Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1941. POLITICS AND WAR DEMANDS.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 September 1941, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1941. POLITICS AND WAR DEMANDS.

JjITTLE as a good many members of Parliament show themselves aware of the fact, a strong and widespread desue exists in the Dominion that party politics should be dropped for the duration of the war. That desire can only have been heightened by some recent displays of party rancour that von (. be described too politely as unedifying. At a lime ivhen men are dying for us day by day, it is humiliating to see 01 icai representatives of the people, some ol them ol matuie .y dis ’ wasting time in berating and abusing one another in the House of Representatives. As a matter of common decency I us one of thing ought to stop, but it is much more important ia ie people of New Zealand have every right to demand ol arliament an undivided and loyal concentration on the Ide and death problems bv which we and other democracies are coni routed.

Exactly what issues are to be submitted to the voters of the Dominion if the election now more or less definite y in prospect takes place is not obvious. 1 here can >< 110 ( 011 1 <IS to how the decision would turn, however, if the electors were given an open ami clear opportunity of distinguishing be ween those who are, and those who are not. prepared to subordinate all questions of party interest and advantage to 1 ie winning of the war The fact that a division of candidates on these lines probably is impracticable in itself goes far to make an election futile, for the winning of the war now is or should be the issue commandingly dominating all others.

' In an atmosphere of contention in Hie House of Representatives, the Acting-Prime Minister (Mr Nash) has said that the attitude of the Opposition makes political unity almost impossible. It must be hoped that this is not the last word on the subject, for the country certainly is entitled to a better and more purposeful lead. It may be believed that if the right lead were given—as it may be by the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) oiThis return—effective political, unity avotilc! be attained with little difficulty and party contention either eliminated or reduced to proportions in which it might be ignored. Those who face’the grim facts of the present emergency can do nothing else than condemn uncompromisingly any and every attempt, however plausibly it may be advocated and supported, to maintain and intensify political and other differences. If the Avar Avere not Avon, an end Avould be made l speedily and decisively, but in a most unpleasant fashion, of political differences as avc have known them in the past.

Following' on qnietly-worflecl but earnest appeals by Mr Coates, on his return from his mission to America, for unity in forwarding' the national Avar effort, Mr Downie Stewart has given a timely Avarning of the dangers that attend our existing political divisions. Mr SteAvart no doubt is right in holding that it is not too late to postpone an election and that if a strong lead is given by the Prime Minister the response will

not be lacking Avhich Avill make it possible to end a state of affairs no thinking man or woman can regard Avithout distaste and concern.