PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22513, 23 November 1944, Page 6

PUBLIC OPINION

CURRENT VIEWPOINTS POLITICAL CRITICISM (To the Editor) Sir,—l have 'been interested in criticism of our Socialist Government over the signature of H. Harrison. I wonder after all if Mr Harrison regards our present Government as the lesser of two evils. We can all criticise a Government no matter how good it may be and I am sure Mr Harrison realises that the advantages gained for the people by our legislation far outweighs its disadvantages. The Government has as an objective 100 per cent socialism, but I failed to hear from Mr Holland a policy speech during the election campaign. The Opposition has no policy for the people; it continues floundering in an economic crisis of capitalism, and if given an opportunity we wowld find ourselves driven headlong towards a state of Fascism. We hear a great deal about the Government taking away the people’s freedom. They want freedom of capitalism with all its attendant evils, including monopoly capitalism and the crises which come in cycles. Mr Harrison referred to the happiness of the people years ago. I agre.e with him, but what would he suggest as a solution? I would ask Mr Harrison what he visualises in the promised new world social order, or whether he thinks it will be the old one built up again.—l am, etc., INTERESTED. THIS FREEDOM (To the Editor) Sir, —Mr M. Hislop is all for freedom. He is also all out for rights. This is all to the good, but what we require to be defined is what freedom, and what rights? He speaks of freedom of thought. Other factors come in when we deal with this kind of freedom. To think to do justly; to think to act rightly. Yes. We can also think in other ways which might be detrimental to the common good, although the thinking might be free. Can we choose for ourselves to do those things that are right? Even to love our neighbour as ourself might lead to an end directly evil to the community. As an example, we are not free to eat nor to drink. We are only free to eat and drink those things that are beneficial to our health. Place a chijd in a garden of various fruits, etc., and let the child choose for himself what he should eat. What would be the result? In the natural sphere we are not free to choose as Mr Hislop suggests. As for the sphere of spiritual matters, we are on more dangerous ground. There are thoughts and books spiritually poisonous which produce effects more disastrous than all the materiai poisonous things. A religious debate through the Press does not lead to any satisfactory results. There are other ways and means to deal with that side of the question. I would only point ofrt that Christianity is totally different from all other religions or philosophies in so far as it is not just a sort of religion to accept or reject like other cults. It happens to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and it is a gift from God.—l am, etc., WATSON HOLMES.