FEDERAL POLITICS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2984, 23 January 1917, Page 7

FEDERAL POLITICS

MR- HUGHES AND MR. COOK

NEW NATIONAL PARTY I "I cannot toll you what tho precise, proposals are other than that they arcintended to deal with tho present unsatisfactory conditions of affairs in Parliament," said Mr. Joseph Cook, in Sydney last week, in referring to liis negotiations witliMr. Hughes for tho fornmtion of a Rational Government. "Ihcso have aiVeady been declared both by tho Priiuo Minister and myself to bo unstable and incapablo of lieing continued indefinitely. Tho fact, patent to all. is that in .tho midst of this great world war, with tho whole of our Rrterests in deadly peril, a Government holds office with some half dozen supporters in a House of seventy-five members. It is not fair to tho country. It is not fair to tlie war, wliilo it violates every principle of democratic and representative government. It is to try aim rectify this niiomaly that these conferences have taken place. "Naturally, when important changes are being considered, tho atmosphere becomes somewhat electrical, and more or less unsettled. May I appeal to all concerned to bo patient a littlo longer while we endeavour to undo tho tangle and straighten out the position. Any other attitude just now will not help matters in the slightest, but may hinder and delay. I will only add that at present things look as though, they would clear up, and now that bo{li| parties are meeting i 6 should not bo long before a decision is reached one way or the other." Questioned about the Imperial invitation, Mr. Cook .said: "AVhefher Mr. Hughes will go to London or not I do not know. I may say I am one_ bl those who think that some responsible representative direct from Australia should be present at the War Cabinet, as suggested. I am not so sure it would not be better still if lie tonld remain in London in close touch with this AVar Cabinet during the fateful months of tlie coming spring. Thero seems to be an impression in the minds of many people tliat the question depends almost entirely on some arrangement between Mr. Hughes's party and ours, wluch is supporting him. They forget that botli combined in tho Senate are less in number than the Tudorites. The official Labour party in the Senate controls the situation by limiting supply. This is wily Parliament, whether it likes or not, must meet again in a week or two. The centre of political gravity has. so to speak, shifted there, just as it did two years ago.' The crux of the position is the Senate's attitude. .■ ; . The Federal Elections, It is not improbable that, if the agreement arrived at between Mi. Hughes and Mr. Cook is • ratified by their respective parties, an attempt will bo mado to defer tho holding of tho Federal elections till next yenr. It may bo that the tenure of members of tho Senate who are due to go to the country in April will ho extended till October, when tho life of tho House of Representatives expires by effluxion of time, or that an effort will ho made to have tho life of the Federal Parliament as a whole extended , by an Act of the Imperial Parliament till well into 1918. The adoption of either of theso courses will depend upon tho attitude of the Senate (says tho Melbourne "Age"). It is well known, however, that none of tho Senators are anxious to face tho electors at tho present time or in the near future. Senator Gardiner, leader of tho Labour parly in the Senate, speaking recently on behalf of his colleagues who constitute- a slight majority in that Chamber, said that the Senate would be amenahlo to any reaeonablo proposals of tho Government, and Senator .Grant stated yesterday that Senators would bo quite agreeable to an extension till October of the tenure of those of them who aro due to retire in April. Bub beyond this point, apparently, the Senate will not go, at any rate bo long as tho Labour party is able to maintain its majority, because the Federal P.L.L'. executive has directed it to opposo anj prolongation of the lifo of Parliament. To effectively do this tho Senate would probably withhold Supply. \ A National Federation. r Whilo tho Federal leaders have been conferring regarding tho formation of a National Government, steps have been taken to launch, the new National Federation 'throughout Australia. Tho chairman of the Federation is Mr. J. C. Watson, ex-Prime Minister and exLeader of the Federal Labour Party. The avowed purpose of tho new party is to support and assist those men and parties who aro prepared to unito upon a common platform, for: — 1. The winning of the war and the maintenance of Empire solidarity. • 2. An . effective repatriation scheme for returned soldiers and sailo'rs and dependants. 3. Responsible government. 4. The settlement of disputes by conciliation, and arbitration. 5. Upholding the White Australia policy. 6. Organisation and development of Australian national resources, and the ensuring of absolute Free- ' trade within tho Commonwealth. The National Federation is lo have the- full status of a, political party. Its organisation is to include an interstate ■ executive, State. Councils, and local branches. There is to be an annual inter-Stato conference composed of three delegates from each of. tlie State Councils. Such conference shall meet in April of each year, at such place as tho preceding conference after the first shall determine. Tho first inter-Stato conference shall be held in Melbourne in April, 1917, or such earlier date as the inter-Stato executive may determine. "The National Party is representative of the older unionists, tho Labour Democrats, and the returned soldiers," said a Queensland member of the Provisional Executive. "We have dealt only with broad general principles. Details aro left to the Stato committees, and, finally, to an interstate conference to bo held later on. I believe tho movement will grow Tapidly, niid that ifc will do much to help recruiting. Li point of fact we went as delegates from the National Referendum Council, which has been kept alive in anticipation of the formation of such a body, though it shouM bo understood that this latest organisation has nothing to do with tho conscription question. I bclievo that, so soon _ as the various patriotic bodies and units become 'seized of the importance and worth of the National Federation, tho membership list will swell quickly." The Fusion Movement, "I may say," said tho Hon.. J. Adamson at Brisbane last week,' "that tho 'Hughes mystery'_ is bettor left alone. The Prime Minister is fiillv alive to the situation, and it is sate to say that an agreement between his party and that led by Mr. Cook will very soon bo arrived at." "Will I'hero be a Fusion?"—" Not exactly that, but something of tho kind." "Will there be a National Government ?"—"Probably." "Do you think this will lead to elective Ministries?" —"That_ is possible, but I cannot say so definitely."