“HELLO, SUCKERS!”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 60, 13 March 1943, Page 5

“HELLO, SUCKERS!”

REPLY BY MR. NASH APOLOGY BY CHICAGO PAPER (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) Reed. 7 p.m. New York, March 11. In publishing Mr. Walter Nash's letter, replying to the editorial, "Hello, Suckers!” the Chicago Tribune explains that their comments were based on the testimony of Representative Maas, who was sent to New Zealand as a Marine Corps officer, presumably for first-hand knowledge. Mr. Maas, however, had not replied to the denial made by Senator Bloom, and therefore it must be assumed that he was erroneous. The Chicago Triburfe accordingly apologised to New Zealand for the comment based on inaccurate information. Mr. Nash, in his letter, said the Tribune editorial was completely untrue, was in bad taste, and cast an uncalledfor slur on New Zealand's reputation. He added that New Zealand was profoundly grateful for everything the United States had done in the Pacific.

Late last week, in its "Hello Suckers!” article, the Chicago Tribune followed up Representative Melvin J. Maas’ criticisms of New Zealand's reverse lend-lease (presumably ignoring the replies to Mr. Maas’ figures) by alleging that New Zealanders had “seized the opportunity of building every airfield they could possibly put to peacetime use” and charging the entire cost of the fields, "whether useful to the American troops or not" to the United States. Replying. Mr. Fraser repeated the figures which he and others had given days before and described the story as baseless and mischievous.