Getting Ready for Next War

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 122, 13 August 1927, Page 1

Getting Ready for Next War

LABOUR MEMBER’S SATIRE TIN SOLDIERS FOR MR. WAITE (THE SUISTS Parliamentary Repor'ter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. Tn a vigorous retaliatory speech in defence of his party, Mr. J. A. Lee, while speaking in the House of Representatives to-night, did not spare the feelings of Mr. F. Waite, member for Clutha, who recently severely . criticised Labour’s war attitude. Mr. Lee waxed bitingly satirical, and advised the Government to place a vote on the Estimates for the purchase of a box of tin soldiers for Mr. Waite .to. amuse, himself. Mr. Lee adopted a very hurt tone on learning that Mr. Waite was out of the House, but he nevertheless launched a batch of “heavies,” describing Mr. Waite’s easy glib assurance that another war would occur in so short a time. Mr. Waite had hailed,

almost with joy, the prospect of another war, almost demanding another war, so that he could go and display his courage and his heroism. The member for Clutha had suggested that the Labour Party had used all its endeavours to prevent troops going to the relief of soldiers on Chunuk Bair. Mr. Lee had never heard of it, but if it had been true the Labour Party would .have had that to its credit, for they would have saved a tremendous toll of lives, because the only pleasing feature of the Gallipoli campaign was the noble and splendid heroism of the thousands of men who were sacrificed by the bungling of a few war lords. “I think the Government should put a vote on the Estimates for the member for Clutha,” Mr. Lee went on. greatly to his own satisfaction, “so that we could then buy him a box of tin soldiers, and give him a little apartment of his own in the basement, so that he could amuse himself while we deliberate upon the country’s business. When I think, I do not wonder that all the Press puffs and all the adulatory adjectives failed to secure the member for Clutha the position of Government Whip.”