TIED BY DEMOCRACY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 261, 28 June 1932, Page 4

TIED BY DEMOCRACY

People are constantly saying what they would do to end present discontent — "If • I were a dictator." Under sueh circumstances they feel they would possess a sweep and decisiveness that does not belong to lame democratic processes. Signor Mussolini has just given a practical demonstration. Having heard President Hoover's wholesale proposals for world disarmament, the Italian Dictator telephoned his agreement from Rome to Geneva. "The acceptance is complete and unconditional," he said. No wonder the delegates to the Disarmament Conference "broke out in a storm of cheers." They had heard or were to hear the viewpoints of other nations. None of them could give an answer pat like that — full, final and without reservation. Tied to their Governments which themselves rested upon Parliaments which depended on publie opinion, the others could not speak with such a clear and single voice. To use Sir Apirana Ngata's word, execntive action is "hamstrung" by democracy. Delegates from democratic States cannot move rapidly or freely enough to keep pace with the quick march of modeim events. They are smothered by reservations on behalf of public opinion. A few dictators, and affairs would be settled out of hand, whether for good or 111But then what would happen to all the people who now seem to spend half their time at conferences ?