AUSTRALIA OUT OF STEP

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 76, 22 December 1917, Page 8

AUSTRALIA OUT OF STEP

Ox the figures available; at time of writing it seems possible that ±a second conscription referendum in Australia has resulted, like that of October last year, in the defeat of the Government's proposals. Tlio soldiers' votes, and presumably a cpnsiderable number of returns from country electorates,- have still to be embodied in the totals, and both categories will probabjy show a considerable preponderance of affirmative votes. But it would perhaps be optimistic to expect the big majority at present shown for "No" to be.reversed. Anything.but creditable as-it would be to Australia, •the ■ ■possibility ' of an : and-

conscriptionist victory has been recognised from ,the outset.. In a sense the bad effcct of the present referendum—assuming that it has turned against the Government proposals—is cumulative upon that of last year. Yet there are a number of reasons for refusing to regard it as a final expression of the will »of tlie Australian people, or as correctly defining their attitude towards tlie war. One thing to be recognised is that the referendum is at best a doubtful method of determining national policy, and it may be added that the experience of Australia goes far to stamp it with the character of a discredited experiment. Sacrifice and effort are as necessary in the case of a nation or a country as in that of an individual, and are vitally necessary in time of war, but a national group of voters, including what is worst as well as what is best in the community and embodying whatever elements of weakness it contains, as well as elements of strength, is never to lw depended upon to issue a firm and resolute mandate entailing national effort and sacrifice on the grand scale. Few Governments would be prepared to submit a taxation proposal affecting all classes—particularly a war taxation proposal—to the electors for'approval or rejection, and there arc much stronger reasons against taking this course with such an issue qs was submitted to tlis electors of the Commonwealth on Thursday. Apart from these broad, but vital, considerations, a faction numerical-ly'-strong and inspii'edby motives we need. not .linger to discuss , has laboured untiringly to distort .and obscure the issue. Instead of being a' straight-out contest on a clean-cut issue, with pros and cons fairly presented to the electors, the referendum campaign was conducted (in spite of some honourable exceptions to the common rule) on the linos of a disgraceful wrangle in which personalities, sectarian strife, and unscrupulous appeals to weakness and prejudice, usurped the place Of temperate debate. It is ccrtain also that doubts of its sincerity entertained by many electors were a factor making for 'tho defeat of thc< Government's proposals. The "Commonwealth ' Prime Minister, i.u particular; has shifted ground in a fashion ill calculated to nourish confidence." In last' year's referendum, which followed on a series of political manoeuvres, the .electors were asked to authorise a measure : of conscription .which would have made the whole male population of military age- liable .for service abroadOa the present occasion the Government submitted a clipped proposal under which compulsion would apply only to single men between 20 and 4*l. Exemptions were provided for on-a basis which can only bo described as' liberal. There is no doubt that a widespread suspicion obtained that the Government was endeavouring to sugar-coat and disguise its 'real designs. The vote

cast is, amongst other things,. ,m evidence of the penalties that arc visited on departure from a bold (.and straightforward policy. From the-point of view of any patriotic Australian, the' position reached—assuming that the Government proposals- have-been, negatived —is not one to be proud of. The immediate result of the Popular vote •is to: leave the-Australian Army, .whiclv has covered itself .with "glory iri some-'of the most terrible battles: of the warj without visible mean's of support. During the reccnt campaign, Mr. Hughes stated that one of the five Australian divisions had been withdrawn for lack of reinforcements. On November 20 ho disclosed tho fact that the average number of recruits obtained per month during , the preceding two months had fallen- to 2610, as against the mimmumof 7000 per month needed to maintain the divisions at strength. Senator Pearce annouticed at about the samo time that thero were only twenty thousand Australians undei training in England and available as reinforcements. _ Thus, for the time being, Australia has no means of adequately reinforcing its divisions, though its population includes more than 350,000 single men eligible for-military service, aijd in all categories about 770,000 men within the age limit of 20 to 41 Hardly any country at war is better placed, so far as resources are concerned, to rcinforcc its army in tht> field, and no country, at tho moment, is doing less towards fulfilling this primary and'bounden duty. This obviously is. a state of affairs "which c<annot be ..-allowed to stand. The referendum' vote, assuming always that, it has turned against compulsion, has determined nothing. It : simply presents in a new shape the problem of finding reinforcements and has provided' no basis of policy. It opposes no bar to further action. The plain duty of tho Government, as its members have recognised, is to seek a wider authority than an affirmative voto in tho referendum would have afforded to carry out the only policy consistent with good faith to the soldiers in the field and with national selfrespect, and to stand or fall by the result. The Government is pledged to this course. Mr. Hughes declared unequivocally a few weeks ago that without the power tho people were asked to confcr it was impossible to govern the country, and that lie for one would not attempt to govern if this power were withheld. Speaking at Wagga on November 27, Sir William Irvine dealt with the same subjcct pointedly and at greater length. --- The'Governmeiit (lie said) has declared in -language which' leaves i:o shadow of ambiguity that it will nbt attempt to continue governing this country without the powers asked for. ... No other course was .-possible. • The Government 6ays ill effect, "You must choose between our party,, with conscription, and (ho Official Labour Party, without conscription." In this pledge the Government must not be allowed to stand alone. All members sitting behind the Government are bound by it in honour, or they cease to be Government supporters. Hence no Ministry could lie formed from the Nationalist side of the House, which would attempt to carry on the Government without conscription. It is clear that should the electors, from any one. of many motives which may influence them, refuse tho responsibility of sanctioning conscription by direct vote, one of two things must happen. Either tile government of this country must be handed over to the Tudor 'Party, or tho Nationalist Party in Parliament must take tho full responsibility of its policy, even should that necessitate an appeal to the electors in the manner nrovided by the_ C'oi'sHtution of individual members going before their constituents in each electorate and asking for a direct mandate from Ilia people to enforce conscription. Unless present expectations in regard to the result of the referendum arc falsified, the time lias come_ to give cffcct to this plain declaration. Tho postponement of the only policy under which reinforcements can bo provided is in any ease a matter for deep regret, but an appeal to the country offers a way of ','scapo from the morass in which AusU'iili'-i is now floundering. -