WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 September 1922, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

i’HE WAR CLOUD,

LESS OMINOUS. SPECIAL TO GUARDIAN

WELLINGTON, Sept. 22 With so many conflicting reports and opinions confronting them, morning and evening,' it is extremely difficult for newspaper renders to obtain any clear idea of how affairs in the Near East are progressing. The papers themselves seem sadly perplexed over the whole business. Yesterday one of the local morning papers come out with a sadly pessimistic tone. The evening paper, as if wishing to cater for both point's of view, was pessimistic in its leading columns and optimistic in its comments upon its cables. But looking further afield, and judging from such official information as is available, the position appears less foreboding than it did forty-eight hours ago. The im- ’ proved understanding between Britain | and France is a step towards the ns- , surnnee of peace and so far Mustaplm I Kemal has done nothing to cast dis-| credit upon his professions of good i faith. Most significant of all, perhaps i the London Stock,Exchange has recovered its poise. The morrow may | bring further good news. Meanwhile the military authorities are being deluged with offers of service. Young Now Zealanders, and middle-aged and old for the matter of that, appear to he as fully imbued as ever with the spirit of adventure. THE CONSTITUTION AND WAR. While the Prime Minister is being overwhelmed with congratulations upon his promptness in responding to the invitation of the Mother Country for moral and material support in the present crisis, lie is not escaping criticism from people outside the ranks ol the extreme Labour Party. Of course, Mr Holland and his immediate followers scarcely count in a matter of this kind. Their conception of the “Brotherhood of Man” is inconsistent with the first principle of national patriotism and however sincerely it may he held it is outside the sphere of practical politics at the present time. But there arc quite a number of his own political friends who hold that the Prime Minister exceeded the necessities of the position by pledging the Dominion to a grave military adventure without consulting a single member of Parliament outside the Cabinet Parliament was in session and, though Sunday was intervening the delay need not have been For more than a few hours. In the interval, these friendly critics point out. lie might have despatched a message to the Imperial Government. which would have been just as effective as the ono wbicli has given his opponents an opportunity to protest.

PARTY ARROGANCE. Less friendly and less fair critics have been pleased to denounce Mr Massey’s action as a piece of party arrogance. When a Prime Minister has a large and well disciplined majority at his hack, as Mr Afassev has at the present. time, he is apt to take a good deal for granted and to nay little heed to tin' protests by the minority. Mr Massey is not the only offender in this "respect that New Zealand has known during the last thirty years, and if be has become a little more, autocratic than did his great predecessor, whom everyone has in mind just now. it is tiie fault rather of the system than of the man. At the same time it has to lie recognised that the circumstances are exceptional. The Liberals and the Independents who constitute the majority of the Opposition arc just as eager as Mr Maslov and his followers are to maintain the bonds of Empire which chafe Mr Hollaed and bis friends. This nmv m>< "xeuse Mr Mescov’s “npcopsfit ntiopal proceerbnn.” blit it explains why 1m was a little more pi mil ate than be piiobf bare 1 ee T , bad be I 'M faced bv a strong and alert Opposition. THE LABOUR VIEW.

Friends of the Labour Party outside the House, who have no sympathy with Mr Holland’s extreme views and indiscreet language, are emphasising the fact that the amendment to Air Massey’s motion approving of his communication to Air Lloyd George dealt solely with the method of procedure and not at all with the Dominion’s military preparations. They claim that an overwhelming majority of the people who vote Labour at election time are at least as patriotic as are tho Liberals and the Reformers who pose as the solo custodians of the integrity and majesty of the Empire. No doubt much of this is true enough. The little bands of people that gather 1 around Air Harry Holland and Mr Peter Fraser on Sunday evenings and at other odd times to listen to their impassioned addresses upon ’.he rights of men and women to do as they please irrespective of the rights of other people, are not representative of the great mass of the men and women workers. But many electors who have no admiration for Mr Holland and his colleague find inspiration in the saner doctrines they preach and in this way Labour is detaching support from both the older parties.