Political Alliances.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14977, 26 May 1914, Page 6

Political Alliances.

Tho Opposition appear to be quito incapable of realising that the Reformers mind just as little- as tho public tho silly suggestion that tho Reform Party was over in alliance with the Red Feds. Nobody believes, or ever has believed, this diverting story; so that the repetition of it. merely affords us a legitimate reason for keeping fresh in tho public mind tho actual alliance botween the Warditcs and tho Reds. It is perfectly truo that in Grey Lynn, Otaki, and Wanganui, the Reformers voted for Messrs Payne. Robertson, and Veltch. and that these three gentlemen were Labour candidates. But not ono of them was a member of, or in any fray connected with, the Federation of liabour. They had uo raoro to do with .Messrs Somplo and Hickey and their friends than had, say, men like tho Hou. J. T. Paul or tho Hon. John Harr. A perusal of their speeches, and of tho criticisms passed upon them, makes this very clear; but the point was put beyond all doubt in March last by an authoritative statement on behalf of the Federation. In .a letter to tho "Now ! '•'Zealand Times,"' Mr 1 , . H. Hickey, who on this point, at any rate, is the best anthority, said: "It has been '•' stated through the columns of various J " papers that in both Otaki and Grey j "Lynn tho Reformers joined issue with " tbo Reds in order to defeat tho " Liberals. It is a matter of common " knowledge that in neither of these " two electorates wero there any Ked " organisations of any kind whatever. "... As a matter of fact, at the gen- " oral elections there wero only two " candidates in tho field that could in "any way bo said to bo contesting as " Reds. Theso were Mr 'Webb, now j " M.P. for Grey, and myself, contest"ing Ohinemuri." In any event, it wat made clear by the lloforin Party that tlM>y were supporting .Messrs Payne. Robertson, and Veitch, simply becauso they were opponents of Wardism, and had undertaken to voto against, tho Wnrd Government. It was nover stated, and never even pretended, that the Reformers deviated ono inch from their policy in supporting these candidates, or that either they or the Reformers were under any Obligation to each other. But the case of the

" Liberals" was very different. When Mr "Webb w.i> lighting Mr Michel in the second ballot, tho Opposition did not, merely say, a*, the Reformers did in the case of Otaki and Grey Lynn,

that they wero snpporting tho Labour man merely because he was against the Government. Had they merely said that, nobody could have complained. But they explained that they were supporting Mr "Webb because they liked his Red Fed. policy. The chief organ of the Opposition declared that the '• Liberals"' should support Mr Webb because the objective of "Liberalism ' and Red Fedism wax one and the same, and that the only difference betweon tho two parties was tho negligible one j that the lied*, vanted to move towards J that objective a little faster than he J " Liberals." Tho Christchurch organ was more explicit. It appealed to the "Liberals' , to vote for Mr "Webb on the ground that tho Red Fed. policy w,is. on nino points out of ten, the same as tho policy of the Opposition. Although we have a ecore of times given our anti-Ilexorm friends au opportunity to retract or modify that very clear statement of the community of thought and aim between tho two halves of tho '•progressive ,, whole, they have never done j-o. and we really think we arr: therefore entitled to believe that they meant- what they said. Mr Webb's victory was celebrated by tho ''Liberals" at a party supper, and Mr Webb has shewn many times that, while remaining a Red Fed., he regards Sir J. G. Ward as his political leader. In Lytteiton tho ''Liberals" wero urged by the Opposition organ to support Mr McCombs on tho ground that tho '•Liberals' , und Red reds, should stand together for the furtherance of their comnjou progressive policy. I'iio testimony of the litriko is written to deep in the minds of the public that we need do no moro than say that it would have been surprising, after all that had gone before, if the Opposition, iusido nvd outsido Parliament, had not done whatever they could to support the Federation. Finally, hardly ii day. passes without the Opposition Preys expressing its hone that there will lw no split between tho Red Feus, and the '' Liberals. ■' All this, of course, is common knowledge; and we shall welcome every opportunity which the Opposition may afford us of rerallimi tho facts.