MR LEE’S TASK

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 116, 15 April 1940, Page 6

MR LEE’S TASK

“A RADICAL LIFEBOAT.” MR BARNARD MAY HELP. (By Telegraph.—Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, April 10. Breaking silence for the first tune since his expulsion from the Labour Party, Mr J. A. Lee announced an early resumption of political activity. He appreciated, he said, the value or the pause so that the full weight or the propaganda against lmn should undo itself by its own futility Besides, during those two weeks he had been receiving offers of support from good radicals and he had been preparing a pamphiet on the events of the past four or five years so that people might realise the real nature of the conflict in Die Labour Party of which he hail been the centre. “This is the °. n .° pamphlet,” commented Mr Fee, wlnc.i the national executive of the Lalxnir Party will not maul, however much they'might desire to maul the author. This pamphlet covers what is of concern for the future. Easter Monday lias not been political death, but resurrection.” . , i Air Lee proposes to meet friends ancl supporters in Grey Lynn this week, making his intentions clear and arranging later for an Auckland mcetino-. In five or six weeks, if tins cou d be arranged, Air Leo said he would face the people of Auckland. Then activity would probably follow in other large centres. , . “Afr Barnard has been taken to task for saying that this-is more than one man’s war,” continued Mr Lee. ‘My opinion is that no member of Dio Labour Partv has been more urgent regarding defence than Mr Barnard. Like mvself, he believes we should give what ire can. Like myself he is perturbed over the announcement that we are to borrow externally twenty millions for next year. If hostilities jj ar ® the figure may go to 30 millions. 1 hat would give us an external debt of 300 millions in five years. Parliament should discuss this because 300 million* of external debt would not be salvation hut suicide. Parliament should he able to discuss and determine our effort according to what we can give of our own men and own own material. New Zealand alone of all the British countries produces no war material. I. can claim myself to have prepared and had published more recruiting material than all the Cabinet and members of tiie Labour Party put together. “There is a task for Mr Barnard ana myself.” concluded the member for Grey Lynn, “and that is to build a lifeboat for radicalism before a AlacDonaid sinks the Labour ship. We'll start this week in Grey Lynn.”