The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, April 2, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1026, 2 April 1912, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, April 2, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Okganiskd labour does not intend to be caught napping in this electorate, in the event of an appeal being made to the people next spring. The Flaxmills’ Employees Union are keeping in touch with members and a new party called the Independent Eabour Party, with Mr R. H. Dalhousie as tbe moving spirit and organiser, has come into existence. The organiser is busy at present in this portion of the electorate enrolling members and explaining the objects of the Party. The enterprise displayed by this section of Eabour is very commendable. They realise the necessity for and power of thorough organisation, and while we do not agree with all their demands nor the means they may adopt to gain their ends, their activity should inspire lite and vitality in other moribund political factious. Organised Eabour, or unionists, are obsessed with the idea that they are the only true representatives of Eabour. The man in the dungarees and sweater, or the Eabour unionist, should realise, however, that he represents only a section of Eabour, lor in this young and democratic country are we not all labourers in some sphere or another ? Have those outside the pale of unionism no ideals of reform equally with those who are stirred up by the Eabour union agitator ? Eabour, to be permanently successful must include all who work with brain as well as hand. The ideals of such a Party must be set before the people by men whose morality and dealings with their lellows inspire confidence. The leaders must be known as men of probity, who would rather sutler temporary set backs than adopt any questionable tactics to achieve their ends. Until Eabour is elevated to a higher and broader plane it cannot expect to be tbe predominant Party in the Parliament ot this country.

During his speech at the .Reform Rally at Slraltord last week, Mr Massey had something to say about the present political situation and incidentally referred to those broken pledges, “it may seem strange to you,” said Mr Massey, “I do not find much fault with the persons who were induced to break the pledges expressed or implied by them, because the men who broke then pledges were receiving their punishment from their conscience or at the hands of their constituents —they were receiving now sufficient punishment—but it was the people who were mean enough to induce these men to break their pledges, and who would probably escape punishment. They hoped to benefit by the wrong-doing of others. It was a bitter moment tor me when I found that the men whom I assisted to place in Parliament intended to break their pledges. But that is past. i believe, now, and I say it truth-

fully, that it is the very best thing that could have happened.” We believe, with Mr Massey, that the pledge breakers are paying the penalty. In fact, such notoriety as theirs would be dear at a thousand a year. But from what we can gather, from a fairly reliable source, the intriguing that went on to capture the votes of the men who held the balance of power, is a scandal and a disgrace to our public life. We do not say that Mr Massey went the length that the Liberal Party did in this connection during the crisis, but Mr Massey should not lose sight of the fact that he is partly responsible for the present mix-up, by forming a temporary alliance with Labour in his attempt to defeat the Government at the second ballot. It is as well to remember the saw-dust in our own eyes when attempting to remove the four by two from our brother’s.