THE POLITICAL TANGLE IN AUSTRALIA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2932, 18 November 1916, Page 10

THE POLITICAL TANGLE IN AUSTRALIA

OUTLOOK REVIEWED CAUCUS EXPULSIONS The following article (written liefore the announcement of Mr. Hughes's break with the Labour Caucus) appeared in the Melbourne "Argus." It presents a compact summary of tho main features of the situation in Federal and State politics as it existed immediately after the conscription referendum": Although the involved Federal poliical_ situation and the Labour Party crisis are allied, it seems probablo that the one may be satisfactorily dealt with for the present without the other being in any way modified. Mr. Hushes may, and doubtless will, carry on and enjoy a successful term as Prime Minister during the more critical part of the war period. The settlement of tho differences that divide the Federal Parliamentary Labour Party would ill that event merely, be postponed. Sootier or later, however, they must bo faced. These differences arise not directly in the Parliamentary Labour Party itself, but in the organisations in some of the States. To obtain a thorough grasp of their nature and ccopc it is necessary to review recent events in the State organisation in which the disruptive influence of tho industrialists is most marked. Reliable information regarding these events has bee.n brought to Melbourne by those Federal members who are returning after a vigorously prosecuted referendum campaign in .'their homo States. Federal and N.S.W. Expulsions. The Australian home of the "industrial" movement in trades unionism as well as of tho 1.W.W., is in New South Wales. Tho extremists in that State were only waiting for a favourable opportunity to givo the Ministerialists a quick, if not a happy, dispatch, and were prompt to seize upon the division 011 tho conscrintion issue as supplying that, opportunity. Mr Hughes was accordingly expelled in September, and Mr. Hohtian (Premier) ?r' - "R" ?■' . JJ?", fAttorney-General), Mr. A. Griffith (Minister of Education) , Mr. Bagnall, M.L.A.; and Mr. Oarr, M.H.R., were informed that their nominations as candidates for re-elcc-tion to the seats they held would not be endorsed. For a time the industrialists were satisfied with this stroke Other members of the State Ministry leading members of the State Parliamentary party, and of tho outside organisations promptly ranged themselves in lino with Mr. Hughes and Mr. Holman. Other members of tho State party., and practically all tho Now South Wales members of the Federal Parliamentary Labour Party camo obediently to heel, and took the platform as anti-conscriptionists. The "No" vote in New South .Wales has been taken by the industrialists and the ' antis" as confirming their position, and they have now openly assumed command of the Labour arganisation. I hey have expelled tho following 18 members of the State Labour Party: Messrs. W. A. Holman (Premier), W. h. Ashford (Minister of Lands). A. Griffith (Minister of Public Instruction) i D. R, Hall (Attorney-General), H. c! I Hoylo (Minister of Labour), J. G. D Arkins (Castlcreagh), W. It. C. Bagnall (St. George), G. A. Burgess (BurranJ* S. Crawford (Alarrickville), A. Edden (ICahibah), A. J?. Gardiner (Newcastle), It. Hollis (Newtown), J. S. T. M'Gowen (Redfern), R. D. Meagher (Speaker, Philip), J. B. Mercer (Rozelle), J. J. Morrish (King), ,1. B. Nicholson (Woollongong), N. Scobic (Murray). Mr. Spence, M.H.R., who supported Mr. Hughes, lias .also been expelled, and the seat oil the executive of Mr. j. C. AVatson has been declared vacant. No decision has yet been announced in respect of Mr. Webster (the PostmasterGeneral), Mr. Chsfhter, and Mr. West.

In other States. In Queensland Labour lias not been in power long enough for intrigues against the leaders to develop. Ministers are extremists, and when the leagues decided against conscription Mr. J. Adamson (Minister of Railways) was the only member ivho found himself, at variance with them, and he resigned. Of the six Labour members in the Mouse of one, Mr. ; Higgs, remained in Mr. Hughes's Ministry, Mr. Eamford came out as a supporter of conscription, and the remaining four stood by tho organisations. Five of the six senators were "antis," but Senator Civens (President of the Senate) followed the dictates of' his conscience, and advocated conscription. Queensland as a State voted "No," and Senator Givens and Mr. Bamford havo been expelled from the Labour movement. Mr. Higgs just before polling day resigned from the Ministry. In Victoria the organisations arc "solid" against conscription, and in reaffirming thoir_stand ; have agreed to a ''no reconciliation" resolution. Senator Russell and three members of the State Labour Party—Messrs. M'Lachlan, Plain. and Chatham —have been expelled. Victoria, however, decided against/Labour, and voted "Yes," st> that while five Labour senators find themselves in favour with the organisations the State vote has gone against thorn. Nino Labour members of the House of .'Representatives are in the happy position of having received the approval of both the organisations and their electorates, but two find n majority of their electorr against them, one of the nine (Mr. Hannan) had a very narrow escape, the voting in Fawlcner being almost even. The position in South Australia is more involved than that in any of tho ntlior States. The Labour organisations wero divided on the, conscription issue, but the council of the United Labour Party was "aiiti." The Labour leaders, however, went wholeheartedly for conscription. The fivo Labour senators, two of the four Labour members of the House of "Representatives, the Premier, and leadinK members of tho State Ministry and State party wero all behind Mr. Hughes. The State voted "No," but the council of theU.L.P. was unable to lmrsuo any ruthless poliev of victimisation. The most it could do was to pass a vote of no-confidence in 22 of its members, and to decide that a plebiscite should be taken for all State and Federal seats. In Wcstorn Australia organised Labour is united in support of its Parliamentary representatives, both State and Federal, and, the State" voting ''Yes" with great heartiness, the seal has been set 011 tho happiness of all concerned. The Goldlields Labour Federation certainly thought it necessary to take notice of some of the hard tilings said during the campaign, and lias asked a member who advocated couscritpion to "explain" some of his more heated statements, but this does not mar tho prevailing harmony. The controlling body, has decided that no members are to bo expelled for having advocated conscription, and it has also set its face against any attempt 011 the part of the anti-conscription national executive of tho Eastern States to usurp tho functions of the Federal political executive. As in South Australia, tho organisations in Tasmania aro in a difficult position. Four Labour senators were "antis," but the Stato voted "Yes." The fivo House of Representative constituencies also voted "Yes," so that antagonism to Mr. Hughes has to bo tempered with a duo regard for tho expressed will of the people. The State Labour larty, however, has deposed Mr. li/arle from leadership owing to iis support of conscription.