MORE PROPAGANDA.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17732, 4 December 1919, Page 4

MORE PROPAGANDA.

We have no objection xo Ihe "Manawatu Times" eulogising Mr. Veitch and bestowing upon him a political halo*. Jf that journal happens to have been captivated'by his suave astuteness, that is its affair. We can assure our Palraerston North contemporary that Mr. Veitcti is quite differently regarded by a very large number of his own constituents, who, it may be reasonably assumed, know their member a good deal better than the "Times" does. Their estimate of his standing and record as a Parliamentarian will be demonstrated on the 17th. But when bracketing the "Chronicle" with its local contemporary, and disregarding the^ facts of the local" contest, the "Mahawatu Times" talks about Wanganui journalism "throwing itself free of all restraint and indulging in an orgy of abuse," and calmly suggests that "the 'Chronicle' seems £o be the principal offender because its advocacy is directed towards influencing the electors against Mr. Veitch," we are reluctantly forced to the conclusion? that the "Times" has allowed its anxiety for Mr. Veitch to blind it to the obvious truth. Admittedly, we have given expression to some pointed criticism, and we have not hesitated to condemn in strong and forceful terms the slander and misrepresentation to which the local Reform candidate has been persistently subjected. If, then, as the "Times" itself admits, we "have been driven to do this by injudicious journalistic and other friends of Mr. Veitch," it is futility itself to suggest that we ought not to have done it, while to imply in the face of this admitted fact that some other and less worthy motive impelled our action "far exceeds the bounds of reason and fair play." Would the "Times" remain silent when it knew that an honourable man had been wilfully libelled by the unscrupulous champion of his political opponent? For the sake of the honour and dignity of journalism, we hope riot. Would the "Times" tolerate in silence a daily outpouring of studied misrepresentation and calculated

falsities, cunningly designed to poison the minds of the electors? Surely not. Yet that is what has, been going on in Wanganui ever since the contest commenced, and the "Chronicle," perforce, has had to meet it; We deplore the necessity; but while it continues we cannot, with decency, ignore it. What we have written is on record in cold print, and there is not one line of it we would retract. We have met slander with well-de-served condemnation, falsehood with plain, unvarnished truth, and misrepresentation with convincing exposure. If the "Times" can point to

one statement made by the "Chron-

icle" that has not been based on fact, or one word of unfair or unjustifiable criticism, the "Chronicle" will not hesitate to do the honourable thing.- But, if the "Times" cannot do this (and we know if cannot) is it too much to expect it to "play the game" and admit that its strictures upon the "Chronicle" were in the circumstances both impudent and un-

warranted