A STROKE OF THE PEN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 49, 20 October 1931, Page 2

A STROKE OF THE PEN

That worn-out, hackneyed phrase, "A stroke of the pen," was used in Parliament on Friday last by the Independent (but once United) member for Grey Lynn, Mr. J. S. Fletcher, to emphasise the ease with which, in his opinion, the burden of high rents and.interest rates could be "lifted from the backs of the workers," The phrase itself, and the circumstances of its use by Mr. Fletcher are typical of the loose thinking (if thinking is not too flattering a word) which characterises the mental processes of politicians to-day. In a country such as ours, where a large proportion of the workers of all grades and classes have invested their savings in houses and interest-bearing securities of all kinds, including mortgages and Government bonds, the "stroke of the pen" contemplated by Mr. Fletcher would inevitably have results which would painfully surprise him and those who think as he does, unless, of course, he has worked out a detailed plan which he has so far been too modest to bring forward, which we fear is not likely. Most of the serious difficulties and dangers which to-day are troubling the world are the result of similar loose thinking on the part of the politicians, followed, where they have had the power, by equally ill-considered action based upon it. Unfortunately, the modern development of democracy has resulted in placing a high premium on opportunism, while forethought, the long view and the needs and interests of to-morrow are at a correspondingly heavy discount. An analysis of the mass of verbiage at present pouring from Parliament House illustrates and confirms our point. On the one hand we have a dogged and quite unimaginative preoccupation with the idea that the Budget must be balanced, in the belief that only thus can the credit, i.e., the financial reputation, of the Dominion be safeguarded. On the other hand are the champions of something called the "standard of living" which must at all costs be maintained and protected. At first glance, both a balanced Budget and maintenance of a high living standard are worthy political objects. It is only when a closes examination is made of what each implies in relation to the existing circumstances that doubts aiise as to the wisdom of either as a cardinal article of faith. Surely the essence of the national situation can be put into a few words more or less as follows: As a result of circumstances over which the Dominion cannot possibly exereise control — the fall in the prices overseas of its products — the national income has been seriously reduced; there appeans to be little prospect of its recovery to anything like its former levels ; it is necessary, therefore, to reorganise and scale down the national living expenses, just as in individual cases in similar circumstances the same thing is necessary if bankruptcy is to be avoided. In the process, of course, it is essential that the effects of the methods to be employed toward this desirable end on both the budgetary position and the living standard of the mass of the people should not be lost sight of. Neither of these is, however, a justifiable end in itself and it is here that the politician fails, and his failure is the result of narrowness of outlook and shallowness of thought, themselves the fruit largely of the present party system. What the country needs to-day more urgently than anything else is, as we have said bef ore, a -leader worthy of the name ; a man big enough to rise above party and personal interests and strong enough to resist the easy way, the spectacular way, the popular way, and follow the sound way, keeping his eyes steadily on the future, content that the future shall justify him, and not, as is the habit of so many present-day politicians, running repeatedly to the past for precedents and excuses with which to justify present stupidities and wor.se. Is there such a man in the present Parliament? The question answers itself. It is chiefly • for this reason that we strongly oppose any suggestion that the life for Parliament should be extended. An election cannot give the country a more mediocre Parliament. It might just possibly give it a better one. In any case a postponement of the elections for twelve months, as has been suggested by the United members of the Coalition is quite indefensible in existing circumstances and should be opposed in no uncertain terms.