The Dominion. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1914. FACING ALL WAYS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2319, 28 November 1914, Page 6

The Dominion. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1914. FACING ALL WAYS

To the average citizen one of the most difficult puzzles of our politics is to sort out the professions of party advocates made for purely vote-catching purposes from the practical proposals which, if honestly persisted with, may prove of some public benefit. _ At election times all political parties are given to overstating their case, and this has come to be accepted as inevitable, electors discounting the claims of partisans as their inclination may dictate. But it is expected of politicians that even at election times they shall on the larger questions of public policy definitely state their virws and in the event of success attending their candidature seek to. give effect to their pledges. The., outstanding weakness and probably the chief cause of the failure of the Wardist Party has been that it has always lacked the courage to stand by what it professes as its principles, and that it has faced all ways as popular feeling seemed to demand on many of the most important questions of the hour. This has been proved over and over again in connection with the_ land question, defence, labour legislation, electoral reform, and other subjects of public interest, and we need not recapitulate here instances which are familiar to most of our readers. But it is worth while directing attention to an exposure which has been made within the .past few days of what is a typical illustration of the facing-all-ways attitude of the party led by Sir Joseph; Ward. The "shocking example" in tho case under review is Mr. G. W. Russell, a member of the last "Liberal" Cabinet and Sir Joseph-Ward's first lieutenant; and the disclosures made gain piquancy from the fact that they are ventilated by. a member of the Social Democratic Party, Mr. Sullivan, who in this instance happens to be contesting a seat against the Wardist candidate.

It seems that Me. Russell has been endeavouring to damage the candidature of Me. Sullivan by directing attention to the plank in the Social Democrats' platform which provides for the abolition of the present system of compulsory universal training. Me, Sullivan is keenly resentful of this, and a few evenings ago he produced a letter written by Me. Russell, which has created quite a sensation in the electorate. It seems that the ex-"Liberal" Minister, who has publicly professed himself to favour the system of compulsory service, has expressed quite contrary opinions, privately. In the letter produced by Mb. Sullivan, dated from the Parliamentary Library, October 6, 1911, Mr. Russell stated emphatically that he was never in favour of the compulsory military training echemo, and said that he considered it both unnecessary, and impracticable. The point of interest to the general public in this matter is that Mn. Sullivan charges Mit. RussELL with profossing ono thing and acting another, and unhappily for Mr. Russell produces a letter written by Mit. Russell to prove it. Even then, however, Mk. Sullivan was not finished with the ex"Liboral" Minister. The report of his speech proceeds: It was not, he continued, an isolated instance of Mr. Russell's vagaries of political principles. Three years ago Mr. Russell 6tood as a leaseholder, niul characterised any giving of the freehold to Crown tenants as n great political steal. Yet they found Mr. Rnssell voting for the freehold and supporting the Massey Party in that. To-day he stood as a supporter of the freehold. Again, in March of k tWs. year, at tlw Fhilhustown School, Hr v

Russell, referring to proportional representation, dcclfirod tlint it was unnoccssary and undesirable to adopt that system in New Zealand. Since then, Sir Joseph Ward had included that principle in his platform, and now Mr. Russell supported it. Mr. Russell started his career as a thTee-fifths man on the Prohibition majority question. Later, in a letter to the Prohibition Party, he declared for the bare majority. Now ho was back at tho thrco-fifths principle. Ho (Mr. Sullivan) was sure that tho constituency could not have any confidence in a man. whose opinions were of such a constantly changing, such a flexible, nature as that. (Applause.) This_ exposure of Mr. Etjbsell's readiness to accommodate himself to whatever seoms best at the moment regardless of previously expressed views is of interest because Mn. Russell next to Sir Joseph Waed is the most prominent figuro in the Opposition, and by many is considered to exert greater influence in its Parliamentary ranks than the leader of the party himself. The party has leaders who are ready to face all ways and the party follow those leaders blindly. That is the very real menace of the Wardist Party to-day—it stands definitely for nothing that is likely to block its way to office. • It will if necessary accommodate its views to suit the Federation of Labour or anyone else, as it has in the past changed its viewß on important policy questions for no better reason than that it seemed probable that the change would give it a tighter hold on office. It wants office at all costs. Me. Sullivan's scourging of Mr. Russell was a scourging of the whole Wardist Party, for Me. Russell not only is a leader of that party, but ho typifies it.