The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND MONDAY, MAY 27, 1929 A RAUCOUS CAMPAIGN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 673, 27 May 1929, Page 8

The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND MONDAY, MAY 27, 1929 A RAUCOUS CAMPAIGN

AS a pleasant offset to the raucous noise of politics in Great Britain these clays, it may be observed that several musical lovers of birds have been making a practice of jotting down blackbirds’ tunes as they are heard and comparing them with the songs of the nation. So far, this delightful hobby has levealecl the interesting fact that one warbler began bis spring song with the opening bars of “Oh ! clear, what can the matter be ? while another, more martial in attack, piped those of ‘ The Campbells are coming.” bio one lias yet thought of rendering into music the warbling of politicians in wooing an electorate containing five million “flappers,” but if music could be got out of political jazz doubtless it would be found that they were mimicking the songs of these blackbirds. It is to be fancied, however, that most people will hear the politicians as frogs croaking in marshes. And the more they croak the less musical becomes the sound of their changeless refrain. All the leaders of the rival parties have made their preelection appeals to the people, and the nation is none the wiser for the shrill chorus. Twenty-eight million voters have been set a disconcerting task to find the best Government for a country that, in the midst of many difficulties, needs wise administration more than anything else. And the task is all the more difficult because it has to be performed, for the first time in Great Britain’s political history, by a young electorate. Hitherto, and particularly in what the late Lord Oxford called “the days of the Victorian giants,” the British Parliament has been the product of mature opinion. It represented 'the choice largely of the elders and middle-aged folk of the nation. There may have been occasions, of course, when the selection revealed some evidence of senility, but in the main, the result gave the Empire more illustrious political names than can be found today. Possibly, this generation is entertaining angels unawares. On the occasion of the record General Election poll this week, however, a new Parliament will he elected mainly by the section of the nation which is under middle age. One does not know and none may predict with confidence how electoral youth will serve in its first test as arbiter of policy in national politics. Young women and young men together may excel their parents and grizzled uncles in wisdom, but then it is not improbable that they will follow the rule of tradition and vote exactly like their elders

Meanwhile, all that is certain and measurable as something tangible is the outstanding fact that a record company of candidates, mostly mediocre and true to the ruling type of politicians, will vote at a poll in unparalleled circumstances. As for the fierce party battle it can be said fairly that it has been waged round pence instead of around principles. Each party talks in terms of money and how each will spend ox- conserve cash for the great good of the country. Even Mr. Baldwin has been compelled to confess that both people and politicians have learnt to speak of millions as though these were sixpences. On the top wave of this financial tide Mr. Lloyd George is the most prominent swimmer. He would be naturally and the spray of his swimming is a shower of gold. And his party, with a gi-eat hoard of funds, is spending money profligately on its attempt to make a sensational return to power with all the characteristic Liberal promises of political magic and national prosperity. So it arranged to speak from ten thousand platforms throughout the electorate, to distribute 2,750,000 handbills, and to decorate hoardings with 80,000 posters, all shrieking a promise of joy for the multitude. Such shrill campaigning may win the final battle, but it has to be recognised that before the harp again hangs oxx Downing Street walls, there will have to be a terrific slaughter of honest Tories and no less honest Socialists.

In a qxxiet way, the Conservative Party maintains a determined fight on (to quote Mr. Baldwin) the basis of fact, and not of fable. It declines to scream promises that cannot be fulfilled without making admittedly bad conditions for the people a great deal worse. The pax-ty anticipates heavy casualties, but does not expect an ovei-whelming defeat. Laboux- is rich in promise, and aims at securing for evei-ybody “the standards of life which ai'e necessary to a healthy, independent and self-respecting existence.” Its enemies declare that the Laboxxr programme holds a great deal of explosive matter. In the end, however, despite posters and promises, the people will decide. Probably, the decision will make very little difference either to themselves or to their politicians. There are no giants left in politics.