The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1922. CRITICISM RUN MAD.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 787, 24 November 1922, Page 4

The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1922. CRITICISM RUN MAD.

“We nothing extenuate, nor aught set down in malice.”

Mr Coull, the Reform candidate for Wanganui, in the course of one of his speeches last week, jocularly remarked that it would not be long ere the politically bankrupt opponens of the Government would be blaming Mr Iv3jassey for the Great War They have already nearly attained |to that measure of absurdity, Somebody, if we remember rightly, wjas inane enough to suggest a few weeks ago that, the PrSme Minister of this little Dominion was scheming with Westminster, or something to that effect, to hiring- about another war, in the Near East, with a view to postponing the New Zealand elections ! And now, tforsooth, men who expect us to regard them as intelligent, are asking sober-minded electors to believe ithat because thdre were more strikes in the ten-year period (1912-1922) than in the fiveyear period (1906-1911) the naughty Refojrmers are responsible. To aad to the piquancy of the joke, it is further suggested that the remarkable falling off in industrial troubles which marked the years 193-4-15 was due, not to the patriotism of tne v/orkers, but was occasioned by the co-operation of the good Liberals (new politically defunct) in the government of the country; In com-

menting- on the original absurdity (the local eft'ch’t was but a plagarism poorly .developed), a southern contemporary remarked satirically that were one in genq’rous mood it would be the correct thing to draw attention to the fact 'that during the years which show a marked decline in the number of strikes there was a w(ir 'in Europe to distract the attention of the workers, but it is not necessary, where pdnty politics govern conduct, to explain that these figures disclose a rising tide of dissatisfaction on the part of tire workers dating from 'the years in the Liberal period, and that there was throughout an increasingly strong movement avvjay from the Arbitration Court. Nor is it necessary, where party politics dictate methods, to explain that in the last three years of he 'table there were extraordinary conditions over which no government ijad any control, which were conducive to disturbances in the in'dust/rial world.' Reference need not be made to conditions in other parts Off the world to show that the post-annisice period was one of great unrest in most civilised countries, because if those facts wetre drawn into the discussion they would necessitate the implication by analogy that the Governments of these countries were responsible for be industrial disturbances and thpt woutd destroy the effects of the product o.f the clay’s ride. Where wages are dropping there must always be industrial" unrest, but industrial quiet or industrial noise is the product of conditions in industries rathek- than of acts of Governments, The same sensible writer further suggests that as additional proof of the .disturbing influence of the Massey Government the painty hobbyist should produce a table like this : Liberal. 1900-1911 Peace. Reform. Rill lo l'.i.i:; .. Balkan Troulble. ID!■» lo HHS .. Great War. llilH Fighting in Russia. Jli2o Waziri Campaign. 11*21-22 .... Near East Trouble. A fable like this should he produced to drive home the case that Mr Massey and Ihe iniquitous regime he inIroduced have been responsible for disturbances, for these facts are as pertinent as the absurd tables relative lo strikes, when it is presented without the explanation it deserves.