PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20887, 19 August 1939, Page 9

PUBLIC OPINION

As expressed by correspondents, whose letters are welcome, but tr.r whose views we have no responsibility. Correspondents are requested to write in ink. It is essential that anonymous writers enclose their proper names as a guarantee of good faith. Unless this rule is complied with, their letters will not appear.

“ TRADE UNION FAIRMINDEDNESS'

(To the Editor) Sir,—The Public Opinion column in your paper of August 16 contained a letter which was headed “Trade Union Tyranny?” over the nom-de-plume “John Bull.” The name “John Bull” In the past, at least, has generally conveyed to the mind of the average Briton, justice and fair play. I now ask “John Bull” to endeavour to live up to the name that he so readily assumed by becoming thoroughly conversant with the facts of the case prior to rushing into print and conveying to the public a wrongful impression, obviously biassed and arrived at without knowledge of the other side of the story.—l am, etc., ONE OF THE DRIVERS. Hamilton. August 17. MONEY ILLUSIONS (To the Editor) Sir, —It is surprising how those weatherbeaten, hardy Right-Wingers, Messrs Johnstone and Kenah, spring te the defence of our weird and wonderful financial system—a‘ system of figures and a few’ scraps of paper operated by a .few individuals for their exclusive benefit, at the expense of the public. When men like Mr J. A. Lee expose the whole business, the right-wingers hold up their hands in horror. However, all these crocodile tears will be in vain, for the system is going to he attacked and drastically altered for the public benefit. The very latest political rumour going the rounds is that “the Lee faction” is so strong that a coalition between the Nationals and Messrs Savage, Nash and Go. is being canvassed, presumably in defence of “sound finance.” Social Credit is not responsible for the present mess, so will leave Messrs Kenah and Johnstone to shed their tears on the desert sands of public opinion. Every age has its curiosities.—l am, etc., R. G. YOUNG. Gordonton, August 16.

FACING A DILEMMA (To the Editor) Sir,—England, whose international policy is one of peace at any price, apparently in order to maintain an economic organism, which determines a fungus growth of sybaritic luxury oil the one hand, and abject poverty on the other, now is face to face with a dilemma. For we find England’s sign, Leo the Lion (?) is setting both in the East and the W’est, which may end in a definite eclipse. For we find that England today, through her Prime Minister, Mr Neville Chamberlain, arch-Conservative, w’ho fears war, faces up to revolutionary Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler. Both of these characters, reared in the furnace heat of the red rage of battle, from their respective viewpoints have only contempt for Chamberlain and his peace at any price policy. The very idea of a Soviet-British alliance is nearly too stupid for wrnrds. When the great myth of the HitlerStalin feud is exploded, one will find that there is an understanding between the two nations in question. We find that from the very beginning of Hitlers’ dictatorship, Chamberlain pursued a lamb-like policy of appeasement. In fact the harder Hitler punched and struck, the more strenuous became Chamberlain’s wooing. The following remark made by Hitler to Chamberlain a.t Berchtesgaden regarding Czechoslovakia is ’.veil worth repeating. Chamberlain said that “war would destroy civilisation and lead to communism and chaos.”—“That,” Hitler replied, "may he true in France and England, but not in Germany. We have had our revolution and are prepared. You are struggling to preserve capitalism and democracy—both outworn institutions. It is you who will have revolution, not us.” Chamberlain was thoroughly scared. Then followed the cross-fire from the East. Japan swings into action. In the meanwhile, Mussolini and Hitler pay special attention to Spain, which is practically under the control of the axis Powers. So Chamberlain, at the dictates of the Cliveden Set, to preserve the British social and economic organism, sabotaged the Spanish Republic, spurned Russia and yielded Czechoslovakia to Germany. Consequently, having failed to appease Hitler by giving him the nations of Central Europe, we see him in fear frantically appealing to Josef Stalin for help and protection. What of Danzig? It will return to the Third Reich without a shot being fired, unless, of course, Poland fights a lone hand—when? The very moment that Stalin turns down en bloc the Soviet-British alliance. Finally, we find, when Mussolini, Hitler or Stalin speaks, the whole world thinks. When Chamberlain speaks, however, the whole world, including the British Empire itself, laughs.—l am, etc., HARRY WOODRUFFE. Auckland, August 16. George Robey, the famous London comedian, relates in his amusing remineseences, that he smoked his first cigarette when he was 14 and enjoyed it so much that he annexed one of his father's pipes “and had a go at that.” He sums up that experience in two words—“Oh my!” lie left tobacco severely alone after that for a long time. Then he tried again,

“and ever since has preferred a pipe to any other way ol’ smoking.” Well, there’s nothing like a pipe—unless it’s a cigarette, hut make sure your tobacco’s right. It should he pure, have flavour and aroma, and he as free as possible from nicotine. So those who smoke “toasted” can’t go far wrong! For it’s wonderfully pure, there's next to no nicotine in it. because it’s toasted, consequently harmless. And so for flavour and bouquet where can you find its equal? Five brands only of the genuine toasted: Cut Plug No. 10 < Bullshead), Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog), Cavendish, Riverhead Gold and Desert Gold. They vary in strength, but the quality’s the same—’unapproachable.

BUDGETS AND BUDGETS

(To the Editor) Sir, —Yes, “Curious” is “Still Curious” in his appreciation of budgets and budgets. Because I tried to explain to him that the Hamilton Borough Council’s increase of 9.63 per cent in rates was due to the costsincreasing policy of the Government, which in its last Budget increased taxation by 7£ per cent, he comes back with the crushing reply that the Borough Council’s budget was announced before the Government’s. He is not convincing. He apparently hopes that the public will not remember that the present Government has been increasing costs at a headlong rate for three and a-half years. It was those increases in costs that led to the necessity of increasing Hamilton borough rates. To appreciate the position. "Still Curious” has only to study the effect of increased costs on his own household budget.—l am, etc., NOT SURPRISED. Hamilton, August 18. THE CALL TO DUTY (To the Editor) Sir.—ln order to make the position clear to '“1939.” permit me to give a concrete example relative to the point under review. Before I agree to sign a document whereby 1 bind myself to certain conditions, I acquaint myself with the full details of the contract. In other words. I know the position. In matters of military enterprise and national service we are told why we should join up. Let me reiterate that on careful examination we found that we did not light for any of the slogans which were broadcast during the Great War. We found that the ' money power” controlled both belligerents, enemy and Allies alike. We found that banking and armaments were so closely related that it was for these departments that we fought. A halt was called in the late 1917, but Zaharoff told the Allies to continue to fight as the time was not opportune to declare an armistice. “1939” is in error when he believes that the Versailles Treaty was dictated by public opinion. Public opinion had nothing to do with it. It was the hatred of M. Clemenceau and the English Foreign Office under Sir John Simon that decided the terms of “peace.” We did not blindly hate the enemy; we followed the shoutings of ihe press, and we know who controls the press, also the cinema and the radio—the Jew. We are driven like sheep and led like donkeys. That is the sorry truth, even in New Zealand today. We are not, collectively, afraid of the “money power.” Both Mr Bruce Lockhart and Sir Philip Gibbs state definitely that the actions of English statesmen at Versailles were shameful. We are not wise to the “money power” in New Zealand today. We have the Labour Party shouting about debts, about control of our credit; but we do not control our credit n-or our currency. It is a party sham. All we think about is sport, a full stomach, and time for imbibing. That is all the ordinary New Zealander thinks of today. 1 still want to know the reason for my joining up. I still think it is the old game. “1939” has touched the spot in a later paragraph, and I fully agree with him. It is ourselves who are to blame owing to our errors in thinking and our lack of real patriotism. Ignorance is our greatest enemy, and the “money power” has kept us in ignorance for centuries; a few of us, however, are beginning to wake up. but it may he too late. —I am, etc., 1914-1918. ■Hamilton, August 17.