THE SQUARE DEAL!

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8348, 7 February 1913, Page 6

THE SQUARE DEAL!

The Hon. W. F. Massey has infinitely more reason to pray, in this perplexing period of trial and vexation, that he might be spared from his friends than from his enemies. In this connection, tho most indiscreet and compromising section of his would-be friends is represented by certain newspapers subsidised by the squatocracy, which journals feel, probably quite unnecessarily now that tho purposes of tho election campaign have been served, that they are bound to do something to display their servile gratitude to tho hand that feeds them. Hence a series of indiscreet articles from the pons of these obsequious but wellmeaning satellites or parasites of selfstyled Reform which must make Mr Massey squirm when ho ventures to read them. The squatters’ organ, for example, has done more already to bring tho Prime Minister and his colleagues into discredit, if not disrepute, with the people than their own policy or want of policy. But it is not alone in that respect. There is in the town of Hastings a print which calls itself tho “Tribune,” which is owned by several of tho squatters, and which classes itself as a supporter of Mr Massey. Its tone and direction, however, aro far too extreme for Massoyism, and when we remember that at election time the Premier came into violent collision with certain Bay squatters in connection with the Mokau land transaction, arid that they have not since forgiven him, we are impelled to the conclusion that the game that is being played is to discredit Mr Massey in particular, though not the more Tory section of his following, by way of getting even. The last issue of this precious print deals with the awkward question of “ the square deal,” but, as wo quite expected, it is dealt with in a way to compromise Mr Massey more deeply with the workers rather than to extricate him from the difficult situation iu which he is involved. The article, which betrays the awkward and illiterate hand of squatter editorship, says, “ It is really only a matter of history that the Mackenzie Government would not have come into existence if two pledge-breaking Labourites had not sold Mr Massey at the eleventh hour. But .the Premier has not ‘ stored this up against Labour.’ ” Now, this is a point that had never occurred to.usAll things considered, and seeing that two Labourites are alleged to have broken their pledges to Mr Massey and delayed his advent to power for several months, he has really been very merciful to Labour. 'Why, if he had chosen, ho might certainly have employed mountain guns, or some other effective arm of tho service, against tha Waihi strikers instead of common, every-day police bludgeons. We bad net thought of that, and, with tbe little “ Tribune” and its squatter owners we are prepared to throw bouquets to Mr Massey for his moderation. Thrice fortunate Waihi strikers to have escaped with their lives in view of the provocation that had been given to the omnipotent Massey by two of the Labourites in breaking their pledges and depriving him of the sweets_ of office for several months beyond his plana. But the squatter-owned “ Tribune ” warns the Labourites. “ Beware 1” is the text of its article. And here is the conclusion arrived at by the squatocratio pen: “ The ‘ square deal' recognises a contract which hinds both sides to keep ‘ square.’ If they do not keep * square, 1 Mr Massey promises to see what he can do to make them fulfil obligations.” Quite so, quit© so. There is no necessity to threaten. Mr Massey has already seen what he can do. He has done and is doing. But it is just possible that Labour may presently put on its considering cap and begin to see what it can do also.