The Dominion. THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 1913. THE PLIGHT OF THE OLD PARTY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1661, 30 January 1913, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 1913. THE PLIGHT OF THE OLD PARTY.

We should, wo think, bo depriving tho North Island public of a treat ■if-'wo -failed to .notice an amusing and significant article on "The Labour Party" in Jihe leading columns of a southern Opposition journal. Our Opposition friends are still hopeful that with the aid of Mr. Sejiple and his friends they can somehow struggle back to office. It is their misfortune that they enjoyed twenty years of uninterrupted dom-. inance, arid so lost the two cardinal virtues which it requires a long spell of adversity to keep bright and activeT-the simple enough virtues of honesty arid clear-headedness. They have.seen the Conference carrying the moat extraordinary resolutions, pledging itself to a virulent Socialist policy, . stamping the U.L.P.'s representatives into helpless acquiescence, and, to use a phrase we used before, running amok in a fashion that must have alarmed and antagonised ■ thousands of , trade unionists. But they saw also that the Conference bristled with hatred of the Governments and that was enough for them. We did not, however, expect that the chief organ of the anti-Reformers would throw off all reserve, in rushing into the Federation's arms. It rejoices in "the peace and amity" which attended the Federation's swallowing up of the U.L.P., and hysistress upon the "unanimity" and "candour" of the proceedings as excellent auguries for success. .'■ ■■■ The abuse which the Conference flung at Mr. Massey seems to have led pur contemporary into baring its heart without a thought of prudence. It is indignant that anyone should deny (nobody has denied, as a mat : ter of fact) tho right of the "Labour" party to "change its mind" and; "revise its methods." For.that only fixes attention upon the extent of tho change and the revision. So far as we arc concerned, we demand nothing of the Labour party, save that it shall make its policy clear. • And clear enough the Conference made.it: The "change" and "revision" have been simple reversals of policy. The. "Labour" party,.now stands for the strike, Socialism, the abolition of the defence system, the stoppage of immigration, arid'sew oral other policies which pur' "Lib-, oral" friends never favoured before, i Perhaps in duo course'the more sober-minded men in the U.L.P. will make some attempt to escape from the allegiance to which ,their delegates have bound , : them. But our Opposition friends, are too impatient to do anything but welcome a "shoiilder-to-Bhoulder" fight with the United Federation, or anything else that will join them, against wicked Mr. Massey. They are. too angry, moreover, at their loss of office to conceal a single card in the strange hand which they ' think is theirs. The important thing, they tell us, _to quote . their southern mouthpiece, is to think about "the. attitude of the Liberal Party towards the new force." Of course, its attitude is, primarily, one of thankfulness to find, any party with which it can. Unite in crying' out loudly • against the Government. The doctrines of that party arc a minor, matter.

Our Opposition friends, however, are : humble :in their thankfulness. For twenty years they treated the Labour people as useful servants,as the hewers and drawers for the "Libera" oligarchy. It was never the "Labour-Liberal" party, but always the "Liberal-Labour" party, and the Labour party , grew at last a little tired of hewing and drawing. Now, however, it is going to be altogether different. "Labour," we are told, "is in a very different position to-day," and "it cannot be expected to re-enter a sort of junior partnership with its old ally.. It always has had aspirations, and now it has rights, and the power to enforce them. If the two progressive parties are to work in harmony towards a common end, Labour must be given its full share of opportunity and of representation?' One -cannot but pine to hear, say, Mr; 'Semple's, comment upon this naive confession that the "grand old Liberal party" will take a scullion's post in the house of government if .Mr. Sempi.e will only eject the present occupier. Tho southern paper admits that the arrangement will "of course, entail sacrifices on both sides," It is willing, so wo judge, to swallow nearly everything in the Federation's programme. But it need look for rio Sacrifices on the'other side in what it calls a "friendly ' compromise" with tho Federation. Tho master fallen into penury and seeking house-room from his one-time servant need not) the .servant being tho servant he is, expect anything but the 'attic. But" apparently the "grand old Liberal party"'will not mind that, for,_ we are told, "the goal to be attained is of so much importance" that the extent of tho sabrificc hardly matters. "The goal to bo attained" is simply the. defeat of the Reform Government. Amongst our "Liberal" friends there may bo many who will feci that they owe no _ duty any more to a party which is in such a plight that its only hope is, not even a Walid-Semple alliance, but a Sempj.eWard oher ,