POLITICAL PROGRAMMES.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20268, 10 August 1937, Page 9

POLITICAL PROGRAMMES.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Another factor whloh assists In the devising and promulgation of ‘deceptive political programmes Is the opinion held by far too many electors that a Government possesses miraculous powers to shape events, especially economic ones, exactly as they like. The ancient Romans deified their emperors; the modern electorate deifies the Government. The facts that a Government can do only what circumstances allow It to do and that it cannot produce something out of nothin* are entirely unrecognised by a largei number of eleotors than one would think possible. A good example of this erroneous belief Is contained in your correspondence columns of Thursday’s i-ssue, where, In defending the Labour Party, a lady correspondent shows that shn has no idea of the fact that Governments are the playthings of circumstance. If the economio conditions of 1933-34 had subsisted during 193637 I am afraid the change of Governments would not have made muob difference. The prevalence of this superstition —one cannot call it anything else —is a strong factor in the construction of fallacious political programmes.—l am, oto., A. WARBURTON.. Ngaruawahla, August 8.