CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 March 1921, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

MR. O'DEA AND LIBERALISM. (To the Editor.) Sir.—" Your reply to my letter calls for no answer. He simply evades every issue and escapes in a smoke screen of words. But it is pretty hot stuff throwing the blame of the mis-spelling of "Kairl Marx” on to the poor compositor. It would be very interesting to see* "Your Own’s” letter. Sir, and I feel sure you would not mind showing it to a friend whom I will nominate. Now as to Mr. Jennings’ vaporous outpourings. He refers back to Sir George Grey and Gladstone. Really, Mr. Jennings, why not have gone further back to Giordano Bruno or.. Galileo Galilei? These were all Liberal thinkers who did a great deal for the workers of their centuries. If Mt. Jennings has not read references of their exploits, I shall be s very pleased to send him references to their works. This

ancient stuff will not do, Mr. Jen-1 nings; it is played out, as is the party to which you belong. Answering Mr. Jennings, who pauses expectantly for a reply, as he says, I realise what Sir George Grey and Gladstone did for Ireland; it was very little, as witness the present state of Ireland. Yes, I am the identical P. O’Dea who stood ten years ago as a Liberal candidate. Thefe Was then no organised Labor party. There was one unit, if I remember aright, in Parliament who called himself Labor, Mr. David McLaren, of the same type of Labor man as I should imagine Mr. W. T. Jennings to be. Were there a Labor party, make no mistake about it—l would have, been in it. I always thank my lucky stars that I was defeated, for in all probability if elected I would have been a “carpet bagger’’ like a good many other men whp enter Parliament. The Liberals, we are told introduced factory legislation. Old Age Pensions, etc. Mr. Jennings may not be aware of it, but they actually have this advanced legislation in Spain. Mr. Jennings lives tn the mists and traditions of a generation ago. There is one consolation—these old timers are passing away. Now, Mr. Jennings, having answered your questions, I trust you will answer mine I will tabulate for the purpose of reference. rfl) Does Mr. Jennings belong to the Wilford Liberals or the anti-Wilford Liberals? (2) If the former, will lie say how many constitute Mr. Wilford’s bodyguard besides himself? (3) Did Mr. Wilford make the statement attributed to him of “Soft soft pedalling” and “I am an Independent?” (4) If, yes, how does Mr. Jennings justify his position In this “rump” of a party, because it can he called by no other name? (5) Will he deny that Labor increased its vote at last election by nearly 300 per cent? (6) Will he say by what Liberalism increased Its vote? Will he deny that it was a minus quantity? (8) Will he say how the Liberals voted as a body on Mr. Holland’s motion for self-detir-minatlori for Ireland in 1920? Again .’n 1921? How did Mr. Jennings himself vote? (9) Will he say how Liberalism as a body voted on tte question of indentured labor for Samoa, on the question of indentured boy labor, on Mr. Howard’s motion for the abolition of 'Common employment’ as a defence tc actions by workmen against employers? Will he say how he himself voted? (10) Will Mr. Jennings say how he himself voted on the clause on the Divorce Amendment Bill allowing divorce by mutual consent? I wonder if Mr. Jennings will face the barriers, or baulk at them as “Your Own” Hawera correspondent did? I wouldn’t mind betting a pound to a gooseberry that he baulks. I do not mince words when I say that the sooner this unsavory thing called Liberalism is dead and decently buried, the sooner will clear-cut issues again face the electors. —I am, etc., P. O’DEA. Hawera, March 24, 1921.