WELCOME PREPARED IN NEW ZEALAND FOR LYNDON B. JOHNWATER
By H. Holland -
Wellington
When the itinerary of President Johnson's visit to New Zealand was announced, Barry Mitcalfe, chairman of the New Zealand Committee on Vietnam, stated that orderly protest demonstrations would be staged.
This provoked an appeal from Prime Minister Keith J. Holyoake. "However much the Committee on Vietnam is opposed to American policies in Vietnam," he said, "I sincerely hope its members refrain from demonstrating on this occasion." Holyoake has followed a policy of supporting Johnson and involving New Zealand in the dirty war. The prime minister described as nonsense the statement by Mitcalfe that Johnson's visit was akin to the Emperor Nero visiting far-flung Gaul or Britain.
What is interesting in this situation is that for the first time in New Zealand's history an appreciable grass-roots protest movement has formed on a foreign policy issue. The Committee on Vietnam has fourteen chapters and more than 5,000 active members. It has printed considerable material against the war, demanding the withdrawal of New Zealand's troops and helping to make the war a sharp issue in the elections scheduled for November 26. : .
The fact that. the prime minister deemed it expedient to make an appeal not to demonstrate is a measure of the committee's strength. Mitcalfe, taking a gamble it seemed, ‘offered to call off the projected demonstrations if President Johnson would receive a deputation of eninent persons.
The prime minister rejected this offer -- which in the opinion of some of the committee's supporters should: not have been made in the first place -- and the way was cleared for demonstrations against the visit. Placards were being prepared with such welcoming signs as "Lyndon B. Johnwater" and "Lyndon B. God.
-Some of the more politically backward supporters of the committee proposed to carry bannérs: such as "Robert Kennedy for President." The reasoning behind displaying such a sloganis (1) that it would get publicity overseas, (2) that it- would. consti- — tute’ a subtle rebuke to Johnson for!electioneering in support of ‘the ruling party just before New Zealand's parliamentary elections. Thus if Johnson is canvassing in New Zealand for support for a partisan group in the November 26 elections, then New Zealanders have a right to do the same in-the USA.
The only trouble with this line of thinking is that it blatantly ignores the fact that: Robert Kennedy ‘is in reality as much a warmonger as Johnson. Besides that, he is not at. present campaigning for the presidency. .
’ Still ‘the times are changing and the torpor that has affected these islands has come to an end. The long sleep has been of approximately thirty years duration; but now we are beginning to rejoin the human race. |
SCANDALS EMBARRASS SATO GOVERNMENT
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