AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL CRISIS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 92, 11 January 1918, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL CRISIS

The fact that Mr. Hughes has accepted the commission of the Governor-General to. form a new Government does not bring tho solution of Australia's war problem much nearer than it was when the result of the conscription referendum was announced. The outlook is still extremely uncertain, while the need for such acj/ion* as will enable Australia to play its proper part at the present critical juncture is tremendously urgent. We are told that there are to be no substantial changes in tho Administration; biit if the old Government goes back into office it will have to devise a new war policy, or rather a new means of giving effect to its war policy. Mr. Tudor, tho Leader of tho Labour Opposition, - could not hope to form a stable Administration. The Nationalists have a strong majority in both Houses, and if he had attempted to form a Ministry to carry on the business of the country his reign would have been a very brief one. _ Mr. Hughes has so far given >no indication of tho way in which he proposes to solve tho difficult problem which confronts him and his colleagues. Some' time ago he hinted that if the referendum went against conscription he would find some other means of enabling the people of Australia to do their duty in regard to the war. Australia, the British Empire, and the civilised world are now waiting to see how he intends to redeem this promise. The Nationalist Party has rejected the suggestion that it should choose another leader. It has decided not to seek a dissolution, and has como to the conclusion that Mr. Hughes shall continue his leadership. . It is to be presumed that the guiding minds of the party have agreed upon somo definite course of action with the object of maintaining Australia's reinforcements. The Nationalists are committed to the policy that Australia shall do all it possibly can to prosecute the war to a successful end, and they have a substantial majority in Parliament. The need for high and courageous statesmanship was never so great, and tho hour does not yet appear to have produced the man—the man with sufficient ability, sureness of purpose, and strength of character to.gain the confidence of the Australian public, and to unite them in a firm determination to keep step with the rest of tho Empire in tho world struggle. As Mr. Hughes has accepted the responsibility of forming a Government it is reasonable to assume that he believes that he sees a way of successfully handling the situation which has arisen. His declaration of policy will bo awaited with intense interest.