The Wanganui Herald. (Published Daily.) TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1919. A CHALLENGE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15993, 9 December 1919, Page 4

The Wanganui Herald. (Published Daily.) TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1919. A CHALLENGE.

One of the most deplorable features of the present political campaign is a return in certain quarters to the discreditable methods which, were resorted to at a previous election, of maligning Sir Joseph Ward and associating him with the Red Fed elements in this country. So persistent has been this campaign of calumny that the Liberal leader has been compelled to take strong measures to counteract it. Sir Joseph Ward, as everyone knows, is a forbearing man, even ready, many of his friends think, to let snch things pass as unworthy of notice, but he has been compelled to take strong steps to put himself and his followers right with the public. In opening his address to the electors of Ellesmere at Leestou on Friday night he challenged the Christchurch Press to prove one of the gravest of the charges it has launched against him—that he is in league with the “Rod Feds.” His statement was clear and explicit, as anyone may see from' the import of his remarks reported in another part of this issue, the case is sub judice, so to speak, it would be improper for us to say anything further about it at this stage, but we may bo allowed to express the hope that the journal immediately concerned will meet the challenge as frankly as it has been offered by Sir Joseph Ward.