PROPAGANDA AND LOGIC

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 298, 18 December 1941, Page 4

PROPAGANDA AND LOGIC

PROPAGANDISTS arc- frequently careless concerning logic, but the Standard recently look a holiday from it. In its issue of December 11 appeared the following:— ‘■Reports received by the Standard from the Bay of Plenty electorate point to a victory for the Labour candidate.” Doubt assailed the Standard’s mind, however, and so it covered its 1 lacks by the following:— “Whatever may be the result of the by-election, it will not, or cannot, indicate any change in public opinion. This is bieause there are so many men from the electorate away at the war. and also that there are now no public works in the district, though al the time of the general election there was a considerable number of men engaged on public works.” The men who ran exercise soldiers’ voles number 75(1, and even if all of them voted for the Labour candidate, an assumption which is most unlikely to prove correct, il would still be insufficient to change the decision of the electorate. The admission that Publie Works employees intluenee the result of the contest at the general election is tantamount to an admission that the cards were stacked against the permanent residents. -Mr. Mills is described as “a splendid candidate” and “almost a veteran campaigner.” Mr. Arthur Osborne. M.P.. visited every part of the electorate. He reports that n splendid organisation is operating everywhere. The Prime Minister's East ( oast visit ‘‘being reminiscent of the tumultuous reecpilons that were accorded the late Prime Minister, .Mr. Al. ,1. Savage,” wliih “splendid audiences greeted .Messis. Cullen and t oleman and Mrs. Dreater. Despite this splendid organisation and splendid audiences, ami a splendi.l candidate, the electorate decided by nearly two to one against the whole combination. Lut it could not indicate a change in public opinion. I 'unnv!