THE WRONG SPIRIT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 127, 15 February 1918, Page 4

THE WRONG SPIRIT

An endeavour has been made to raise a false issue in connection with the by-election for Wellington North, and unfortunately many good, and loyal citizens may in consequence be led astray and cast their votes in a- way to do a great disservice to their country. Tho real issue before the electors is whether or not they will continue to lend their assistance and support to the National Government which has been formed under . an honourable compact to conduct tho affairs of the nation through a great crisis, on tho outcome of which our wholo future depends. Tho false issue which has been raised is whether or not the candidate chosen by the Prime Minister and endorsed by the Reform Party was properly selected. Under the petty pretext that Mr. MASSEYtook too much on himself in the choosing of the candidate to roprcsent the National Government, a section of his supporters, encouraged by others with ulterior ends to serve, have persuaded a rival Reform candidate to offer himself, with the result that the votes of the supporters of the Government will be split, and a candidate who is opposed to practically all that is vital in tho Government's war efforts may win the scat. It has been made abundantly clear that Mr. Massey did afford his party an opportunity of considering the choice of a candidate, even though he may have done so at a latei; stage than was desirable. _ But even assuming that ho had failed to do so, can any loyal and patriotic citizen say, in the circumstances which have since arisen, that the malcontents who object to his action, but still profess a belief in the ricccisit-y for supporting tho National Government, arc justified in persisting in tho course they have taken'l If j|, js the duty of every patriotic citizen to render loyal support to the National Government; if, as we know it is, the peril of tho hour is as great if not greater than at any time since the National Government was formed; if, as _wc know is the case, tho call for unity of effort and purpose is greater to-day, when the strain is being more severely felt by friend and foe alike, than at any previous stago of the war—if, we say, these facts are realised; do they not overwhelmingly outweigh; the petty considerations on which those who aro promoting Mr. Brandon's candidature in opposition to the National Government's candidate seek to justify their _actions 1 The plain fact is that this election issue has boon approached by certain good and loyal citizens in the wrong spirit. They have allowed their per-

sonal prejudices to run away with thoir judgment, they are seeing things in a wrong perspective, exaggerating minor issues and ignoring the only really vital issue at stake. In a previous article we expressed tho view that Mi). Brandon had been misled as to his prospccts, and that he had not yet appreciated the injury his candidature might do to the'eanse which he undoubtedly has at heart. Our opinion on both points has been strengthened by what has since transpired in connection with the election struggle. There is still time for him to remedy the mistake made and avoid that vote-splitting which may have, consequences of so unpleasant and far-reaching a nature as to cause the greatest concern to all loyal and patriotic citizens. Let him view tho situation dispassionately, and we have little doubt that he will realise that his candidature on the present occasion is prejudicial to tho interests which he desires to serve.