A FAR—AWAY CRY.

Taihape Daily Times, 17 June 1919, Page 4

A FAR—AWAY CRY.

..————————o——~—————— Right acrosstwelve thousand miles of ocean comes to us the voices of our Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, screaming out “more production,” but, added to the old ‘cry is another that is going to cut into the very Vitals of the home; it is that New Zealanders must eeonomise detcl'nlill— iii a way not hitherto contemplated. Has not this journal told its readers long ago that disaster must follow world food and clothing -shortages unless the country at once settled down to a policy of increased production? It has also drawn attention. to the probable erreet of any degree of scmi—starVation that may be forced on the masses as a result of political incapacity, pusillanimity, or ‘il‘lTdiffel‘ellCo. There has been too great" a spirit of speculation in the mast and too little practicability displayed by an Administration guided rather by exigency than .a desire to SO9 and act upon a trend that Was unmistakeable ‘CO any zfai-seeing practical mind NOW; Our leaders cannot wait till they get home, calamity is upon their 419015‘: and may overtake them, and the Dominion they represent,

‘even before they leave _‘;London,i a_ll"d they lustily shout across the ocean, i“Look out for the “Crisis”? Ml‘tMa_ssey has at last discovered that a regime -.'of profiteering is bringing disaster upon the country, and-in his new found facts he tells New Zcaland farmers they rnust energetically’ EVKO part in a policy of development that will render us independent of other nations for our most: imp6r'tant fequiroments. Mr. Massey has evidently just realised that the world is not growing nearly enough food for its people to exist upon, and that it is no longer safe to pursue a policy of “The Devil take. the hind'most_’«" Mr. Massey opines that our people will acquit themselves well in the crisis he announces; he adds some maudlin, sickening nonsense about believing New Zealand will become a strong British community. Let leaders and people face the crisis heroically, manfully! this country has refused to realise that it must become a victim to world shortages and while the development Mr. Massey now says is imperative, should have been in train two years ago, a system of ,profiteering has been encouraged which has rendered the masses too feeble to stand any serious cnervating crisis. Sir Joseph Ward adds his word of warning by saying we are facing an unparalleled financial position; only -two things will enable us to carry the burden, namely, “enormously” increased production, and dcterminedly sav ing in directions not hitherto contemDlated. We may be accused of having an unnecessary consideration for the masses, but our concern is for the whole body politic when we state that we trust that the already heavy strain on the masses will not be made much more severe. Those who have been rolling in prosperity have lost the true perspective of the masses, and it will be an easy matter for them to call down the fire, that will‘ destroy them before they realise the truth _of the situation. The prosperous people in Nexvgzealand may do worse than listen to the voice of their Jonah crying across the ocean ‘iPrcpare for the Crisis”. ' ' -