THE LANG LEGEND

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 253, 17 June 1932, Page 4

THE LANG LEGEND

The swing-over of votes in the New South Wales election does not signify any more definiite change of heart in favour of the Premiers' Plan than did the swing-over from Mr. Bavin to Mr Lang mean at last election a declaration of revolutionary measures. During his comparatively brief reign Mr. Lang has eamed a sinister reputation, and it is probably on this that his party has been decimated. Policies, of course, counted for something, and the "extras" offered by the Labour chief decided the electors to play for safety. There was something too daring about the idea of fighting the banks to a finish to appeal to the public, however strong may have been the belief that the financial institutions were by no means blameless in the matter of causing the depression. What ignominy Mr. Lang has not earned by his own excessive thoroughness, he has gained at the hands of the newspapers, for the Lang legend of infamy extends throughout the Empire, and has been used as a hobgoblin with which to affright the timorous. Frankly we did not like Mr. Lang's methods — they were much too violent — but more than a little of this quality would be valuable in the policy of those who cling to the Premiers' Plan as a sheet anchor, for a country cannot live on merely balancing the budget. Unfortunately we seem fated to have either the one extreme or the other, and destinies turn on the question of loyalty or disloyalty, dragged in without reason. Mr. Lang's original sin was that of repudiation; he both preached and practised it openly before anything of the sort entered the minds of others entrusted with the control of national affairs. Even now no one uses the term in polite society, but the principle is an important ingredient in the composition of several serious plans to restore the world's economic equilibrium, and the sensitive nature of the British people does not seem appalled at the thought. Mr. Lang was wrong in taking the law into his own hands; he did no plead poverty as Europe intends to do when the time seems opportune. However, we feel convinced that Mr. Lang was not to be the saviour of his country, and, where success depends so much on credit abroad, it was advisable that a change shoulc be wrought, even if it did mean going back to the old policy of depending on wild measures of economy. Apart from the apprehension the Lang Plan created, this is a disastrous season for Governments. Victoria changed her leader and now New South Wales and Queenslanc have done the same. France anc . Germany recently expressed a want of confidence in the existing Administrations, and it is doubtful if any Government in the world could under a similar test maintain its hold on the popular imagination. We believe the Lang Party was destroyec because it crossed swords with that invincible power which rules not only men but governments. It is reasonable and amiable when court is duly paid it, but at the threat of defiance is ruthless. Mr. Lang has been tilting at windmills, that is why he f ell ; it is not because Mr. Stevens possesses the confidence of the people, or because any one of the twenty planks of his Unitec, Australia platform impressec the electors. The public in al parts of the Empire is sceptica of election programmes, and it is not surprising that this should be so. Mr. Lang offered a very tempting bribe to both the worker and the farmer, but the Mortgage Tax Bill was the last straw in the heavy burd'en of distrust he had piled on the load.