THE WELFARE LEAGUE.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 May 1921, Page 7

THE WELFARE LEAGUE.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—My original patient, the Welfare League propagandist, on paid agitation., is evidently cured, or journalistically dead. Either result will no doubt, have afforded gi-eat relief to his anxious relatives. In his place I now have Mr. G. R. Weir, the careful honorary secretary ofc the New Plymouth branch. Mr. Weir’s case, unfortunately, presents no features of interest, a mild general debility being 'the chief trouble. I am, therefore, giving his complaint only the most cursory diagnosis and treatment. Mr. Weir opens up by politely calling me a liar. This symptom is almost certainly evanescent, and of no clinical importance. My first patient enjoyed my good joke, whereas Mr. Weir refers to my “poor joke”— “assumed smartness” —and “heavy attempt at humor.” If the propagandist is still alive, I will leave Mr. Weir and him to settle with each other in this matter. I am pained to learn that Messrs. Skerrett and Harper have been subjected to the coarsest personal abuse. But I cannot say that I am surprised. If these gentlemen habitually use such words as treacherous, brazenly, meanness, lie, effrontery, I should expect to hear eventually that they have been subjected to the coarsest and most personal kind of black eyes by the unlettered proletarians who do not appreciate the delicacy of these complindents. I regret that I cannot be bothered to accept Mr. Weir’s challenge to produce a quotation in Tyhich the League has used an invective against a Labor Union. Mr. Weir can consult the article, “The New Unionist,” and then look up the meaning of “invective” in a dictionary. Finally, Mr. Weir, like the propagandist, seems to require not less than a fortnight in which to think out a reply, and as I am already approaching middle age, I see no likelihood of finishing a discussion with him in this life. So I will merely give him the simple instructions his case requires, and let it go at that. It is perhaps hardly necessary, but I may explain that my method of treating cases of the XX 7 elfare League type is the orthopaedic one, that is, the system of therapeutics known to the laity as “leg-pulling.” If Mr. Weir suffers mueh pain in the future, any Laborite with a sense of humor will take his temperature and apply the, appropriate remedy. Should any more acute cases occur amongst the Welfare League before my cows come in again, I shall be pleased to again render assistance, but, in the meantime, I will leave the League to pronounce the closing benediction on the Labor Party (a fortnight hence, of course) and disperse. —I am, etc, H. W. BAXTER. M.D., M.R.C.V.S. (more or less). Egmont Village, May 6, 1921.