The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, JAN. 19th. 1924. THE GROUPING PROCESS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 January 1924, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, JAN. 19th. 1924. THE GROUPING PROCESS.

I.n- considering the political trend of events within the Empire, a reference was made to the changing vision of the people, and some thought was given to the grouping process going on in the political world. Rather might it he called a regrouping, because parties are inherently the same—the only difference has been the formation of branches. Strictly there are but. two political parties— the Conservatives and Liberals.

i’lit other parties with various names are but branches. The Conservatives and Liberals may he regarded as the negatives and positives ot the political issues. Of all 'the parties, the l.ilicials have changed least ot all since ihe days of Whigs and lories. Ihe Conservatives are the ’lories ot other days, and the Liberals the Whigs of former times; hut the Conservatives have since changed to L nionists in the Homeland', as we have Rdormers here. The Dominion product has curried other labels, hut the party has been identical with the Tory proclivities ol the old times. In these later days, the Reformers have claimed to Ik? even the true l.ibeials, so anxious have they I,on. to pose before the people, hut the mask has not .succeeded in hiding thcii true identity. The Liberals have remained true to those broad principles of democracy which have served the national welfare so well. It is a remarkable political tact that when tin* Empire was in the gravest danger during the war period, it was from the Liberals, the greatest individual statesmanship came. This was so both at Home and in the Dominion. To saleguard the national interests, coalitions were created, and the strong men called to the councils were Liberals, and in both, eases took prominent and distinguished positions in‘pulling through tin ordeal, financial and otherwise. Likewise the Liberals arc tlie sail' party, became ii is the stable ] arty. It is the party also, with dcnmciatie performances behind it. It is the I arty to he trusted in n national crisis; it i< the party to hope most from in the days of Dial still to come. Put while the reference as tar as it has gone is only to the two generic parties "t tinpolitical system, there remains a thud | arty now coming into prominence—th • Labor Party. This party lias received its greatest accession of strength f’.om conditions among the masses arising out of the war period. The Labor Party "as at first the more radical of the Liberal stem of the political tree. But the war seemed to hurry it lathi advance of the trend of Lilicial belief and the two parties came to tli parting ol the ways and today we have a Labor Parly in all lllitisli countries, distinct from the two chief political divisions. Labor aims at a general revolution—-not necessarily militant —hut no loss decisive it it has the voting power behind it to give the Parliament of the day the mandate it, would carry through. The grouping of the people in regard to a Labor policy is a matter of much concern just now. Labor has an o.xpiessed radical policy which is for the classes rather than the masses. It would appropriate to itself a system el' nationalisation which, curried cut to the letter, would have n far-reaching effect. Money, land, mid even brains, it would seek to control. Wo have soon the same policy operating in Pussiii. and there has I,ecu some opportunity of judging the I results. Just how far such a policy applied to the Lmpore would affect the ration, it - mild lie well to ponder civet I-cl ore it is too late to retrace haste