Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1918. BRITISH FAIR PLAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1795, 28 February 1918, Page 2

Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1918. BRITISH FAIR PLAY.

COMMENTING upon the endeavour bv a section of Mr Holland’s supporters to upset the meeting addressed by the Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward, in the Town Hall, Wellington, on Tuesday night, the Post says:—While Mr Holland was proclaiming at another meeting tha'j the kind of Labour ho represents stands for all that is historically best in British freedom, a section of his supporters were displaying their appreciation of British, by doing their best to prevent the two leaders of (he National Government from.getting a hearing. The essence of the Prussianism which Mr Holland professes to find in his political opponents, but to which ho is prepared to (ruckle when it takes the field in arms against the liberties_of the world, is its antagonism to freedom. The rights of. public meeting and free speech are things unknown in Prussia even in time of peace, and fair play to an Opponent is a virtue which finds no place in the Prussian IvuKur. Mr Holland’s supporters were therefore showing their sympathy with all that is historically best in Prussianism when they endeavoured to howl down tho Prime Minister and his colleague. They made it perfectly plain that it i> not the lack of will, but only the lack of opportunity, that prevents them from playing the. tyrant find suppressing with a Prussian thoroughness every idea that runs counter to their own.