SUNDAY EVENING BROADCASTS.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 November 1939, Page 4

SUNDAY EVENING BROADCASTS.

JN a somewhat emotional utterance the Prime Minister (Mr Savage) has followed up his recent observations on free Speech and the freedom of the Press by declaring that there is a definite move today to sabotage the Government’s war efforts in every way and that it is his duty, as head of the Government, “to see that those people do not. get away with it.” . To that end, Mr Savage proposes to broadcast for a quarter ol an hour every Sunday evening. From his further observations, it would appear that the Prime Minister is concerned chiefly over current agitation by farmers and bv the representatives of importing interests. lie said, for example, that “there seemed to be an unholy alliance between the importers and a section of the farmers.” It. is by no means obvious that any agitation conducted by and on behalf of these sections whatever the nature of the alliance between them, is fairly to be identified with an attempt “to sabotage the Government’s war efforts in every way.” An overwhelming weight of opinion in this country, including that of people politically opposed, undoubtedly iavonrs a loyal and ungrudging war effort in co-operation with the rest of the Empire. On the other hand, opinion obviously is divided sharply on questions, amongst others, of the economic position ol our primary industries and of import policy. The right and democratic method of dealing with questions ol this nature presumably is to carry I hem in free discussion to a point ol practical conclusion. In open discussion it will undoubtedly be demonstrated, if if has not been demonstrated sufficiently already, that people who hold extremely divergent views.on detail questions of policy and method are wholly ol one mind in loyally’ supporting a united war effort, the charge oi attempts' “to sabotage the Government’s war efforts in every way” is a grave one which should not be made without being substantiated. Although the Prime Minister somewhat ungraciously refuses to admit the fact, he and his colleagues are offered every possible facility for airing their views in the columns of the newspaper Press of the Dominion. If does not seem to be out of place to suggest. that if the Sunday evening broadcasts contemplated by Mr Savage are desirable—a point on which opinion may be much divided —it should be worth while. Io consider whether it would not be just and equitable to give both sides—i.e., the Government and its critics —the opportunity of stating their ease in that way.