Dear Sir,

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 7, 17 September 1943, Page 4

Dear Sir,

Letters to the Editor must be clearly written on one side of the paper only and where a nom-de-plume is used the name of the writer must be included for reference purposes. The Editor reserves the right to abridge* amend or withhold any letter or letlers. - FOUR YEARS' WAR Sir, —I)f. ever there was a period in our nation's history when wo should spend .some time in viewing the past surely it is to-day. fti 1939 Britain, absolutely unprepared for war, champions the smaller nations, who fight for freedom; France collapses, and Britain, steadfast and. alone, calls her people to jjraycr; evacuation of Dunkirk; Battle, of Britain; the entry of the two na-. tions who had signed a non-aggres-sion pact, Germany and Russia, l-heir participation in the titanic struggle relieved Britain when she was facing the greatest crisis in her history, namely, the Battle of the Atlantic; then the naval victory at Matapan; defeat of Rommel, who had been within 70 miles of the Suez Canal; German collapse in Tunisia three days after a. national day of prayer; the destruction of the dams, in Germany three days after our thanksgiving day; the floods; in New Guinea that forced the Japanese back to Lae and saved Port Moresby. I am certain that if our spiritual leaders .would emphasise these facts, and, instead of continu-. our platitudes., if they presented a God. to our people Who will and doesanswer the prayers of a nation they would fill their churches and there would not be the need to call Town Hall meetings to teach the people morality, for they would prove God and the young people would understand that they were spiritual beings. The victory over Italy is not just another coincidence, but just another answer by God to the prayers of. this nation. These incidents should be a warning to those, internal and external enemies of our em-, pire, that, we have more than military, naval and air power to protect us, and to our own complacent Christians a challenge to service and. continuous, prayer. Yours etc., BRITISHER. POLITICAL BROADCASTS

Sir. —On September .9th Mr Doidge spoke over the air. Those who have heard him from the House would say lie excelled himself. When speaking, on ecomonics he is lashed to the banner of orthodox banking, though pledging himself to give the people more economic freedom, but he does not make any reference to our self-governing rights over export, exchange and monetary policy, to be forfeited or modified "according to international agreement." These. are the things which want looking into from both sides of the House; these are the things for which the Independents were "blocked" from the radio, "by Party interests." He saj r s there must be a National Government whichever Party gets in! Mr Nordme3 r er (Labour) passed the same remark. Why? An all: party government would serve as an effective counter to the growing disgust of party politicians in general! . . . The aimsi of National Governments are by no means the same things as the aims of the majority of individuals in the. countries they are "supposed" to represent. Further, these Governments are far more: responsive to inllucncc from financial sources than they are to popular influence. One may go so' far as to say that our present l'orm of Parliamentary—rGovernment > —control, is quite insensible to popular influence and that no serious change of policy is effected, by a change from one party to another, till the people demand their rights. Yours etc.,. W. BRADSHAW. PARTY POLITICS Sir, —Mr Doidge, when speaking over the air from Ashburton, took exception to Mr Fraser's statement that the Leader of the. National Party had lately changed his coat, and seemed to think that it was Mr Fraser who had dpne the change. (Continued in previous column)