The Dominion WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1919 SERVANTS OF THE STATE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 290, 3 September 1919, Page 6

The Dominion WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1919 SERVANTS OF THE STATE

Looked at without prejudice, Sir Joseph Ward's explanation of his action in- reviving party political ,strife is chiefly noteworthy as betraying a petty outlook and a perverted conception of. the, responsibilities of a political leader. In his speech on Monday night, he stated that he had not been asked to continue in the National Government, and claimed that it could- hardly .be expected that when the Liberal Party had fulfilled all the terms of tho political truce~ concluded in '.1915 it was for him to arrange for the continuance /of the National Government.' What Sir Joseph Ward and politicians generally, need ,to remember is that the people of this Kountry have a- right to expect single-minded service from political representatives at all times, and that this right is in no way abridged by any arrangements that politicians may make between themselves, or by the expiration of such arrangements. The vital point is that any politician who insists upon pursuing; his own personal inclinations instead of-paying sole regard to national interests is disloyal to the people who elect and retain him as their servant. ' No amount' of tub : tnumping oratory can obscure this fundamental fact. The great mass' of people in this country are supremely indifferent to the personal pretensions of ' Sin Joseph Ward, Mb. Massev, or any ■other present or prospective political leader. What they desire ia not to elevate any-.particular leader to power and dignity, but to obtain efficient service, and they have every rislit to demand such service from all politicians. The creation of artificial, divisions and antagonisms in politics is a flagrant and inexcusable violation of tho rights of the people, because it more or less seriously limits the possibility of loyal and efficient service by the body "of politicians. It is by this standard and not by any reference to inter-party agreements' and relationships that the action of Sir Joseph Ward and other political leaders must be- measured at the present juncture and as time goes. on. In the position he has taken up Sir Joseph Ward explicitly rejects the idea that a political' leader is bound to conform unselfishly to the conditions in which public interest, will be best served. The keynote of Uie_pnrtisan appeal he was in such naste to lay before the cquntry is self-assorhon. He assumes a right ? IC [ ~^ owcr on hiß °wn terms and should he attain it to direct the affairs of the country under conditions set by himself. This,attitude is the more easily assumed since an assertive political leader is always able- to cathcr around him a limited circle of eulogists ready to proclaim him the hope of his country, and applaud all that ho has to say It ■was with opposing leaders thus lifteel into false prominence, to the great detriment of useful working activity in Parliament, that the politics of this country were oarriecl on for a considerable period prior to the war. The bulk of the people passively followed the foolish game of make-believe to proceed on these lines, but happily there is reason to believe that they will refuse to tolerate it any longer. Necessity is a great teacher, and in this country efficient political service has become .the most imperative of all necessities. So long as political groups are divided on such lines as will best feed the swollen self-im-portance of political leaders, the legitimate demands made- by tho people upon Parliament can never be satisfied, and it is fairly safe to predict that an attempt to perpetuate these conditions will not long ogcapo the penalty it deserves. , A just conception of public duty is demanded not only of Sir Joseph Ward, but/of all political leaders and politicians. Above all, they are called upon to recognise that the first condition of the efficient service they are bound to render to the people is the union of all the useful/arid progressive forces extant in politics. To .do them justice, many rank and file politicians are show ing themselves very ready to meet '.he popular demand for'a united working effort instead of mako-bc-iicvc. It is widely recognised that, kroadlv speaking, tho only real political division in this , country is between those who are prepared to work honestly and loyally for general soml betterment, and those who make it their .sole aim to trade upon and inflame popular discontents they arc quite incapable of remedying. On the right side of this harrier co-operation ought to rule as a matter of course. No political leader has a universal panacea to offer for social ills. The only hopeful course is in a broad unity of'

working effort,' aiid any political lender who subordinates this primary condition of progress to his own ambition and self-importance, whether that leader be Mr.- Massey, Sir Joseph Ward, or anyone else, deserves and may expect to be brought to a reckoning. It is hardly in doubt that irresistible popular pressure will ere long compel an effective union of working forces in Parliament, and that the exaggerated pretensions of any particular political leader will not be allowed tor any length of time to hinder development on these lines.