SIR JOSEPH WARD AND LABOUR
It is very plain that the LabourSocialists, who, to suit their plans, took Sir Joseph Ward to their bosom and promised him their assistance agaiust the Reform Government, have no illusions concerning their future relations with the Wardists. That mouthpiece of the Social Democratic, cause, Tlie Maoriland Worker, in its issue of yesterday went to some pains to make it quite clear to the Leader of the Opposition that in the matter of fundamentals Labour and Liberalism have nothing in common; that the difference between the Reform Party and the Liberal Party is ouly a factional' difference of degree; that the economic interests which foundation the politics of both the Liberal and the Reform Parties are identical; that Labour in Parliament will fight its own battles in its own, way, and that Labour members in Parliament will not take part in the Liberal caucus or line up at the crack ot tho Liberal whip. - The passage quoted above from the official organ of the Social Democratic Party is by way of a rebuke to Sir Joseph Ward for presuming to assume the role of interpreter of Labour's aims and aspirations, and more especially by way of contradiction of certain of the utterances of the Leader of the. Opposition in his desperate endeavour to persuade the electors of Dunedin Central to return the Labour-Socialist_ candidate. It savours somewhat of' ingratitude on the part Labour-Socialists to find their newspaper denouncing Sir Joseph Ward's well-meant efforts to persuade the public that -Mr. Munro was neitheri "Red Fed" nor "Socialist." The Maoriland Worker, however, is not at all inclined _to permit the-Leader of the Opposition to deceive either himself or the public as to the objective of his new allies. "Labour," it states,_ ' "has nothing to hide and • nothing to apologise for. Its objective in all countries is frankly Socialism. To attempt to smother up the fact would not be politic neither would it .be honest." But the unkindest cut of all is tho suggestion that instead of helping Mr. Munro, Sir Joseph Ward's advocacy really injured his candidature. "We really do not think," comments the journal.before quoted, "that Sir Joseph's apologetic propaganda, and inaccurate utterances greatly helped Mr. Munro. On the contrary, we fear that, the effect was otherwise. Sir . Joseph's unhappy attempt to convince 'the 'electors that it was not straight-out Labour that was making the fight was both unfortunate and demoralising." The point of chief interest to the public in this outspoken criticism of the Leader of the Opposition by the official organ of the LabourSocialists, is the confirmation it affords of the unpleasant fact which Sir Joseph Ward is so loth N recognise: that is, that the LabourSocialists do not trust him, and that they desire merely to use him as their political tool. They had hoped to create a situation which would pla.ee Sir Joseph Ward in office, dependent on some half-dozen LabourSocialist votes, and that they w,ould thus be able to squeeze out of him those revolutionary ' changes to be found in what is known as their "fighting platform.'' The plans 'of the allies having miscarried, the objective of the Labour-Socialists is confessed with the utmost candour, and without the slightest regard for the feelings of those who have been endeavouring to keep this unpleasant aspect of the alliance in the background. Sir' Joseph Ward must find his Labour-Socialist allies a great trial.
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Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2382, 11 February 1915, Page 6
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570SIR JOSEPH WARD AND LABOUR Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2382, 11 February 1915, Page 6
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