A CANDID CRITIC.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 April 1921, Page 3

A CANDID CRITIC.

CABLE NEWS,’

VISCOUNT BRYCE’S BOOK

THE NEWEST DEMOCRACY

[IIY TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION

LONDON, April 1. Viscount Bryce devotes a. complete chapter of his book entitled “Modern Democracies,” published by Macmillans to analysing the political and economic histories of Australia and New Zealand. He describes Australia as the world’s newest democracy, which has travelled farthest and fastest along the road leading to the .multitudes’ unlimited rule, but concludes that the Commonwealth lias got no nearer than any other country to solving the problem of the government of tho whole people, only furnishing one more proof, which was not needed, that any dominating class always governs it's own interests. Viscount Bryce discusses the “white Australia” policy, the arbitration and other industrial legislation, the Labour Qauens system, and tho most recent political developments, including the Catholic support of the Labour Party. He points out that Australia is the first country to evolve a closely knit party organisation which compels its members, to vote and act unitedly, the

Caucus becoming the absolute master of the representative assemblies. He states that the growth of national Australian patriotism has not diminished

’celing of unity with the British

peoples throughout the world. He points out that there are no classes iorresponding with the so-called govern ing classes of England in Australia,

which hardly possesses even a plutocracy. No families had possessed wealth lor more than half a century, and therefore there was no class here-

ditarily interested in polities, no leisure class from which to draw public men. Not many of the well-to-do people were attracted to political careers, which happily were not lucrative and carried no more social importance than the mebership of city and county councils in England. LOW LEVEL OE ATTAINMENTS. Ihe Australian politicians’ level of attainments is low. Most of them

have only an elementary education and very few were university-trained. In Britain a candidate gained by means of his education, but in Australia lie loses on account of tho suspicion attaching to the “rich” class in Australian politics. The weakest point, "itli a few exceptions, among the loaders was the Parliamentarians’ deficient education and i,ho narrowness of view «l the richer Australians.

lie dilates on the barmfulness caused by the payment of members, but adds: “No one told me how it c ould be possible to avoid it if it were desired that the wage-earners should be duly represented.”

Examining State enterprise's Viscount Bryce points out that when the unions controlling the Labour Governments and workers became both employers and employed, and when State considerations conflicted with personal and political self-interest, the State interests went to the wall. The Australian workers’ ideas were that under the Labour Ministries .it seemed to be that the State’s duty was not to get work done by paying wages for it, but to provide wages and find the work. TRIBUTE TO NEWSPAPERS. Viscount Bryce declares that the Australian newspapers were of high standard and well-written generally, providing fair and honest news services. As far as be discovered they t-oi l Id not be worked behind the scenes b.\ politicians. The newspapers had not, save with a. few exceptions, lapsed into vulgar sensationalism by inattention to die truth which had increasingly characterised numerous organs in older eoimti ies in latter decades last century Three or four newspapes in Sydney • ind Melbourne exercised more power than any newspapers ever did in any country. Alluding to the Australian characteristics generally, be says that in until ral mental vigour and physical activity the country was abreast of any of the modern nations, but mental interests did not play a great part. The peoples lives were devoted to -sports and open air life. The standard of comfort was

non here higher than in Australia, if -is high, but this was due to nature’s blessings rather than the special developments of a democratic Government. (