WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4449, 8 May 1930, Page 3

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

For a quarter of a century or so Air .James Thorn, the national president of the New Zealand Labour Party, has been pouring out. in increasing volume to an unmoved world an eloquence worthy of better things. “This conference,” he I old a body of very earnest sane workers in Auckland the other day, “is a mile-stone in the Labour Party’s journey, a point at which we can take stock of events, our shortcomings, what we need to efi’eet improvements, and, important as it obviously is, it demands from delegates a careful consideration of its business and an approach to the problems before it in the spirit of helpfulness and goodwill.” All Ibis, of course, was very line and large as if came from Mr Thorn’s eager lips; but in cold print it leaves the reader wondering from whence it came and whither il goes. On these points apparently, official Labour has nothing coherent to sav. Consequently the masses remain nninstrueted. LABOUR AND LABOUR.

Mr Thorn's peroration missed being heroic only by being iminlelligihle. “I appeal for the fraternal feeling with which we know the new soeiely of our vision mils! be animated,” it ran. "Joined together by fellowship, armed with knowledge, with a passion for justice, and with faith in the great cause, the Labour movement will overcome every difficulty and move invincibly towards the accomplishment of its purpose. It will indeed in* an army with banners marching lo ilie (ramp of the masses of Ihe people winning victories over every oppression and wrong.” This again is all very line and large and again one wonders what it is til! about. The Labour l 3 arty in Ihe Mother Country, without any fireworks and without any denunciation of private enterprise, has won its way to the administration of Imperial affairs and the custody of the welfare of the nation. On the other hand, successive Labour Parties in .Australia, lacking in vision and understanding, have gone far towards embarrassing the Commonwealth.