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Chronicle (Levin), 3 June 1949, Page 4

"HORACE E.

HERRING."

gir.~It appear from re- ' pofts o'ccas.onally' to hand rnau 1 Sppie fo'k are Qpppged tp referepda —in some casps oh all issues, in others pn a militafy one. I'maryei ( at fhis. Affer* all; our muchvaun' ed clpjftpcratjp system' " ehr ' visages an * infbrjne'd " electbrate 1 \yhieh .malses deci^pps on , impqrtarif "questipns, gnd we .a^e sqp'ppsed tp cher'is A tfiis system arid actua'lly dp hold" it in regar4> I f/hinb" VVTiy. therefqre, shpqld thi's pripciple ' be ab'rqgatpd when natipnal 'security is "a "factpr/'and' qbviousVy a 'majpr factor when natibna'l military 'ser r vice is up~ for' co'nsi'deration. "If the argument ' is ' that people cannot be informed oi tehsiqns apc riva'ries'ih the lhteffia'.ional scene and, therefore,' will'be un'reliable as arbite'r,T say hurry up aird iriform them." They have every right to know for they pay! and pay dearly for it all. With our d.ail'y papen full "of news of national djsputes and differences, are not electom sufficienily' advised? The news may not be "complete! , V/ell of coifrse rooni must 'be found for a "teeriy-weeriy" bit of hofse racing and betting. Alternatively, leave it to oui elected representatives to decide. Al'as, rio! This would perhaps be a solution if the party system had not reafed its ugly head and never so 'decidedly as it does today. Actua-ly, the charm of the referendum for me lies in the chance it gives to partially control, or at any rate check, these servants of ours, who end up by being our masters, except on election day. No, Sir. In a past day, which was not as wholly bad as is painted, when jurisprudence was the concern of thoughtful and disinterested men devoting a iifetime to its elucidation, it was we1! enough to accept their guidance, kut when, as today, a party capcus delberates, its decision is reaclied pn a basis qf votes to be paught of Jost, and what a Government paucus 'decides, Parliament passes. Do not forget that when thinking qf debates in the House of Representatives. Rather, therefore, trust publc opinion. After all, the 'nitwits will cancel each other out and leave finality to the thoughfful. t Does not Switzerland emp'oy the referendupi? And is not it usually regarded as the most happy - of pountries Yours, etc.,

Levin, June 2.