MR LEE’S MEETING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 251, 20 September 1940, Page 2

MR LEE’S MEETING.

(To the Editor.)

Sir—Probably like many oilier people on Tuesday niglit lasi, I went along to the Opera House to hear Air -J ■ a. Bee io get some idea as to tno public political feeling, and when, as is usual, a resolution was submitted to the audience lor endorsement of the speaker’s platform T anticipated a verdict on the call for a show of hands. Nothing happened that way. The resolution was moved and seconded and followed by a clapping of hands and so the meeting ended. It can be said, however, that Mr Lee had a good hearing and a good following, judging by the intermittent applause. By the enthusiasm of some members of tlie audience it seemed to appear that they are looking to him as i-iieir saviour, and to lead them out of the political and financial wilderness. 1 listened attentively to all Air Lee had to say, but 1 could not console lnyseli with anything he had said to make me incline that way. He agreed that the Labour Government had done a lot of good and 75 per cent .of its legislation was sound; the - remaining t!5 per cent., which included the non-ful-filment of tlie. 1935-38 promises to the electors in regard to taking oyer the banks and money control generally, has brought about the parting., of the ways. Air Lee went all the way to tell us how persistently he had advocated the carrying out of the election pledges and how persistently the Government refused to move.in that direction. Air Lee reminded me of the dear old lady who, when watching her proud son inarching in his battalion, observed that tlie whole battalion was out of stop “except our Jack.” There is a goodly percentage in the Labour movement, myself included, who are disappointed that the Government has not fulfilled that part of the programme, and also with some of its recent legislation in regard to taxation; but although we may growl and nurse our disappointment, I think we are big enough to realise that whatever might be said in ail.seriousness and with vehemence from the soap-box or platform, the putting into eflect hastily is not quite so easy of accomplishment when taking over the Treasury benches, where the responsibilities are heavy and real. Obstacles appear and have been dealt with fairly and equitably and the whole process must obviously be slow r , but the older and more seasoned adherents of the party appreciate what might appear to be even a slow process. Air Lee gave us piles of figures representing national debt, interest paid and principal still owing, including the Alaori War debt, figures which everyone who listens in to .Parliament could quote off by heart, having heard them so often given by Air Atmore, the member for Nelson. I was waiting patiently for Air Lee to state his process for wiping these debts out, but that did not seem to be part of his “firew'orks.” He is still of the “soap-box” order, and in gaseous .state, but jirobably when lie leads his team in Parliament next year (he appears to be very confident of victory at the polls) he may find, as those he is condemning now found, that the road to the goal of financial I triumph is not exactly strewn with spring flowers with a fond embrace awaiting him the other end. We older members of the Socialist movement have seen the rise and fall of quite a number of the dashing and ambitious type 'of candidate, and have observed the mellowing eflect responsibility has had upon the “firebrands” in the movement. We remember the impatient and ambitious Sir Oswald Alosley, of the mushroom growth members of the party in England, who tried to pull the Socialist Party along by the ear and. when he found that prudent leadership was an essential demanded by the Socialist) Party he soon faded away from the party. Determined to lead soniething, however, he introduced and became the notorious leader of the Fascist Party in England, who now happily are put. out of harm’s way. In conclusion, I would like to relate what appeared to me and probably to others the funny side of the meeting. Mr Lee, in making his appeal to Come along and join the Democratic Labour Party, emphasised the broad and tolerate side of the party’s platform. “We want,” said he, “members to feel that in this real movement they have the .right to express their thoughts freely and that there will bo no ‘boss’ to restrain them from that privilege.” He then appealed for a bumper collection, as the party in embryo had no funds, to defray expenses and advertising, etc., and whilst the collection was going on questions would be welcomed. I endeavoured to ask Mr Lee a question, but instead of putting it in the usual superficial “if so, why so; if no, why not” form, I was about to make a few observations quite relevant to Mr Lee’s attitude and address before coming to my question ; but I had only got rid of a couple of sentences when Mr Lee, with typical . astuteness, hastened to inform me that I could not make a speech. I then asked the chairman if I might be allowed a little latitude to lead up to my question; again Mr Lee got in before the chairman and said no. Others received the same “generosity” and then he informed us that lie had hired the hall and if we wished to make speeches to hire a hall for ourselves. Well, if such a contention were not so unblushingly unfair it would certainly he humorous. It was an advance on Mr Lee’s rfiystic financial theories. When he told us that he had hired the hall he seemed to have entirely forgotten tlie fact that we in the audience paid for the loan of the hall handsomely and with a bit to spare; so it did sound a little crude, after Air Lee declaring almost dramatically that the Democratic Labour Party would solemn”' stand for freedom to express one’s thoughts, and when I asked for a little of that freedom the gallant gentleman could not see his way clear to oblige, and gave me an emphatic no, as he had hired the hall. Could “Punch” have anything on this? 1 might say that I know' nothing about the theories of financial wizardry, and perhaps I can he excused or even pitied for that, but I cannot conceive one per cent., and that is Mr Lee, successfully launching a “financial blitzkrieg” when 99 per cent, of the Labour Government, who are equally as desirous and intelligent perhaps as Mr Lee to bring it about, cannot find the “short cut.” No; Air Lee’s gifts and power of oratory may move a throng, hut there will a)ways he some of tlm thrc'ig, Oliver Twist-like, who will be impudent enough to ask for more details of his scheme. Personally and notwithstanding all tlie Labour Government’s weaknesses, I will hang on, to their .lifebelt in preference ' to striking off to reach the “Lee” phantom lifeboat in tlie mirage away on the horizon.—l am, etc., ' T. ROE. 10 Aforris Street, Palmerston North, September 17, 1940.