MR. M'COMBS AND LABOUR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3149, 30 July 1917, Page 7

MR. M'COMBS AND LABOUR

Sir,—ln a Tecent issue of your paper Mr. J. Jl'Combs, M.P., set forth the reasons why he left the Labour Party. Mr. M'Combs may be quite within his rights in leaving the Labour Party, but his reasons for so doing are apt to mislead, therefore his statements are open to analysis.

1. Mr. M'Combs "does not question the [right of the Labour Party to stand for I State control," and he says "he could not resist the placing on the ballot paper of any issue which was. supported by a I requisition signed- by at least ten per I cent, of the electors, all the issues to be decided on the bare majority basis." Now Mr. M'Combs admits that is the democratic position, .and he objects to the Labour Party acting in this, as i|i any other matter, upon democratic principles. Why ? Because Mr. M'Combs is first and foremost a Prohibitionist, tho principle of which is undemocratic and dishonest. Mr. M'Combs's interest in Labour is only for the purpose of advancing Prohibition, and when Labour decided for Slate control as a ptank of its policy Mr. M'Combs realised that ho could not use Labour any longer, so ho resigned.

2. Mr. M'Combs says he is convinced that the Labour Party in New Zealand is making a fatal blunder in adopting State control, and he suggests that those who favour State control should form a party outside the Labour Party. But Mr. M'Combs is not up to date in Labour matters. Tho leading Labour men in the. world are in favour of State control. Even Mr. Lloyd George, for many years a Prohibitionist, has now declared himself as a supporter of such a policy. Ben Turner, representing' the United Trades Union Conference told Mr. Lloyd George that the trades unions were strongly, in favour of State control, and adopted a resolution making it part of their political programme. And they would not have Prohibition at any price, Mr. Philip Snowdnn. the Social Democrat, is a supportpr of State control, and is a member of the State Control Board operating the liquor business in munition area? in Great Britain. TEe Labour Party in New Zealand is not the initiator of State control, and it is not tho first time that the Labour Patty in NewZealand has advocated tin's issue. Mr. V'Oombs's suggestion that, thoso favourable to Stale control should form a party outside the Labour Party is beside the question. That may lie done, but that is no reason why the Labour Party, bavin" made it a plank in tlieir platform, should not demand the submission of the issne to the people. 3 Mr. M'Combs claims that tho Pro. hibitionists have won the right to have their proposal tried, and he gives figures to support the claim. The figures Mr. M'Combs gives are inked up to suit his purpose. He has taken the figures for No-Licen?" (local) and mixed them with those of National Prohibition. Tf set out correctly they tell against Mr. M'Combs-.— Local Local NoContinuanco. License. 11108 188,140 221,471 1911 237,025 234,656 1914 274,405. 229,474 ' Is there here anything to justify Mr. M'Combs's claim that "by all the rules of the game" tho liquor traffic should bo Wiped out? Then let us look at tho National issue figu res :— Continuance.Prohibition. IDII 205,001 250,915 1914 257,442 247,442 In these figures there is nothing to justify Mr. M'Combs's contentions. 4. Mr. M'Combs, the prohibitionist, has no consideration for tho workors, and :

Mr. M'Combs, tlio pseudo Labour man, Bays, "if the money now spent 'on liquor wero diverted into useful trades and industries of tlio Dominion, it would give employment to a greater number of persons than it now does." Here there is a great big "IP." Tlio money would not be so diverted. It has not been so in No-License areas, and it has not been so in Prohibition States, otherwiso these areas and States would be flourishing, whereas they are among the most backward and stagnant. But Mr. M'Combs presumes that the liquor industry is not a, useful trade, tt is; it gives employment to 10,000 employees, and manufactures a, commodity that is a. liquid food to most of its users, and is supplying a great demand. If there was no demand, no liquor would bo manufactured.

I do not know anything about the six millions sterling that is in the Treasury, but this I do know, that if State control wero approved by the vote of the people it would not require ono penny of that six millions to arrange the State purchase of the whole liquor business.

The Labour and Socialist movements of the world are coming more and more into lino on the que'stion of State control, and when Mr. M'Combs is a prohibitionist first and a Labour man afterwards, it shows that he hot in touch ">wh the hopes and aims of the Labour and Socialist movement of the world. Mr. M'Combs's political pledges were to Labour'. He has thrown over Labour for Prohibition, and "by all the rules ot the game" he ought, therefore, as an honourable man, resign from his seat, and contest it again with some bonaride Labour candidate, and let the work* Unrtclass- electors decide whether the Labour movement or Mr. M'Combs is the greater.—l am, etc., E. KENNEDY.