ANYTHING BUT SPORTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 May 1921, Page 8

ANYTHING BUT SPORTS.

PLAYING A CROOKED GAME. THE TACTICS OF THE REDS. (Contributed hy the N.Z. Welfare League.) If the word of the Red advocates is taken for granted they might be regarded as the only people on earth who have any principle. It is only when ' you have watched their play for some time ihat you learn the truth that they have no idea of sportsmanship. The more we see of the men who call themselves ‘•The New Zealand Labor Party” the more are we convinced that their whole purpose is to score; whether by fair moans or foul does not seom to concern them. The following appears in “The Reds” paper of May 11: — LABOR COUNCIL OF NEW SOUTH •WALES. i; ;• Trades Hall, Goulburp St., Sydney, April 28, 1921. (To the Editor, Maoriland Worker, Wellington, N.Z.) Dear Comrade, —I have the honor by direction of above council, by resolution carried at the last general meeting, to request your paper to publish the following: ‘‘During the 1917 railway strike, Richard Arnst, better known as Dick Arnst (professional sculler) acted as a Loyalist at that period, he having, entered the employment of the New South Wales Railway Commissioners, and performed duties, which had been previously carried out by workers who were out on strike to defend a “Trade Union Principle.” —Thanking you in anticipation, Yours fraternally, J. S. GARDEN, Secretary.

The man attacked in this treacherous underhand way because, as stated he was a “Loyalist” who did not believe in blacklegging on his country when she was at war and Heeding all the assistance possible, is well known as a brilliant athlete. His record as a sport in New Zealand and Australia stanes high as the winner of the MelbourneSydney bike race, and in holding at one time the world’s championship as a “Sculler.” He did as much as any one could in bringing New Zealand to the fore, so we have the Red Labor Council of New South Wales, which is led -by men like Comrade Garden (who screams .for revolution on every possible and impossible occasion) calling upon the Reds here to black list Dick Arnst throughout New Zealand, and, without hearing Mr. Arnst’s side of the question, the “Paper” proceeds to play the game of attempting to discredit a man without any evidence beyond a charge of the prosecution. It stands to the credit of the man attacked that, he was a Loyalist in 1917 when his country was in trouble, and required sounder loyalty than the Reds were prepared to supply. Strikes were entered upon by iblack laborites, who care for nothing but their own hands. They stuck up supplies which the Diggers and the people stood in pressing need of, and it is a lie to say that these things were done for defence of any legitimate Trade Union, principle. The Reds thought it a good time to squeeze the country when it was in trouble. Men who were real sports, like Dick Arnst, refused to play the foul game and took thvir stand -as “Loyalists.” The leaders of the Reds in New Zealand are making great professions of their' loyalty to King and Country now when it costs them nothing, and they may gain votes by it. That is all part of the crooked play of those who are not sports in any true sense.

The point we desire to emphasise is that if Mr. Arnst arrived in New Zealand and wished to present his side of the issue raised by this paper it would be making a defence after condemnation as the Red organ black list listed him unheard. Of course he would treat the matter with' which is the feeling New Zealand people will have for such mean action as the Reds are here guilty of. Wo drew the attention of one of the Leading sports bodies to this matter and asked them what they thought of it and they expressed their utter disgust at the scandalous methods of these people. THE WICKED PRESS. Next let us consider their outcries against what they call “The Capitalist Press.” What do we find? The cry is simple blatant hypocricy when judged upon the fair standard of the practices of their own journals. Take the following: When the letters re seditious publications, which passed between the Acting Prime Minister, Sir Francis Bell, and Mr. 11. E. Holland, M.P., were made public the Red Papers published Mr. Holland’s but not that of Sir Francis Bell, whilst other newspapers published both. Had the- .daily papers published that of Sir Francis Bell alone how the Reds would have howled, but evidently vibe in other people is virtue when practised by them. As a matter of fact the Red Organs throughout play the game foul. They are the most onesided, prejudiced and virulent journals in existence. No wonder Mr. Robert Blatehford said of their chief organ in New Zealand that he damned the paper and never wished to set eyes on it again. The true Britisher and Colonial loves clean sport and of the Reds it can be said with truth that they are anything but sports.

FREEDOM AND JUSTICE. The men of the misnamed “New Zealand Labor Party” never cease talking big about free speech, self determination, the right, to work; What is their record? Everybody knows that there has been more interruptions of public meetings from that side than from any other. Then we find that if any group of workers seek to determine their own affairs in ways not approved of by the Reds they are spoken of in insulting terms. “T?ie right to work.” We all know what it if, when even the most silly strike is on, some of the workers claim their right to work. Sham and sportsmanship do not go together, and the sham professions of these people are little in keeping with their practices. On analysis it is seen that the policy of the Reds, both in industry and politics, rests upon their assumption of the right to eradicate. They are not sports. The true character of a sport is that of a person who is willing to give and take. The Reds want to do all the taking—they are not sports.

Men may win for a time by .playing the mean game, a party likewise, but "the time comes when they are found out. and bowled out. The Reds have had their innings in New Zealand and have jplayed it badly because they are not sports. xne people are at. last discovering that fact.