DEMOCRATIC FREEDOM

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22509, 17 September 1938, Page 22

DEMOCRATIC FREEDOM

"TO THE EDITOK OF THE PBESB. ' Sir, —As one devoted to freedom and dernocracy 1 listened carefully to ; Mr R. M. Algie's address, on Wednesday last, but must confess to a sense lot keen disappointment. One naturally expected a balanced and fair analysis of the existing political situation in the Dominion, but heard instead a mere party political, address anti-Labour throughout. The evils of tee capitalistic system were certainly recognised, and employers were urged !to treat their workers generously; but there was no recognition Of the grave problem of economic insecurity, which any, New Zealand Government must face, and : attempt, to find a satisfactory .solution. Nor did. the professed champion of freedom produce a shred of real evidence to. prove that the:pro*; gramme, or •■ the legislative,'enactnients. ;of•/ the' present Government, constitute ; a real menace ■■ to our political 'freedom.. Who can believe that any measure of support given by dairy farmers to-the ,guafanteed price scheme 'of -the Government was obtained by means, of intentional deception practised by Mr Nash, who 'led farmers to imagine that they would retain the same degree of control over their products under the new scheme, as they possessed under the system which had broken down? For the rest, we were regaled with carefully selected statistics, pathetic, appeals to our fears, and to our love of the flag, mixed "with astute "suppositions."- ■

The real enemy of freedom, we were told, is Socialism, but a brand of Socialism which, admittedly, has not yet, been seen in this land. It may be found in Russia. Such a Socialism was defined as permitting no one to possess any private property, any land. But no attempt was made to prove that the Labour Party, if returned to the polls, would attempt to foist this abhorrent brand of Socialism on this country.

There is great need that we understand the nature of (democratic freedom, the price paid to win it, and the difficulty of maintaining and extending it in our world. But the greatest bulwark of political and economic freedom is religious freedom, freedom."to be true to our religious convictions. Surely there is no responsibile person who will seriously affirm that our religious freedom is menaced in the degree by either political party. The second vital line of defence consists of the ballot box. Governments may be changed and legislation reversed by its means. And until that power is, filched from the people there can be no serious menace to our political freedom. Moreover, it was not the Labour Government that extended its ■ term of office by a fourth year, without consent of the people; and set a precedent. That was a grave encroachment on constitutional rights. But a,Labour Government has pledged itself strictly to maintain the threeyear- term oh principle. Such facts were relevant, and highly significant, but were not mentioned by the lecturer. The ballot box was mentioned, but in a context which had no relation to actual facts. ,

I came away with a strong preference ior the-prof essed party political speaker, whose "principles are known, and whose strong bias is frankly acknowledged.—Yours, etc.,

A. LIVERSEDGE, September 16, 1938.