THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1919. SORDID POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, 19 November 1919, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1919. SORDID POLITICS.

Ifc is very much to be deplored that eo soon after the tragedy of v/ar, in 1 which our noble sons, rich and poor, great and small, of all creeds and political colours, stood shoulder to shoulder in the face of a common, enemy, the political atmosphere in Now Zealand should be charged with dynamite, and men should go up and down the country traducing, reviling, and slandering each other" for the sole purpose of attaining a political advantage. The language employed by some of the candidates for Parliament, and by a great many of the partisan newspapers, is a disgrace to the Dominion and its people. Here we are, with our eyes still dim with the tears shed for-those who went under in the flght for freedom, with out hearts still achiftg for those gallant lads upon whose brave faces we shall never look ag^in—here we are, clutching at each other's throats as though engaged in mortal combat, vilifying those who entertain different views upon domestic legislation tha* ourselves, lying, misrepresenting bullying, domineering as though we were a galaxy of irresponsible savages. Is this the ideal for which our sons fought on the battlefields of Gallipoli, Flanders, and Prance? Have we no regard whatever for the war and the lessons it has taught? Are we going back, like the sow to its wallow, heedless of the causo of civilisation; and humanity? la our vision still clouded and our ambition in life still to secure all thai we can for ourselves, politically, socially, .and otherwise? Can we not realise that there is some that is good in ths worst of us, and some that is bad in the best of us? Is a man to be outlawed and ostracised because, by birth, conviction, or environment, hi? political views do not coincide with'our own? What sort or' a world would it be if everybody agreed on every political' and social quefition? Can tye not settle our political differences without resorting to personal recrimination and violent denunciation.? Life is short for all of us. It is only a brief span between the cradle and the gratfe. We have all to livo as best wo can, and do our duty by those for whom wo are immediately responsible. But we have a greater obligation than this. If we are good citizens, wo shall use our utmost endeavours, to ameliorate the conditions of the whole community." As Major-General Russell so aptly put it in a recent speech, "We are one big family." If we could only realise this fact, we should not degrade ourselves by denouncing and belittling those who have as much right to live in a free country as ourselves. The only units in the great human hive who do not count are the drones. For these there is no room in the economic system. But man who works, and does his best* for himself and his country in his own particular sphere, is entitled to the respect and esteem of his fellow-men. We cannot all be masters of industry, any more than the whole of our brave forces could be Officers in the war. We must have leaders of men in civilian as in military life. The one is as essential as the other. We are all part of the great scheme of existence. Why, then, should we quarrel over the size of our knapsacks or the length .of our tunic? Why should we despise those who hold higher or lower rank in the world than ourselves? Why should wfe cling to those selfish ideals which a*o born of ignorance and nurtured upon tradition? Let us form higher and broader and better conceptions of the meaning and significance of life. Let, us try to improve this old world of ours, and make it better for present and future generations to live in. If wo will do this, we shall do our duty to ourselves and to the world at large. If we fail, and continue our pursuit of gain and our lust for power and patronage, we shall deserve the corses of those who sacrificed their Uvea for the betterment of humanity, and the lasting roptoaah of those wfeow asradl irtui ff« bm &Ukßi£s*l£