THE WAR AND THE PARTY SYSTEM.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2523, 31 July 1915, Page 13

THE WAR AND THE PARTY SYSTEM.

Sir,—lt is with hopeful expectation" that one reads your leader of July 24 drawing attention to the deputation of Wellington citizens to the Minister of Defence, iirging greater military . effort and.organisation;i&irely ; tlie time'isVripe foiv ; soma.serious national movement to bring about the groatest possiblo concontrated '.effort.'oiVwhich .tliis cojihtry. is capable for the' successful prosecution of the war. ■ Our Minister of Defence seems to favour comparatively small reinforcements spread- out over a prolonged period of,- years. How does he know that the war mil last for years?'; Anyone who studies the course of events as we are allowed to see them must know that unless a great effort is made to overcome the flood ! of German invasion the war will terminate in our defeat. A mere driblet is useless; flood must.be neutralised by flood. And'our .Government , exhausts itself over daylight saving. The terrible irony of it must penetrate the innermost being of those who think at all. We are being slowly overcome by something as deadly as the poison gas—the effete party system. The nation is being crucified; great drops of bloody sweat are falling; the cross on which it hangs is the party system. TJnder the party system our politicians will not face compulsory universal service, the only effectual form of national organisation-r-precious votes might be lost. Nor can they interpret tho writing on their wall—l am, etc., ■■■■■, BOURGEOISE.