The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET AUCKLAND WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 1930 POLITICIANS IN DISTRESS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 919, 12 March 1930, Page 8

The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET AUCKLAND WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 1930 POLITICIANS IN DISTRESS

EXCEPTING the health of leaders there is almost a perfect parallel between the British Labour Government and the United Administration in this country. Each represents about one-third of its nation and holds office on what to ordinary men would be . intolerable sufferance. Together, though far apart, they are handicapped by lack of administrative experience and constructive ability. Most of their Ministers have yet to learn the exacting business of political administration. And both Governments are confronted with extraordinary difficulties. • Perhaps the MacDonald Ministry is in a worse plight than that in which the Ward Administration stagnates, but since neither can emerge from the bog without the aid of political enemies they may be bracketed as unhappy twins in distress. The main difference is that one is Tweedledum while the other is Tweedledee. Politically, the differences between them are merely of degree. In Great Britain the Labour Government is spending or soon will be spending £l5O a minute on the relief of unemployment without removing the necessity for relieving it and without doing anything practical to assist industry and stimulate industrial enterprise. Here, the United Administration spends £20,000 a week in the same futile way with a similar result. Moreover, each Ministry is shackled with chains of its own forging—those promises to create a new heaven and a new earth in national politics and affairs as by the practice of dazzling magic.

Then the parallel persists in the foggy realm of remedies. There is valiant talk in England about an early overthrow of the Labour Government. Mr. Lloyd George is said to be on the warpath, but in the moment of his best Robin Hood mood a seasonal cold has taken the strength out of his intentional aggressiveness. He has contented himself in the meantime with advocating vaguely the adoption of a bold and definite policy for the relief of unemployment. There need be no churlish criticism of his weak attack on the Government. No man with a cold in his head really can be ferocious. It has to be observed, however, that neither the Liberal Leader nor anyone else against the MacDonald Government is able to devise an acceptable alternative to an unsatisfactory political position. The politicians do not want an early dissolution of Parliament, and it is doubtful whether the public desires a general election just now, when so many economic problems demand attention. There is no alluring alternative in sight. Quite clearly, the British electorate is not yet ready to forgive the Conservatives for their anaemic record and to welcome back Mr. Baldwin as “the strong, silent man in a blatant land.” So all that is left for all parties to do is to compose their differences in the best way possible and agree to co-operate only in the highest interests of the State. What is true of the political position in Great Britain is no less the truth about the situation here. The Government is disabled and in a pathetic plight, but no one can postulate the right alternative to it. Let it be assumed for the purpose of considering the future of politics and contending parties that Sir Joseph Ward will resign. Of course, there is no visible likelihood of the Prime Minister doing anything of the kind, but allow the assumption to stand for the moment, because there is no sense in talking about his resignation unless those most concerned have something definite in view as a tolerable alternative to Sir Joseph’s leadership. Everybody knows quite well that without the veteran statesman the United Ministry would be useless. The Hon. E. A. Ransom might be selected to fill the gap, but could he hold it against a flood of unfettered opposition? And even if the new leader also were forced to surrender, what would be the outcome? Who knows? No one knows at all. The rival parties are not anxious for an electoral test of their fitness to collect a bonus for Parliamentary service. Is the Dominion ready for its first Labour Government? Is the country prepared to take “Coats off with Coates”? Without definite answers to these questions, the only alternative to the lamentable business of government is co-operation for the good of the country, not for the benefit of any one party.