THE PRIME MINISTER'S ADVOCACY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 109, 11 May 1938, Page 9

THE PRIME MINISTER'S ADVOCACY

Sir, —I listened in to the Rt. Hon. . M. J. Savage’s broadcast speech from the Wellington Town Hail. The chairman introduced Mr. Sav- „ age in these-words:—“This is the man P who has lifted New Zealand out of the morass of the depression.” Mr. t Savage endeavoured to show that ne was just that very depression lifting “ man. As a consequence, all h parisons were with the depression years; he never went beyond 1931. ‘ From the economic depths of 1932 to P the high prices of 1937 is a spectacular rise. Mr. Savage certainly came ■ is on this rise; but for him to pretend l c that he carried it, is sheer nonsense. I The freezingly cold hard fact is that Mr. Savage did not lift New Zealand J out of the depression. ? In his opening remarks Mr. Savage said how thankful he is for the broadcasting service. indeed, he , said:—“Thank God for it.” This service belongs to the people, not to the J Labour Party, nor to any party; but J Mr. Savage has commandeered it for his party politics. He is delighted , with his commandeered air, and {; thought he would, by it, get past the j ‘ editors. He made no reference to the Press; but had a lot to say about editors. He appeared to dislike them, as , much as he loves his commandeered broadcasting service, for which he piously gave God thanks. He spoke of editors in general terms, and I won- [' dered if he included the editor of the \ Standard.: Certainly he did no* exempt j him. Possibly Mr. Savage took it for j granted that the editor of the Stand-' ard is the one editor apart from al! i tfther editors, in that this editor does I not stand in the way of progress, his ; progress, as he said or inferred that i all editors do. Of course it may be I that the standard is. after all. a poor | medium for broadcasting Mr. Savage’s j progress. an ineff ctual weapon to further his cause. There may be a rift in the lute somewhere; perhaps the Standard is not a good standard bearer. Or was it that Mr. Savage i was so full of self-exultation as he : stood upon the threshold of his com- | mandeered castle in the air. that he' could only speak in sweeping general terms of the beggar in the gate, the

(editor; entirely forgetful of his insignif leant Standard? Mr. Savage spoke as though he hated garden parties. It was interesting to hear him trounce garden parties from his castle in the air. Mr. Savage said that the only way to increase, to expand trade, is by spending money. Indeed he said:— “There is no other way.” Evidently he thinks that merely by spending money, trade will expand. Is this his apology for his expanding expense programme? He tried hard to persuade farmers that they owe him a great debt of gratitude. He commended Mr. Nash’s so-called guaranteed price; but he did not say how altogether dependent this price is upon the price received overseas for farmers’ produce. He dare not. On the other hand he made no mention of insulation, an interesting omission. Mr. Savage's boldest attempt was his effort to drag down the banner of the Master into his own party politics. He said he was following the Master, but he, being a materialist, does not know that the Master said:— “My kingdom is not of this world.” Mr. Savage is unable to see above his own party politics. These loom so largely in his short distorted vision that he actually thinks the Master Himself should set His seal thereto. Is Mr. Savage not aware that the Master said:—“He that exalteth himself shall be abased”?—l am, etc., D. SUTHERLAND.