MR. NORTH EXPLAINS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1702, 19 March 1913, Page 4

MR. NORTH EXPLAINS.

Sir,—l- have been favoured with a copy of a. leader of yours' in which you traverse my criticism of 'the most, recent phase of the Defencc Act. X am not foolish enough to engage in a papor fight with you. But in one of your sentences you touched my reputation as a writer of intelligent English. I used the 'metaphor, "Flogging butterflies with a cart rope." You call it a puny and unintelligent metaphor. May I interpret? „■ My contention was that in stunting the mental development of certain children, itlio Government is punishing tlio nation, since a nation's best asset is intelligent manhood. My "puny" metaDhor hits off that situation. Who flogs butterflies with a cart rope flogs himself. If you can find a better metaphor to illustrate the folly of the Government, I 6hall be interested to sea it. In tho interests .of intelligent English,—l am, etc., J. J. NORTH;