LIBERALS AND THE RED FLAG.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2489, 5 October 1922, Page 3

LIBERALS AND THE RED FLAG.

The Premier’s references to loyalty provoke lively cross talk in the House. Mr Veitch revived the subject in the House last night. He declared that- anyone who said he was disloyal because he opposed the Government was a perverter of the truth. The Premier- interjected that the member for Wanganui was the first person who had ever said he was a perverter of the truth and he was not going to allow him to say so. Mr Veitch was asked by Mr Speaker if he had used such an offensive' phrase about 'the Premier and lie answered that he had said that if Mr Massey had called him disloyal he was a perverter of the truth. / Mr Massey : That is a shuffle. Mr Veiteh : Tf T am wrong I will climb down, but there is the reported statement of the Premier that opponents of the Government were under the Red Flag of Socialism. Mr Veitch added that he did not believe in Socialism, but he would give credit to the Socialists- for hewing loyal when the war was on. Members were asked to drop the wretched party business and yet this sort of thing was brought agninst them because they opposed the Government. Mr Massey shortly afierwarrs took the opportunity of dealing with the disloyalty suggestions, objecting strongly to Ills statements being distorted. He would go on the platform and put things right on a number of points. The Leader of the Labour Party, speaking at Westport, had said that the Liberals could only reach the Treasury benches through the aid of Labour and they would only get that assistance on the understanding that the Labour Party would dictate the policy of the Government. Mr Wilford: We did not say that! Mr Massey: No, the Labour Party said so. He suggested that if the Labour Party dictated the policy it would be Socialistic. Air Ayilford : You cannot- make me a Socialist.

Mr Massey: Members on the Labour benches will not contradict it. Labour members: That is so. Mr Massey: And Socialism’s symbol is the Red Flag. I followed it up by saying you cannot have the Red Flag and Union Jack in the same country. Mr Fraser: And that’s where you went, wrong! (Labour laughter.) Air Forbes: The King said we were all Socialists. Mr Fraser: Now, be loyal. Mr Massey: I have heard of kings who said very unwise things which were distoi’ted and twisted in a way they were never intended. Mr Fraser: The defender of the King! King William is higher than King George! Mr Massey ended the interlude with the declaration that he was well aware that the members of the “unholy alliance” did not like what he was saying.