The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1919. THE RETURN OF THE LEADERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 266, 6 August 1919, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1919. THE RETURN OF THE LEADERS

Though politicians here as elsewhere can Wdly claim any .large share of popularity theso trying times, a cordial welcome to Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Wabd on their return from their important and exacting mission is called for and warranted on several grounds., At the Peace and in various activities more or less definitely connectefl with that historic international assemblage they represented New Zealand capably and well. As reports from tiufe to time demonstrated, New Zealand had a part in shaping the peace _ settlement fully proportioned to its importance as a self-governing unit of the British Empire—this not only in connection with matters in which the Dominion is immediately and intimately concerned, but in regard also to some of the larger aspects of peace—and not a little credit for' the fact belongs to our Ministerial delegates. Nurtured as public men in the domestic politics of a South Pacific Dominion, they were able nevertheless to give such an account of themselves in tho distinguished company which assembled at Paris as entitles them to the thanks of their countrymen.

The welcome the Prime Minister and his colleague have earned by their service iibroad will be the heartier since pressing affairs await their attention here at home. Both Ministers have an important duty to perform in assisting to so mould public opinion in this country that it will be able henceforth to keep always in effective touch with Imperial and international affairs, 'and will be rcadv to give what support it can to the "great experimental organisation of the nations." which ha's been established in tho interests of future peace. It implies no subordination of these supremely important, concerns to say that the first and most urgentcall made upon the energies of the political leaders is that of. doing all that they can to assist the Dominion to. set its internal affairs in order. The country has every right to expect them to approach this task in a spirit of undivided loyalty to national as distinct from partisan interests, and. to' adopt a very much broader outlook than sufficed in the easy-going clays before the war. Bojih Mr. Massey and Sin. Joseph Ward, when they were interviewed on their arrival, spoke guardedly on the subject of national politics, and yet it must be added that neither of them spoke in the strain for which the time and occasion plainly call. The Prime Minister remarked,that it was impossible for him to say anything until he had consulted his fellow-Reformers, and that at 'present everything waR in the air so far as the Coalition was concerned. Sir Joseph Warij was rather more definite. Nothing, he is reported as saying, would give him greater delight, than to send out a greeting and a rallying-call to all faithful supporters of Liberalism, but lest his action should be open to misconstruction he preferred to refrain from saying anything of a party political nature at this stage and until he -felt that he was at liberty to do so. _ It is open to suggest that the Liberal Leader did the very thing from which he, declared himself anxious for the time being to refrain, but the point of importunes is that his declared inclination runs directly counter to the demand which is now widely raised throughout the Dominion—a demand for a clean break from the futilities\ of party politics and concentration upon the things that really matter. It would be an inglorious descent from the standards established in their mission to Europe if the Prime Minister .and Sir Joseph Ward, now that they have returned, were able to suggest nothing more hopeful than a return to the ruts

and dead-ends of party warfare. What they and others are called upon to recognise is that the only legitimate political division henceforth is between those who are prepared to work to promote the prospci'/ity and welfare of this country and those who arc not.' The ruling demand all over the country is for effective action by Parliament and the Government in the interests nf national development anrl social betterment. The way is open as it never was before for a great forward step in politics, and the first thing necessary if the step is to be taken is that all who agree in essentials should sink' old animosities and work loyally together for the general welfare!

It cannot be said too plainly that if the party leaders shape their policy by the standards and conven : tions of a past that ought to be remembered only a? a warning of what to avoid they will show themselves lacking not only in patriotism but in foresight. An attempt to re-establish parties on pre-war linos may for a time throw the affairs of the country into worse confusion than at present. It cannot, even from the narrowest standpoint, succeed; at all events it cannot succeed for long. Such a betrayal of national interests would invite and attract its appropriate reward. The opening for better and wiser leadership and organisation would bo too obvious to go long unfilled. The immediate question, however, concerns the temper in which the political readjustment which is evidently necessary is to bo

approached and the aims to be pursued. It is not too late "to stop rho drift towards a resumption of the party strife that in pre-war years tended to make Parliament a by-word and politics a game of make-believe.

If they imply anything, the statements of the political leaders at Auckland yesterday indicate that the dissolution of the National Government is in early prospect. This will awaken neither surprise nor regret. But it is a point to which all possible weight should be attached lhat nothing is further from the minds of a great majority of those who wish to see an end made of the National Government in its present form than a desiro for the resumption of party strife. The •oofc objection to the National Government is that in some vital respects it has failed to live up to its name. Its formation was based upon an agreement by opposed parties to unite in specified activities; and since for the time these activities were of. paramount importance the agreement was justified. Had the Government set up to secure unity.in prosecuting the war been in all respects national, New Zealand might have emerged fi'oni tho war with cut-and-dried plans for a comprehensive attack on after-war problems—ready in all respects as soon as conditions permitted and funds became available to prosecute public works on the greatest scale, to promote the rapid expansion of settlement and of all kinds of industries, and generally to inaugurate an era of prosperous' national development. In fact, a good deal has been accomplished, particularly under the head of repatriation, but it remains true that the bold and enterprising treatment of national problems has been and still is to a serious extent made impossible by the limitations of tho party It ought to be plain that the remedy is not to be found in faction fighting, but in replacing an imperfect truce by settled political peace wherever just grounds for it exist. To shape a course instead with an eye _to the conditions of pre-war politics would be, amongst other things, a pitiable confession of ineptitude, as benighted a thing in its way as to go voyaging with such charts for guidance as existed in the days of Columdus. The true keynote of political policy in this country appears in the fact that the real interests of all sections of its population which sincerely wish to act fairly and loyally to one another are absolutely identified. The interests of the whole country will be basely betrayed if strong parties on personal or other grounds of a selfish nature set up any other standard in tho stressful years now to be faced.