The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times.) WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13th, 1924. THE PROMISING BEGINNING.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1924, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times.) WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13th, 1924. THE PROMISING BEGINNING.

Tm. remarks of the Hon W. Hughes, of Australia in regard to the promising beginning of the British Labor Govern-

ment, are well l>oriie out by the general outlook conveyed by the cable news. .Mr Hughes discusses the j os it ion very frankly, and reminds us that the new Cabinet is composed of Englishmen trom whom, after all, much sanity is expected. In addition there is a leaven of tile Liberal element, and in that strain there will be increased confidence, for it is an element though radical in its tendencies, is invariably sane in its actions. Mr MacDonald, the new Prime Minister, is keeping a good hold of himself, and his colleagues, too, for the matter of that. Nothing extravagant is being said or promised. The Ministers are feeling their way evidently, and doing it well and so sincerely that the confidence first shown in the Government is being, a.s time goes on. Ha re and more assured. It is a good beginning from every point of view, and is full of promise. There has been no real test yet. That must come soon when the Government meets the House. Parties, however, - are silent ns to criticism, and it is a hopeful sign, also that even the extreme wings of the Labour Party ore patently eileru, and not

seeking to rush tlicir political leaders where Parliament has hitherto ieared to Head. It is recognised that the new Cabinet is on its trial, and it is to the credit of the opposing factions that they are giving the Government a tail' Held, without captious criticism. It seems hut fair to say, however, that the Ministry ik so comporting itself that there is not any special room for criticism at this stage—the Government not otlering any special opening. Rather has it been tlie other way. Rut Pailianient "ill scon assemble, and there will come the first real test. Rut the prospects are hopeful. AY hut success the new Government will have is for the hiture to prove. Mm' thing may he said, however- It is foolish to assume, as Air Hughes has remarked, that because there has not been a Labour Government before, theiefore its Cabinet must be composed of administrative novices, it is true tliat only a few of the new Ministers have held Slate office previously, and these mainly during the hectic and dictatorial pciiod of the Coalition Government, but it is also true that as administrative heads of great industrial and other social organisations their experience in managing men and the affairs of men constitutes a much higher qualification for statesmanship than any possessed by most ne" recruits To office ill tlie past. the factor most disturbing to tlie stability of the. new Government is not to he found in inexperience or incompetency, full in the solid truth that the l.aboiir Party is in a had Humility in the House and that on at least four-filths ot its social policy it would find itself deteated. On t'.c two broad issues of tarills and loreign policy. Liberal and Labour arc roughly agreed. The former c|uestion is, however, a negative one in the .Parliamentary sense. The electorate has made its decision and nothing remains to he done. On the latter question milnv delicate problems must arise in the relations with France. A party v hie h has consistently attacked the Treaty of Peace and has pleached the necessity for recognising the economic interdependence oi Empire when it "as most unpopular to do so is not now like!v to recant even if this causes trouble with France and discussion in the House. Further, the Labour propaganda during the recent election centred ou the appalling unemployment and its policy on this question, outlined in a report issued over two years ago and constantly reaffirmed, stales very vlear-

;• the necessity for a change in foreign policy in order to re-establish c'cotiomic prosperity. But apart trom tiicse two questions the position between Labour and Liberal is pretty iiit'ch as between Labour and Conservative. The only hope of stability is not

iii any arrangement with the Liberal or Tory parties, hut in the introduction of domestic legislation of such a type, acompanied by such a type of advocacy, •is "ill induce sufficient support from tin more sympathetic individuals in the old parties as will defeat the mere custodians of capitalism, who are found oi considerable numbers in both the old parties. The Dominions are specially interested in the policy of the new Government. and its unfolding "ill he a ilia tier of wide interest all round the world. The first great stroke of the Government has been in regard to Russia, hut with the Liberals behind them in that action, Mr MacDonald is on \( iv sure ground and no doubt knows it.—hence his conrago and decisive action at the earliest possible moment.