The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, AUGUST 12th., 1924. THE TRUMP CARD.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 August 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, AUGUST 12th., 1924. THE TRUMP CARD.

The daily news of late keeps the British Prime -Minister well to the fore. -Mr Ramsay .MacDonald is as inueli in the limelight to-day in these strenuous times of peace as Mr Lloyd George was in the difficult days of the war. when engaged in the task of pidling the country through. A London writer with a very clear view of matters political has been giving his views on what he describes as the trump card of the British I-ahor Minister. The account is a circumstantial one. It may ■x> true or not, but it lias the necessary political atmosplieie, and must he said, Mr MacDonald is making quite a lot of useful progress towards the goal he has set himself. However, let the correspondent take up the parable. He writes: “Rightly to understand the situation it must I*> realised that the supreme ambition of Mr Ramsay MacDonald's life Is to figure in authentic history as the man who won the ponce. He has set hi.s lieart on this memorial to his public career for two reasons. .First, lxK-au.se ho naturally desires the personal gratification and kudos of achieving what all his predecessors have signally failed to do. He wants to lie the statesman who brought 'back peace and settlement to a tortured Kiiropo, after the slow years of dismal fiasco that have been the denouement to the Versailles Treaty. Secondly, lx'cau.so he astutely realises that, by scoring such a triumph as this, the Labour party would be ensured victory at the next general election, and a return to power as well as to office with on independent parliamentary mnfority of its very own. A settlement of the long out- j standing post-war prohlptna of poor old

•Europe, ill other words, is the key to the whole situation. It would not only lie an enormous personal triumph for Mr MacDonald, and place him at one hound amongst the Immortals, ihut it would solve all those otherwise insoluble problems which still baffle tile host efforts of British statesmanship. Get Hi 1 rope settled down to peaceful work, get the Krupp and (Vusot factories turned from big guns to automobile ploughs, and Labour would lie acclaimed tin- saviours of the world. I'nemployment would vanish like a bad dream, housing would assume economic proportions, revolutionary mutterings at the street corners would cca.se, and the roast lamb would lie down in perfect pence and security with the mint sauce.” All this may lie Due, and in any case there is .probably o good deal nl truth in tile general outline, hut Mr Mae Donald’s successful statesmanship promises to redound for the good of the nation as a "hole, and on that account ho need not he robbed of the self-, glorification. Mr MacDonald has proved the man of the hour, lie appeared just when circumstances were ripe for his action, and lie has carried himself with credit and distinction. Wd must remember ho has not stood alone, is not standing alone. He has had useful and timely support from the l.ilierals. who have over and over saved the situation for the Government. The Government has passed through critical times. Tt has suffered defeats, but not on crucial questions. Oil matters which it fares to make a test of office, the Government, with the aid of the l.ilierals has won. Mr .MaeDonakl no doubt feels the importance ol this. Indeed lie has in his Ministry several avowed Liberals, who are helping the Government through. And in helping the Government with its task, the Liberals are making Labor stronger and stronger in the country

that is so long as Labor is led ably by such men as Mr MacDonald. lie was a special find, just at t la- right moment. Mere, he to go to the country now on any general issue, there is little doubt lie would return to parliament with the dominant party in the House divided into three main political parties*. With the Jillropeau settlement assured, l.nbors’ political prestige will be enhanced greatly, and will give t-lie party increased jxilitieal power when next there is an appeal to the people at. the polls.