MR. HUGHES IN ACTION

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 783, 2 October 1929, Page 7

MR. HUGHES IN ACTION

MR. BRUCE A “VULGAR FELLOW’’ AUSTRALIAN ELECTION SIDELIGHTS “A coarse, common, vulgar fellow! ' Surely this cannot refer to the gentlemanly Mr. Bruce, the most aloof Prime Minister Australia has ever known. But it does. A strong, capable hand, much too big for its little owner, thrust clawlike and menacing above his head, an ex-Prime Minister between alternate thumps upon the table danced, onlyreturning to his stand for the sake of the microphone. “Hang it!” exclaimed Mr. William Morris Hughes, the political sponsor of the man he now alludes to as “a coarse, common, vulgar fellow,” “I must keep in front of that infernal machine!” It was my good fortune to see All*. Hughes in action at his opening meeting at Ghatswood. the centre of the North Sydney electorate, in which he is now being opposed by a straightout Nationalist. Dr. Nott, his opponent. won renown in political circles for having defeated Mr. Theodore, now deputy-leader of the Federal Labour Opposition, in Queensland. He was defeated, however, at the last elections for Martin by a Labourite. Some Nationalists believe that he has a fighting chance against Mr. Hughes. If the Chatswood audience was any criterion I do not think that there is the slightest possibility of moving Mr. Hughes, who is still, despite his venomous temper, the most outstanding figure in Commonwealth politics. GAMBLER’S LAST THROW From a seemingly quiet opening the Federal election campaign has become notable for its bitter exchange of personalities, personal recriminations, and an utter lack of humour. Mr. Bruce’s decision to go to the country on the arbitration issue was characterised by Mr. Hughes “as the last desperate throw of a gambler.” Indications point to a return of a Labour Government. After six and a-half years of leadership by Mr. Bruce, who when it appears to be almost too late shows a spirit of aggression so lamentably absent in the past, the Nationalist Party has reached the lowest ebb in its all too peaceful history.

Here we have the extraordinary spectacle of the man -who founded the party deliberately setting out to wreck his own handiwork. The animosity of the great war Prime Minister against his successor, the man -who founded the Ministry at Mr. Hughes’s own suggestion, is personal. It is deeprooted and vindictive to a degree. For nearly seven years Mr. Hughes, acousticon at ear, has sat and waited for this opportunity. Now his proud boast is: “I have made the BrueePage Government face its masters!” Every time his Government has been in difficulties, according to Mr. Bruce, who at last speaks frankly, Mr. Hughes has endeavoured to bring it down. Never did the Prime Minister, let it be said to his credit, utter a word of protest or take any action. To keep one’s temper for six and a-half years while one’s most persistent sniper sat behind one is certainly commendable. Mr. Hughes could not have done it.

Another peculiar feature of this election is to find the Speaker (Sir Littleton Groom) being faced by an endorsed Nationalist candidate, though he, like Mr. Hughes, -was elected to support Mr. Bruce. At the critical juncture on Mr. Hughes’s amendment on the arbitration issue the Speaker sat in his room, twiddling his thumbs, imagining himself safe in following a House of Commons precedent. Now he has the fight of his political life for his seat in Queensland. This equally applies to the others who stood behind Mr. Hughes. “HEAD IN HOLLYWOOD” Apart from the North Sydney fight, which is a foregone conclusion, the next interesting contest is at Wentworth. Here Mr. Marks, who carries the banner of the big film interests, is opposed by Mr. Manning, a former member of the Federal House, and endorsed by the Nationalist machine. It was of Mr. Marks that Mr. Bruce recently said: “His head is in Hollywood and his feet are in his political grave!” Though Mr. Marks is wellintentioned, and he will fight hard to retain his seat after giving the Government its conge, he is not taken very seriously. But the Wentworth fight raises an important issue; and that is whether the exceedingly wealthy film interests are to dominate the politics of Australia. LABOUR’S LEADERS As it is quite possible that Labour will form the next Government we must devote some attention to its leaders. This great party is in the unfortunate position of not possessing a man who can really grip the imagination of the people. Labour sadly requires another Hughes. Undoubtedly, its most able leader is Mr. Theodore, ex-Premier of Queensland, now chief of staff to Mr. Scullin, the nominal leader. But the Theodore stocks have fallen, and fallen heavily. A vigorous. well-fnformed and capable platform speaker, shrewd, able, and full of personality, there is yet something that he lacks. Somehow one mentally places the welldressed Mr. Theodore, with his magnificent Sydney home, and good investments, on the other side of the political fence. He should be a Nationalist. Mr. Scullin. his leader, is comparatively new to his position. He has yet to win his spurs. By defeating Mr. Theodore for the leadership of the party, he surprised all the prophets, tie might be equally surprising later on. So far. however, he has not cut a particularly commanding figure on the political horizon. The third party is that led by Dr. Earle Page, Leader of the Country Party, and Mr. Bruce’s right hand man. Dr. Page was once described by Mr, Gullett, now a fellow member of Cabinet, as the saddest Treasurer the Commonwealth has yet known. He has not been conspicuous for brilliancy. Dr. Page’s chief distinction in Federal politics is that if there is a man Mr. Hughes hates more than Air. Bruce it is the latter’s first lieutenant. It was Dr. Page who was really responsible for Mr. Hughes resigning the Prime Ministership. The pact* with the Country Party, which has kept the Coalition Government in office all these years, was the price of his head. ERIC RAMS DEN. Sydney. September 25.