MR. HUGHES HITS OUT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 59, 3 December 1919, Page 9

MR. HUGHES HITS OUT

AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS. "I wish to give you justice amW fair and square deal. But I want to make this clear to you: That I am rot going lo ruin this country in order, to buy the poldiers' votes—and I am pretty sure that nine out of every ten of the soldiers don't wish me to do that." It was in this strain that Mr. Hughes, the Commonwealth Prime Minister, after explaining the war gratuity scheme, addressed himself to a large meeting of returned soldiers at Wollongong last week. "There von have it," proceeded Mr. Hughes.' "The other side have promised the earth, and all that is in it. if only you will return them to power. You can judge for yourselves the value of their promises. You know me, and what I have done and want to do for you. "The other side say you can get the cash by taking it from the profiteer. Tt is specious pleading that is not likely to deceive you. I assure you that if I thought I could get the money that way I would put the profiteer through ./a wringer, and wring every penny out of him." Mr. Hushes heaped scorn upon the promises of the Labour Party, made formally to the Returned Sailors and Soldiers' Imperial League. "I call them the limit," lie said. "I never before smr so many lies in so few lines. These men who make these. promises are the men who, when it was touch and go in March and April of 1918. when <mr boys were fighting desperately at Ydllers Bretonneux, were against recruiting, and v-ero for peace by negotiation. Every soldier who was in Trance in tlioso black <lays knows what if meant when tlioso men turned their faces against our further participation in tho war, and cried, »e cannot win—no more fighting—no .indemnities —peace by negotiation.'_ are the men who were always against tho soldier. And then they come along to rou with these promises! Here is something that they wrote about you in 1915:Yc nre the sordid killers, Who murder for a fee: Yn pronlike TOlten pillars. Trade's lust and treachery. ' Hoe-muled and dirty handed. Ye sell vourselvcß for wn, And stand for ever branded lied felons after Cain. Ye aro the "fools and flunkeys, Ye die to'serve tho eroat: The rooks and silde.d monkeys Who eat the fat of State. Ye fell in alien places, On foreign wester ye lie: Stiff-limbed, with putrid faced Turned stinking to tho sky. This was published on January 4, 1!)15, In the official organ of the Victorian Political, Council. On November •'), 1919, the Labour manifesto said: "Our soldiers have proved to the world that they have jo enuals and few superiors." There was no election in 1915, bilt there is one in 1919. Mr. Hushes also quoted e.vtracls from n publication called "Australia." This paper referred iti unflattering terms to the snldiers. and. Mr. Hughes said it "had been blessed by Archbishop Mannix." "Do not forget what they have done for you and said about you—and do not ignore my record. Do not, forget that if it had not been for me you would, have been fighting from the first week in October right through until the armistice on November 11."