The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20th, 1924. POLITICS AT HOME.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 November 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20th, 1924. POLITICS AT HOME.

Politics at Home promise to be of wide public interest. There is u new Government with a force behind it equal to performing its will. The point - f

interest now i.s to what limits the will i• I be exorcised. So far as tit" House of Commons is concerned here are lor the time Iming at least, practically only two parties tin* Conservatives and the Socialists. The llaldw in Government lin.s received such a mandate Horn the people that it may no longer pander to the Socialists. It i.s independent ol the good will of any other party but its own. and in that strong position may go far—as far as its local patriotism cares to carry it. ’is legislation will lie entirely British. These wi.l be no coquoting with Russia, but a strong paternal regard lor all matters all'ecting the welfare -,l the llritisli Empire. For far too long the Cnited Kingdom has Porno the heavy end of the white mail’s burden, and received very little thanks and no kudos lor its cligeiTti'ss to so act for the world at largo Tlic.ro i.s the call mm for domestic legislation and for fuller consideration of Empire needs and progress. Tho Empiio needs strengthening from ••.itbin and that is possible by the simple process of assisting trade aitlpn the Empire. 'Pile far-tlnng Empire pioduces so much that the peoples within the Empire require, that the possibilities of trad*' .itliin that scope arc very great. Here is a great field wherein the new Government. which has a natural limit m that direction, can work Imperial wonders. In a llow and llood of prospeiily all things arc possible, and nothing counts more at this juncture than to have a prosperous Empire. The war debt obligations are such that they can he freed, or at nil events reduced, more quickly through legitimate i lading than by forced subsidies and loans to holster up rival trading countries. There is a great opening fur a lull Im- ] erinl policy which will he directed in aiding the Empire ns a whole, labor's chief achievement ill ollice was in togu:d to the foreign policy whciciu some good and uselid work was accomplished, hut the Government over-reached itself in regard to Russia, and was ultragenerous in reference to Germany. Tt cannot lie said that the Labor Government showed a disposition to succour the Dominions. The resolutions of the Imperial Conference, intended to promote the growth of the Empire, from within, were negatived. The oversea countries received the cold shoid lor That i.s not likely to be Jepentcd by the present Government. The tiaile within the Empire is sure to he opened up again, and in the present Government with Mr Baldwin at the head, there is .sure to he a sympathetic disposition to tin l needs of the Dominions. A cordial feeling displayed, and the response from the Dominions will he remarkable. Of that we are persuaded. The time is ripe for a closer family intimacy in tile trading of the Empire, and Great Britain i.s strong enough helore all tin* world to sot about -m Ii a policy. The fruits of such a course Would developo more certainly and quickly than any angling for foreign trade which would in tin l end ! e a menace rather than the defence Empire trading would prove.