A "WIN THE WAR MINISTRY" FOR AUSTRALIA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3005, 16 February 1917, Page 4

A "WIN THE WAR MINISTRY" FOR AUSTRALIA

The announcement that a Coalition has-at last been arranged between tho Hughes Government .Party and the Liberal Party under ]Mr. Cook means no doubt that Mr. 'Hughes will be able to represent the Commonwealth at the coming Imperial Conference. The wrangling and bargaining which preceded tho arrangement now entered into has not been at all edifying. As is generally known tho party led by Mr. Hughes and which has held tho reins of office since the conscription referendum is the smallest of the threo Federal political parties; and is only able to secure a majority m the- House of Representatives by means of the support of the Liberal Party. • In the Senate tho two partics combined are in a minority to the Official Labour Party's representatives." Mr. Hughes proposed a Coalition with tho Official Labour Party, as well as with the Liberals, but tho former rejected the proposal unreservedly.' The Liberals thereupon agreed to join with Mr. Hughes on certain conditions. Exactly what those conditions wove has not been fully disclosed, but it is understood that tho Liberal Party claimed representation in the War Ministry in proportion to its numbers or at any rate 'a majority in tho Cabinet. Mr Hughes proposed that the Ministry should be composed of four members from each of tho two parties, but this was rejected, and a counter-proposal made that three honorary Ministers should be added and tho number of Ministers increased to eleven, of whom six should come from the Liberal Party. It was further claimed that in the event of Mr. Hughes being accompanied to England by a second representative of the Commonwealth, as was tho case with the Prime Minister of Now Zealand, then tho Liberal Party should have tho right to make tho choice. Anothor stipulation said to have been made by tho Liberals related to the more efficient prosecution of Australia's part in the war. The. delay which haß since ensued in arriving at an agreement goes to show that the terms laid down by tho Liberal Party did not meet with tho approval of Mr. Hughes and his followers, and it remains to bo seen how far each or either of the two parties has given way. The most satisfactory feature of the situation is.the prospect that tho party divisions and wrangling which have so hampered tho efforts of tho Hughes Government in recent times in tho handling of Federals affairs, land more especially those relating ito tho war, will now come to an end. The position will be improved at least to this extent that tho War Ministry now created will have behind it a substantial majority in the popular Chamber, and will thus bo freo from many of the worries and hindrances which crippled Mr. Hughes. It may be added that the fusion of forces has come nono too soon. Tho uncertainty which has existed as to the turn events would take iu Federal politics has been a factor in divorting the energies of others besides the members of the Government from tho tasks which most earnestly call for attention—thoso relating to the prosecution of tho war. Recruiting in Australia is still slack, and one of the first duties of tho new War Ministry will bo to endeavour to give it tho stimulus it badly needs.