SPLITTING

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 139, 10 December 1930, Page 10

SPLITTING

AUSTRALIAN LABOUR PARTY

FINANCE POLICY

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, 27th' November. Every day now events arc shaping for a definite split in the ranks of the Australian Labour Party. The financial insurgents in the Cabinet as well as the moderate Mr. Seullin, Mr. Fenton, and Mr. Lyons, all have their friends and enemies in the general ranks, and it appears likely that the differences will develop and divide the party as did the conscription issue during the war. t The more cautious have refrained from stating their attitude. They aro sitting on the wall, ready, no doubt, to topple to cither side. The Premier of Victoria (Mr. Hogan) cannot be counted among these. His courage is praiseworthy. "It is time the sensible members of the Labour Party took a stand and made known their intentions," he said the other day. I take the stand alongside Mr. Scullin, Mr. Fenton, and Mr. Lyons to preserve the good name of the country, our credit, our solvency, and our character. Some people have been expressing opinions that if put into practice would make Australia a nation of bilkers and welehers. I believe some of these Labour men are stabbing Mr. Scullin in the back, and, if they are not rail-sitters, I believe that their constituents will write ami tell them to cease attacking Mr. Suullin." Fresh evidence of the bitterness thn t has been generated was provided when the Labour member of Ballarat (Mr. M'Grath) made available for publication a telegram he had received from Mr. Hogan. It read as follows: "I am astounded to read your statement in last night's paper attacking Scullin and his Government. Am disgusted to find you stab Seullin in the back." Mr. M'Grath said he would reply with another telegram telling Mr. Hogan that it would be better if he devoted more of his time to solving Victoria's unemployment problem and less of it j to the sending of insulting messages. The statement to which Mr. Hogan took exception was one that if Mr. Scullin had been in Australia he would either have had to obey caucus or resign. It is pointed out that Mr. Fenton is now ranged- on the side of those who oppose the nationalisation of credit, which is a very vital plank in the platform of the Australian Labour Party. The council talks about "disciplining" him, which can mean only one thing—that he will not be endorsed as an official Labour candidate at the next general election, which the Labour extremists are endeavouring to hasten. It is argued that the Government will remain hamstrung in any attempt to put into effect a radical Labour policy until it obtains control of currency, banking, and credit. The only way in which that control can be obtained is by a double dissolution (House of Representatives and Senate), a General Election, and then a Labour majority in the Senate.