ON WITH THE DANCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 August 1925, Page 1

ON WITH THE DANCE.

PARTY TACTICS v. SOUND FI NANCE. • LONDON. May 11. In an ironical article “On With the Dance,” in which lie discusses the mentality of the modern politician in Hie Sunday Pictorial. .Mr Kennedy Graeme writes:— “Some ridiculous people ill this country are nparently gravely concerned regarding the industrial situation. Fortunately. they- appear to he only a small minority. They are mostly business men. and obviously do not understand politics. They argue that so long as taxation remains at fantastic heights, and the British artisan refuses to produce economically there is no hope of recovery for British industry. The picture they paint is gloomy in the extreme.” UNPOPULAR ECON(>.MY. “Our politicians, on the other hand, are blithe and cheerful. They refuse to listen to the prophets of woe. Conservative. Liberal and Socialist alike, they go on from triumph to triumph. They are full of schemes of social reform and do not grudge Hie cost—which, in any case, is borne by other people. Their motto is On With the Dance.

“When the Socialists left office, business men confidently believed that a great change would take place. This is another proof that they do not understand polities. For, the more politicians differ the more they are the same. The Conservatives might have decided to rut down national expenditure. This might have helped our manufacturers to compete against their foreign rivals, hut it w.“iild have been what politicians call “reactionary.” ‘The Conservative Party- is determined to prove at all costs that it is not reactionary'. Besides, economy is ilio last- tiling that the electorate of this country ever seems to worry about, ft is probably ihe most unpopular of all virtues. There is a suggestion of meanness and stinginess about it. The Conservative Party dare not risk the unpopularity which meanness and stinginess might bring. Consequently the right tiling to do is to continue expenditure on the present lavish scale, and to devise new and ingenious methods whereby additional millions may insquandered.” SOCIALIST SillßT STOLEN. Having discussed the Budget insurance scheme, “really one of Mr Baldwin’s projects,” which shows the Socialists when they return to power how to gel round the problem of the Second Chamber and use the Budget, “as an instrument for in!reducing their mon-ey-making schemes." and which will increase working eosis in our factories by L'.jUl) a year for every GOO men employed, Mr Graeme concludes-: “I have tried to put the whole ease as plainly as possible from the politicians’ point of view. M Iml happens to British industry does not really matter. The Conservative has reason for the greatest glee. The Socialist’s shirt lias been stolen while lie was in bathing. Compared with this great triumph the misgivings of economists and ol lui-i----liess men are as nothing.

“They may ask : “Where are we going r'” But why worry? Let- us continue to sacrifice our export trade and strangle our manufactures by maintaining an army of unemployed, and subsidising widows and orphans rather than lose general elections. We are immeasurably poorer than before (lie war. Inti do not let nervousness curtail our expendit lire. ••It may he. as the business men nover tire of telling us. a delirium, it may he a financial orgy, it may Ik: a macabre (lance to destruction. But it is evidently sound politics. So. oil with the dance I”