TROUBLED LABOUR.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1923, Page 4

TROUBLED LABOUR.

f OMMCNISTS AND "CROOK" BALLOTS. SYDNEY, Get. 'il. The Labour movement in New South Wales is -till lloundering among the perplexities created at the hast Conference. The Communists, who had shown themselves anything hut fiiendly critics nf the parent hotly were on that occasion received with much talk of fraternal spirit under a rcsoluiioii admitting In membership "f the Labour I’art.v pi-r ou-- 11 ho v ere member.- of other '-.die-, but who subscribed In the con -til ill 101 10l the Labour i’.irU. Cutler the cloak of this decision prominent members of the Communist Party aem.dlt loom! their wav to seats oil the Executive. Put Ikcre are many in the Labour movement who reengni"t Imt fralernii y with ihe ( ion in ii .ii-i , dee- eot. enhance the Lab nir ninvenicnr m rii" public c-u-ein. and ih 1 net ion ia-i u , 1 11 1 |-.o two di vi-i.ui -, ha . if a,l vti.ipp . mu n more iflil a. lie; ('iniimuui-t - run their i.v. n organ. and hare made no secret ol tlceir hostility towards Labour leaders. nor oi the!.' intention to leave 110 si oil" laiflli'lli il in achieve their declared oldeclive o'" capturing the movement. Mattel' reached a head on Friday y. hen lie Executive of the Labour Party deeid-ai to expel the Communists from I !;-■ movement 101 the ground that lin y

were a sopnraie |) 11! 1 1 ieal organi'rt imi with <ii v: ■ lL'.t -1: t objectives. The I 'mil. liiUllisl s. d!i L l ;<' ni!m;]• hand. 1 hr, High their pri iu-i pit I ->;:i m;i ri. Mr ,1. S. Carden. c< jii t; ni I thill 1 1 1 - l are a un.ipolilica! hodv. hut ai i LiisnjiTii~Lrv members ni' the Executive mere!-.’ laughed. 'fhe principal mem her-, ;.!- fccLed by the decision are .Mr ,). r <. harden, who only recently returned from -Moscow. where lie gave his ianious interview boasting that the Coinmmii>,Ls were underminin'.!; the Labour -Movement, and .Mr Howie, and it isaiil that at least six ether m-- inl> rs o' the exeeiitive and man;, menders oh hraindies must now decide on which side ot the lente they stand. Mes.uCarden and Howie have both side seipiently ileclaretl that they arc 1 on - I'ltmists ami such they will remain in spite ~l any ilccisioii. ' Mr Howie, who was elected hy tile lasi conference its a meinher ni the Federal Kxceutive, says it is possible that the 1 niiiimiiiist.s wilt deride to appeal to the Federal hod,, against the decision ul the State Exec,, live and he prediets that the m-xt S< .i South Wales Conference will affirm the principle of the work hi,.; inside the A.L.P. While this comm

ver-sy is agitating tie.', movement it i•• trouhled in another direction hy oxtreme uncertainty as to the attitude of the Australian Workers' ITiinit ovine to the recent expulsions from the i'aii.t of certain nrnmincm mciiihcrs of tii ’ party ITr alleged impriiprietie.s said to he proved hy the investigation into the so-ea I led ballot box' scandals. A lengthy c-nqni rtj which was held regarding the diseovery of numerous hallo: boxes used as ,selections of candidates resulted in a sul>eommit tee recoimneu iiiter eertain expulsions, which the ."sia • Executive agreed to. The A.\Y E. hasince instituted an enquiry of its own as a result of which it has exonerat 'd its own members, and now demands their reinstatement by the executive of the Party. The A.W.F. is an enormously powerful Cnion, ami a ore.tit away of its members would he an :i n ■ xI - tollable financial as well a- politic 0 blow to the A.L.P. Pending negotiation' the relations uf the two bodies are highly .strained.