LABOUR AND THE PRESS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 2999, 16 February 1926, Page 3

LABOUR AND THE PRESS.

PRAISE AND DISPARAGEMENT,

Many visitors to our country, representing diverse interests and fields of thought, have spoken in most laudatory terms of the Press of New Zealand. Our people take such praise quietly because they have two convictions about it. The first is that these visitors have “no axes to grind” and speak of our Press as they do just because they are impressed with its merit, courtesy and general fairness. The second view our people hold is that the praise given is fully justified: that the high standard of: New Zealand’s Press is simply a matter of fact which need not be discussed. We believe that all classes in New Zealand are really proud of the Press our country has produced. There is one disgruntled coterie, however, that has seldom anything but spleen to display towards the Press. It is part of the hot air stock of the Socialist leaders in the Labour movement to be forever tilting at what they describe as “the wicked capitalist Press.” The Capitalist Press has done this assumed wrong and the other. This is the story told many times over by these class conscious pundits when in actual fact the Press has never done the things ascribed to it. Of course the Press does not reply to these false charges. Probably it is taken as merely the ebullitions of distorted fancy and prejudice; or the papers may consider the art of the agitator is very long and life rather brief in comparison. At present there is a wrangle taking place over the appointment of the Workers’ Representative on the Arbitration Court in which Messrs. Montcith, Hunter, and Roberts of the Labour movement are featuring as disputants’ parts. Mr. J. Roberts and “The N.Z. Worker” use the occasion to attack the Press. The following criticism is presented: — “The Capitalist Press takes full advantage of the propaganda issued by some of the candidates, and roundly abuses Labour and attempts all the time to disorganise it Avhcn this election of workers representative takes place.” That statement is simply false. The Press has not abused Labour or attempted to disorganise it. Mr. Roberts writes “the Alliance of Labour does not intend to discuss the business of the industrial labour movement in the capitalist Press” and then he goes on to discuss it in a long letter he has supplied to the Press. WHERE IS THE FAIRNESS? The Socialist Labour advocates are forever crying out for fair play to Labour. Where is the fairness in their highly coloured attacks on the Press? They do not hesitate to make false representations about

it wherever opportunity offers. They it to their fellows as if the workers should have no dealings with it and yet, without scruple, they use it all they can to serve their own ends.

In thus acting they are not representing labour in the mass for the rank and file of the workers look to the Press as a means of expressing their free opinions. So free is our Press that the papers even publish the matter roundly abusing themselves where there is no warrant for such abuse. Such liberty <3S not allowed in Faeisti, Italy or in Soviet Russia. It appears as though these socialist leaders' deliberately sought to doctor the workers’ minds with reference to the Press in order that they might read what appears therein, not with open minds and free judgment, but biased and prejudiced. Are they afraid the workers will think for themselves"? Is that the secret of their general unfairness in reference to the Press of our country? (Contributed by the New Zealand Welfare League.)