Now Then!

By the Scribe

Everybody who is Anybody in the NZ way of life today was at one stage not too shook on bullets, and once lectured on the art of dodging them, even to the extent of wearing the broad arrow. These same democrats, while still evincing no particular interest in bullets, will soon pass laws to make someone else go down the road and collect a few.

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Here's a film vilifying our ex-ally about to be shown throughout the country, recommended to all lovers of our way of life by the Hon. Semple. Here's a Houseful of politicians and the U.S.A. beating the drum for conscription. Here's a recruiting, campaign, Operation Whitebait, to get us into khaki. Isn't there a UN Agreement, signed by New Zealand, by which all Governments agree to ban war-mongering?

Pleasant reading, that bit in the papers about "grim" pictures of the bullet-smashed face and head of the Chinese Communist leader Lau Yew, slain by police recently, being displayed on leaflets dropped by the RAF in Malaya as part of the Government's "psychological offensive." Offensive is the word all right. Makes you wonder if callous Communists really monopolise the technique of sadism.

Of course, Communists cause all the trouble in Italy, same as elsewhere. Their leader, Togliatti, conspired to have himself shot at just so the workers could have a general strike next day.

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You've seen pictures in the paper of 88-year-old taxi-driver J. Streek, the original for the sailor on Player's cigarette-packets, being presented with a food parcel. Here's a man who's been the means of advertising and selling this cigarette for years, yet what did he get for it? We don't know, but when we realise that at the ripe old age of 88 he has to drive a taxi to keep himself we draw our inferences.

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The change from verbal to written questions in the radio Citizens' Forum was made because the submission of written questions enabled a more balanced presentation of opinion, according to the Minister of Broadcasting. Let there be no talk of censorship.

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The Soviet won the world chess tournament; but you'll never convince some people that it wasn't done by white-anting and terror.

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No good saying one thing and meaning another. Someone at the special screening of "The Iron Curtain" reckoned the film wasn't in line with facts. For this remark the Free Press (Evening Ghost) labelled him "obviously a Communist sympathiser." Next thing these boys will be saying freedom of speech is a great thing. So it is: Freedom of truth, not freedom of lies.