lies ahead. Also Mr Chamberlain’s pacifist tendencies are a poor foil to the ruthlessness of the German leaders, who must be met with their own methods. A year or so ago one would have suggested Mr Anthony Eden as a possible successor to Mr Chamberlain; but even he appears to have lost much of his individuality and developed into just another “Yes man.” History repeats itself. At the beginning of the war of 1914-18 the “wait and see” policy of Mr Asquith, another quite elderly Premier, was the means of Britain being brought perilously close to disaster by a serious shortage* of munitions and other conditions of general mismanagement. The situation was only saved when the then virile Mr Lloyd-George stepped into his shoes. Such things must not be allowed to happen again. Where' is Mr Duff-Cooper? This fearless, clear-sighted man, who, by ordering the mobilisation of the fleet during the fateful days of the Munich crisis caused Hitler to stAy his hand in the invasion of Czechoslovakia, is the one who should be* selected to lead us in this present conflict.—l am, etc., W. L. SIMS. RECRUITING. Sir, —It is rather amusing to witness the attempts that are being made to entice men to enlist. Wash it all out and get down to facts. Let the . various bodies who are doing the most shouting come out in the open and declare themselves ready to protect the vital interests of the men; for example, in rents, mortgages, insurances, etc. All the mortgages, monetary interests, big businesses, shares, insurances, etc., won’t be worth the paper they are written on if the tide goes the other way and we are beaten. Guarantee to the men that the country will protect their interests and that the utmost will be done to stop man made depressions, and they will do their part. It would be simple and easy. What will wealth avail if the enemy wins? Start a crusade for the protection of the men who protect wealth, and I’m sure conscription will never come. The nation is in danger and the future of New Zealand is at stake. Let someone in each centre convene one big meeting and pass resolutions in favour of methods to protect the interests of the soldier and his dependants. See that they are carried out. New Zealand isn’t as safe as a lot of people would believe. Modern warfare and machines are bringing Europe closer every day. It is time to wake up to the fact that there’s a war on, and see that the soldier comes first in everything. He rightly w deserves it. When he returns, cut out costly memorials and take care of the living.— I am, etc., DIGGER. CO-OPERATION! Sir,,—When Herr Hitler and Stalin say they won’t fight, you may be sure that’s what they intend doing. It would be too bad to put your correspondent, “Dexo,” on the same platform; but really that’s where he already stands. He is so busy that he has no time to battle with words, but straightaway takes time and gives battle. He tries to shackle the word co-operation to Robert Owen’s cooperative movement; forgetting that when I say co-operation means this or that, well, it simply means this or that. One need not be bound to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the dictionary or to “Dexo’s” great poets and philosophers. Not one of them is infallible, and evolution is on the move. Evidently on this point • he hates change and is a stickler to the orthodox idea of things when it suits Yet I have never come across anyone that has trampled underfoot real sound orthodox as my good friend “Dexo.” I am supposed to have broken all acommonly accepted rules of debate. Let us believe that “Dexo” has kept them intact. I may be guilty but I know nothing of the rules and regulations of the debating societies, except that in extempore debates they try to practice the characteristic of the Englishman, that is, to think while speaking. One member drawing the slip of paper out of the hat bearing the name of the subject he had to discuss, which was “Honesty is the best policy,” made the usual opening in a slow, measured tone, saying. “This is a subject I have not studied very much,” which saying just about brought down the roof, for it was known that he had defrauded some one of ss. So I am careful not to discuss on

these lines, but rather to follow the ' characteristic of the Scotsman. I think before I speak. Because of that , I’ve earned the name “Dramatic Showman,” w’hich may include “window dressing,” taking pains to exhibit the goods to perfection. I venture to say your correspondent fol-j lows the characteristic of another great man the Irishman, that is, he thinks after he speaks. He proceeds “ to say that I possess a vast storehouse - of knowledge and then afterwards , thinks that I’m unequal to the occasion of discussing the co-operative movement, or the thesis of communism,, a subject he says is psychology cal in character, being blissfully ignorant. . Irrespective from “Dexo’s.” standpoint of what was in the mind of “Puzzled,” who write the little letter, the cause of this argument, his words are plain enough and must be - quoted. “The farmers, who seem awfully alarmed about communist or communal conduct of affairs, readily accept co-operative schemes. I wonder what really is the difference?” Embodied in this quotation is the question, why are they alarmed? I believe that I gave a thoroughly competent answer in keeping with both questieps. I add another phase. There . is not a semblance of British tojer-, ance in communism, and this selfsame tolerance is one of the virtues of co-operation—tolerance of freedom to work out their own salvation—and to a lover of freedom the choice is inevitable. I am indebted to “Dexo” for taking- • my sadly neglected education under his care. For my edification he says that Karl Marx was a German. For, his edification I may say that he a Jew. This prophet, though he was a Jew, which by the way is no disgrace to fair minded people, yet he himself thought his nationality an unfair handicap and soon developed a peculiar hatred complex which never left him. And of course he was one of the greatest apostles of class hatred. The Nazis and Communists to-day are brutally following it out to th?"" very letter. The Nazis against the ' Jews, and the Communists against i the best brains in their political econ-., omy if they show opposition. Also there has been a great deal of blood letting in the military sphere. The common people, workers and peasants and soldiers are .losing their initiative and over-organisation is becoming, useless. Witness the Finns, where, you might say, one can chase a hundred and ten put a thousand to flight. If ever communism enters into the vitals of New Zealand politics and in the digest the blood streams becoming contaminated, then look out. Th? adult population has each a number-f already, but tha* at present has net . j much significance other than to facilifate the levy. etc. But in communism it will be* used as a means of keeping track of what each man’s deserts . should be. And the hereditary aspect of becoming a good communist or otherwise will become manifest. Down the one line, ample privileges. On the other, poverty will dog the steps. Communism as enacted in Russia today is very different from propaganda communism. One is a huge failure in reality; the other is a great success in the imagination, and there still seems to be a few weak heads being caught un by the imaginary stuff. Let * us stick to freedom.— l am.’etr.. J. RIDDELL.

The Waipa County Council on Monday accepted a tender from an outside firm for supply of dog collars for the current year's needs.