PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20915, 21 September 1939, Page 11

PUBLIC OPINION

As expressed by correspondents wnose letters are welcome, but for whose views we have no responsibility, j Correspondents are requested to! write in ink. It is essential that anonymous writers enclose theirj proper names as a guarantee ot good faith. Unless this rule is com- j plied with, their letters will not j appear. TRIBUTE TO EFFICIENCY (To the Editor) Sir, —How often do we read and hear caustic criticism of our public officials accusing them of lack of efficiency, bureaucratic methods and “red tape” generally ? As an offset to this kind of thing may 1 pay a tribute to the efficient organisation of those responsible for issuing the petrol coupons? To Ihe private motorist who knew Ihe number and make of his car and could sign his name on a card the whole business was over in thirty seconds, and as far as 1 could see there was no waiting in queues. 1 take my hat off to these people for a great job of work. —I am, etc., TEN GALLONS. Hamilton, September 20. THEN AND NOW (To the Editor) Sir, —One hardly expected to listen to news that reminded one of the early days of war in 1914. In recollecting those events we notice today a striking resemblance to what went on then. Germany the enemy; sinking uf ships at sea; propaganda from both sides. Charges of inhumanity also from both sides. True it is more interesting today because we get news direct, but to those of us who can remember 1914, the parallel is too obvious to escape other thoughts. It looks like the old game and the old gang. We have not Ihe financial proposals of the New Zealand Government for war purposes yet, but when that information is given, we will be able to decide whether the moneylenders have been up to the old game again. In the meantime, we, the general public, will make sacrifices to mammon by way of taxes and rising costs owing to our leaders not having the courage to put tilings right in 1933. To them we offer our best thanks.—l am, etc., NON PARTY. , Hamilton, Sept. 20. CONSCRIPTION FOR ALL (To the Editor) Sir, —We are at war. It will be a long war unless something happens internally in Germany. The young men have made a good response to the call of duty. It has been mooted that certain artisans in wood have obtained posts in military work whereby they work 40 hours a week and receive extra pay for overtime. As this work is in connection with camps, we can see that somebody is going to get a good spin under these conditions. Is it not fair to the soldier that these others who are doing essential work should be placed on the same footing as the soldier?

I suggest that all men of suitable age be conscripted and under military rule with military penalties. A job has to be done in building camps, etc. Right. Let the men so employed be paid according to army pay and rations. There would be no question of a

strike. The soldier who is paid for work of danger should receive better treatment than his confrere who is working behind the lines. In this way \ve would eliminate an evil which was abroad during the last war of men in trenches losing their lives while munition workers and others obtained fat wages and “cushy” jobs for the duration. —I am, etc., OLD BILL. Hamilton, Sept. 20. “STRAWS IN THE WIND” (To the Editor) Sir, —Under the above title (or was it “Wind in the Straw”?), Mr R. G. Young has referred to the currency notes which Hitler has apparently caused to be dropped in Polish towns. In this he sees the sinister hand of “international finance.” I notice with deep regret that Mr Young seems to be losing his dash. Perhaps 1 really ought to be admiring his acuteness in bluffing Hitler into going on with this (to him) suicidal policy of “distributing purchasing power,” but I feel the public is entitled to share in the joy of the truth about the matter, which is obvious only to the really initiated, like Mr Young and ourselves. The truth should have been trumpeted to the world after this fashion: “Social Credit in practice!” “Free money at last!” “The gap bridged!” “The shortage short-circuited!” etc., etc.,

Mr Young should have told us that all this talk about suffering and devastation in Poland was bunkum—mere financial propaganda. He would tell us that in the stimulus of this issue of “costless credit,” Poland will rise like the phoenix from the ashes of her defeat by international finance, and in a week or two become just as prosperous as, say, Alberta. In other words, only nitwits like Schacht could, for a moment, suppose that this issue of “free money” could do anything else but guarantee national prosperity. At least this would have been the story in those happy, far-off days “When we were all so very, very, R. G. Young.”—l am, etc., DOUGLAS SEYMOUR. Hamilton, Sept. 19. THE EUROPEAN CONFLAGRATION (To Ihe PMitor) Sir.—The question has been raised, now that Poland has been practically j put out of action and the aggressive I Powers have agreed upon a plan for I partitioning her territory, whether Britain and France would he justified | in continuing the struggle. I think a i little reflection will convince the | majority that the two guarantors of ! Polish integrity are more than ever committed to the continuation of the struggle, the origin of which is much deeper rooted than the fate of Poland. It is a war for principle and integrity. Both Soviet Russia and NaM Ger-

many have amply demonstrated that they are outside the pale of truth; they have ostentatiously renounced the tenets of -Christianity and gone after other gods; they have adopted the law of the jungle and proclaim the creed that might is right, and that their weaker neighbours have neither right nor privilege.

Britain and France, by their pledge to Poland, accepted the Nazi-Bolshevik challenge to defend the weak against ruthless aggression, and, having put their hands to the plough, cannot nowlook back until their task is accomplished. To hesitate now would mean that other countries would share the fate of Poland. Czechoslovakia and others already absorbed. While we must expect setbacks and reverses, we should keep our eyes fixed on our goal, which we shall reach at t.he end. Have we not the assurance that good will overcome evil; also the declaration that lliosc who take the sword shall perish by Hie sword, and that nations which refuse to acknowledge the Almighty which Nazi Germany caul Soviet Russia have done without equivocation; shall perish?—l am, etc„ BOANERGES. Hamilton, September 20.