POLITICAL OUTLOOK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 July 1939, Page 6

POLITICAL OUTLOOK

FARMERS URGED TO TAKE THOUGHT ADDRESS BY DOMINION PRESIDENT. THIRD PARTY MEN nONED.

(By Telegraph—Press Association./ WELLINGTON, This Day. “Farmers are feeling today that they are face to face with a growing menace. They are feeling the pressure of rising costs. They see the results of a lifetime of frugality and effort melting into nothingness,” the Dominion President of the Farmers’ Union (Mr W. W. .Mulholland) observed in his opening address at the annual conference yesterday. “They hear strange doctrines throbbing through the ether extolling extravagance. sloth, and irresponsibility. They learn that exports are unimportant, and that a jazz band gets for a night ’s fiddling more than many a farmer can make in weeks of hard work. “And they know that it is all wrong! They are looking to us for action. The welfare of our country depends largely on the wisdom and sanity displayed by the organised farmers of New Zealand in the next year or two. It is a great responsibility that rests upon us. Gentlemen, we accept that responsibility. "I he political situation today is one that requires very serious thought on the part of farmers,” Mr lilulnolland declared. “So far as representation in Parliament is concerned the two political parties are at present almost clear-cut —town versus country. It is claimed by some that there is in fact now a Country Party in existence. Let us examine the position. Today we find the Labour Party, which contains quite a number of farmers, has an element in it which, if not actively opposed to the farmers, at all events is quite regardless of their interests. The aim of this section is complete State control of everything, if not Communism. It is worthy of note that both the mover and the seconder of the Address in Reply in the present session of Parliament avowed themselves strongadvocates of State ownership and control of the means of production, distribution, and exchange. OBSTACLES TO RECOVERY. “It is perhaps also significant that Mr Nash's efforts to stabilise costs to prevent the farming’ industry from being crushed out of existence have been met by protests and strikes against the awards of the Arbitration Court in many important directions. It is not without significance that someone was able to prevent the Hon Mr Fraser from carrying out his intention of having an inquiry into the disgraceful situation- which exists on the waterfront. It is apparent that a section which is entirely unsympathetic towards all the aims and aspirations of the farmers can exert a very great influence on the decisions of the present Government. ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE ELEMENTS “On the other hand, it is not unknown nor unnoticed that extreme Conservative elements, particularly important people in the financial world, have in the past been able to exercise an entirely disproportionate influence on the policy and actions of previous Governments. At the present time they have, partly through fear of the consequences of Socialism upon themselves, partly because they have been unsuccessful in retaining control, allowed the National Party to adopt a policy which parallels in many respects the policy of the Farmers’ Union. While the National Party remains in Opposition its policy is not of immediate importance to these people. But it is well known that they are planning and plotting to obtain such control as would enable them, should the National Party become the Government, to force upon that Government actions and policies which are not at all consistent with the Farmers’ Union policy. They are endeavouring to get control of important resources of the party, and they are endeavouring to inaugurate under various guises important auxiliaries which they hope to control. These ultra-conservative elements are as unsympathetic and as inimical to the farmers’ interests as the extremists on the other side. Nor can they be relied on to oppose’even Socialism, if Socialism shows them a profit. QUESTION FOR FARMERS. “They have on occasions asked the Government to institute Stale control, so long as it was State control of their competitors. They accept, and sometimes ask for, the grossest interference with the rights of individuals, provided it shows a financial benefit to themselves. We have some manufacturers today supporting exchange control because it frees them from competition regardless of its ultimate effects. We have seen big business interests doirrn their utmost to kill farmers’ co operative movements, and making use of their political influence for that purpose. The farmers cannot afford to allow' Government to be under the control of either of these two extreme groups. The question at issue is, can farmers more effectively prevent them becoming masters of the situation by being inside the two existing parties oi' by establishing or supporting an independent third party?”