THE POLITICAL SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2339, 22 December 1914, Page 4

THE POLITICAL SITUATION

- : ~ The most interesting feature of the political situation .at the moment is the meeting which is to be hel<J to-day under tho presidency of Sir Joseph Ward, to which tho 33 Wardist and 7 Labour-Socialist members of the House of Representatives have been invited. Two of these gentlemen—one in each party— wc in a somewhat shaky position so far as the holding of their seats is concerned, and investigations by the illectoral Court may result in their being displaced, but for the time faemg. they can bo regarded as elected. It is understood that the main purpose of to-day's meeting is to endeavour to induce _ the various brands of " Labour * members to enter into some form of undertaking to support Sir Joseph Ward. It is the practico of Ward Party journals to speak of the Opposition as though it we're a united party, the members of which held ideas in common. As everyone knows, this is very far from being the case. There aro only 33 members pledged to Sir Joseph Ward, the _ remaining seven being Labour-Socialists of varying degrees of colour, from the flaming hue of Mr. Payne to the subdued tones of Mr. Veitch and Mr. Hindmarsii. The seven Labour-Socialist members hold the Ward Party in the hollow of their hands. They arc not committed to Sir Joseph Ward or his party, and Sir Joseph Ward is helpless without them. It is true that he can rely on them to vote to put the Reform Government out of office, but unless he can induce them to pledge themselves to support him in tno event_ of tho present ' Government vacating the Treasury benches, then ho has only 33 members in a House of 80 he can rely on. What inducment then can the Ward Party hope to bold out to the Labour-Socialists to gain their support ? On the basis of their voting strength they would be entitled to two seats in any Cabinet that might bo formed by Sir Joseph Ward. Which of the seven would be allotted these portfolios? Mr. Veitch is regarded as certain to receive recognition, and the remaining portfolio presumably would rest botween Mr. Hindharsh and Mr. Webb.

But it may bo recalled that at the elections Sin Joseph AVard preferred to waste the absent electors' votes at his disposal rather than east them for either Mr. Webb, Mr. Payne, or Mr. M'Combs. If he thought so little of the membors in question as to decline to assist them at the ballots, how could he take any one of them into any Cabinet he might form?_ Presumably he did not wish to assist them into Parliament (although he cast "Liberal" votes in favour of at least one of their fellow Social Democrats), and therefore they can hardly hope for more important favours at his hands save under compulsion. In the circumstances it would seem that Mr. Veitch and Mr. Hindmarsh are moro likely to be'favoured by the Leader of the Opposition than are the Social Democrat members. Failing portfolios, what can the Ward Party offer the Labour militants? They want proportional representation, hut Sir Joseph Ward is pledged to maintain the country quota. It is quite absurd to pretend that any socalled system of proportional representation that retains the country quota is the genuine article, and the Labour-Socialists know this quite well. That being the case, will they be content -with a bogus system which_ retains what they regard as a material handicap to their cause? But there is another side to the question. How far are the country members of Sir Joseph Ward's own following prepared to go in the direction of sacrificing the interests of the country dwellers in order to pander to the Labour extremists 1 The position it is easy to see is a very complicated one, ana must be somewhat disquieting to the more responsible of the "Lihoral" Party. Wo have not the slightest doubt that the Labour-Socialists will be ready to express their willingness to support Sir Joseph "VYard should he by any chance be called on to form a Ministry, but what would happen after, when the Government so formed was dependent on, and at the mercy of, the votes of the little Labour-Socialist coterie? It is certain that Sir Joseph Ward or anyone else 60 situated would havo a very anxious and trying time. The Ward Party, however, is very fully occupied just now in endeavouring to 'encourage the idea that the Opposition is a united party, and it hopes at to-day's meeting to commit the Labour-Socialists sufficiently to enable it to declare this to be the ease. Probably it will succeed, for the Labour-Socialist members themselves at present are not a united party, and one of their number at least is probably more in sympathy with the Ward Party than with the Labour-Socialists. Unhappily for to-day's gathering, two of its members have hanging over them tho prospect- of their election being upset, and under oxisting conditions it is somewhat premature to make places and enter into agreements. Until the final decisions of the Courts are learned the political situation must remain in doubt, and to-day's meeting is therefore mainly ,of interest for the light it may assist to throw on the probable future relations of j!>3 Wardists and tho Labour-Social-ists.