ESSENTIALS OF NATIONALISM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3618, 26 March 1927, Page 4

ESSENTIALS OF NATIONALISM.

1 WHERE LABOUR HAS FAILED. Before the last General Election in New Zealand there was much talk of the need for a National Party. So impressed were the politicians by the expressed desires in this direction that the Reform and Liberal Parties vie with each other in presenting themselves as the one and only Nationalist Party. The Reform Party declared it was truly so whilst the Liberals changed their najnc to “Nationalist” as if the mere change of name would settle the matter. What has been felt to be lacking all round is a definite and clear affirmation of principles on which the parties would act consistently in the National interests. Speaking before the Annual Convention of the National Association of New South Wales, Mr. W. M. Hughes, ex Prime Minister of Australia, dealt with what he considered were the essentials of a truly National policy. He contended, first of all, that the birth of the National Party in Australia was due to the war time exigencies which brought all sections of the community together in thinking of the Nation’s safety and needs. Of course, we had a temporary combination in New Zealand during the war period. It is a pity that our politicians fail to recognise more fully that the safety and needs of the Nation require attention in peace as well as in war time. “The four fundamental essentials in a National policy were named by Mr. Hughes as national security, financial stability, economic progress, and social welfare. These principles, he said, must be definite, and comprehensible to the multitude, not vague or negative in their charactor. No policy deserved to succeed which was not in its essence as democratic as the people of Australia were.” The statement will apply to New Zealand just as well as to Australia. The first essential of national security means adherence to the Biilisli Empire and sharing both its b rights and responsibilities. It is pleasing to find that in this policy of Union with the Motherland the Reform and Liberal Parties are in general agreement. They might both still give deeper thought to the ciuestion of whether New Zealand caiinot go further in sharing the burden of Defence which rests so heavily on the Home country.,. The Labour Party whilst voicing great professions of Nationalism as affecting China, Egypt, India 01 elsewhere, shows a mood of ad\erse criticism towards the British Empire at all times and seems to think National security' can be adequately safeguarded by the mere passing of pious resolutions in favour of peace. At the present time our people are far from satisfied that all is well in respect to the. essentials of financial stability and economic progress. Without these being well provided for the other essential of social welfare cannot properly be secured. There has been too much fast and loose play with economic principles on the lines of State control and restrictions of enterprise in trade, and commerce. Instead of sound Nationalist policy being shown the disposition is rather, as a course of expediency, to try and defeat the socialists by adopting some of their programme. This is a dangerous proceeding and the sooner it is reversed the better it will be. LABOUR PARTY’S FAILURE. Referring to the Labour Party in Australia, in language which in a measure also applies to New Zealand, Mr. Hughes said: — “The Labour Party has a great record of service in the past. It lias built up a monumental record, lint when one looked at the Labour movement to-da.v, it bad the appearance of a graveyard, its monuments representing memorials to departed principles.” ITow true that statement is—Bv tho adoption of Socialist ideas, running towards the Communism of Soviet Russia, the Labour Parties have lost grip of tlie National principles which guided the parties in the past.. A theoretic"' sentimental internationalism, not unmixed with prejudice against the British Empire, has demoralised political Labour. We cannot look in that direction for the advancement of sound nationalist principles. It is urgently necessary that the other portions should become more definitely nationalist in character. The essentials, referred to herein, cannot be trifled with. Our people are calling very’ insistently’ for their recognition and the politicians require to give greater attention to these requirements. (Contributed by the N.Z. Welfare League).