The Chronicle LEVIN. SATURDAY, JULY 21, 1917. PREPARING TO DO IT.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 21 July 1917, Page 2

The Chronicle LEVIN. SATURDAY, JULY 21, 1917. PREPARING TO DO IT.

Kvideutly the Piriim<e Ministefr of Ai u Zealand begins to see the cogency <>! 11 l-o- argument that to maintain the mto of reinforcemente from this do:i: 'nioii at the original monthly num!n r would be an unsound procedure, in matter from what viewpoint judgi>.i 'lit might be made. Less than a fortnight ago, at Pahiatua, the Right H.m. Mj-. Massey told an interviewer at Paliiatua that the speaker woud be no party to reducing tthe guarantee that New Zealand had given as to the rate of reinforcements. Mr. ?>lassev was very emphatic on that point. But this week he is "kind of wavering," to use an expression that i:; familiar in the United States. 'He is clear in his own mind, this week— \vt> quote from his statement in the House of Representatives in reply to a question by Mr. W. H. Field, (M.P.,

"That the Imperial Government know that the people of this dominion can be d-opetided Upon to leave nothing niulone that will assist in winning the war." With this statement most folk will most heartily agree; ibut the cause for dissent arises when the subject of'how best to -do this arises for de-bate. New Zealand, to render most effective aid to the Empire, should send her Second Division men forward in such drafts as would ejisure the .Division lasting for a year «r two. By the resolve of Mr. Massey, mouthpiece of the Coalition Government, tlicl reinforcements would' go i'orwaii'd in such numbers as would exhaust the whole of the Second" Division in a year or less. The war, to end under a year from present date, would end in compromise only; and by statements of the national leaders in 'England there is little or no inclination on their part to have a compromise ending. Therefore, it would bo wise for this dominion to regard the war as likely to last for. at least two'years more,, and to so arrange the into, ojf New Zealand Reinforcements that the Second Division would' not bo exhausted until 1919. A statesman at. the head of our Government, not only would insist upon this feeing done, but would see that the reduction took effect in regard to the now sndlv depleted First Division. To ask this much of Mr. Massey would be to to "soek corn in chaff"—but we do count it to him for grace that already f'iko the true politician he is) he has "his ear to the ground," and hears the rumble of public opinion suffici-

ently well to cause him to give dndicaions of his willingness to "hedge" his hazard. iHis answer to the query of his fellow member is strictly noncommittal ; but to anyone used to politicians ways of oencealing their thoughts, Mr. Massey's language conveys a great deal. Let > any reader who wishes to test this look up the Prime Minister's downright statement made at Pahiatua Jess than two weeks ago, and contrast it with Mr. Massey's answer to Mr. Field, M.P., that is printed in another column of today's Chronicle. We 'are certain, in the light of these two pronouncements, that the political head of this dominion is prepared already to depart from what was his "unswerving determination" of two weeks ago. If he had had any statesmanlike qualities he would have seen the need for varying his Government's policy over a year ago.