The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1920. QUITTING THE SINKING SHIP?

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3588, 27 September 1920, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1920. QUITTING THE SINKING SHIP?

With which is incorporated "The Taihape Post and Waimarino News "

Judging from a visible lack of sentiment, of fundamental principle of party and a reasonable observance of the tenets of political faith by Members of the present Parliament it may be concluded that the transition stage is well advanced towards some widely different political status. Only a.few days ago the huge majority behind Mr Massey had melted away until it required the casting vote of the Chairman to save him from defeat. It was not a matter of no confidence, but there is no good cause to minimise the undignified position Mr Massey was placed in. No observer of politics will deny that a process of political disintegration is working in the direction of a complete reshuffling of the political cards, and that that attention is not being paid to the prospective re-arrangements they should claim from Members who have the slightest concern for what the not distant future may bring forth. The truncated Liberal Party has, by failure in the constituencies and by the "going west" of an honourable leader, become leaderless, and it has presented the sorry spectacle of something like half its numbers aspiring to that position which a generous Government has honoured with a State paid private secretary. Mr Witty, a man that has accomplished excellent, results as the Whip to his party, cannot lay claim to those attainments which are essential in a good and successful leader, and Mr McCallum, the Member for Blenheim, is not a sufficiently experienced politician to command the respect of any party as its head man. He may have legal knowledge accompanied with a good average- quality of intelligence, but it is all too much tinctured with what is vulgarly termed swelled head to be of the nature and quality essential in a leader. Hence the very much attenuated Liberal Party in the HouSoTias lost the adherence of these two Members, who gave as their reasons for quitting their inability to accept Mr Wilford as party leader, when it would probably be much nearer the truth to say they are not content to remain in a party which is not. led by one of themselves. It was ever thus, jealousy and hankering after that, which ' overwhelming majorities declare men are not meant for by nature have broken up some of the world's greatest organisations. Mr Witty lost no time in lei ting Parliament know that he was a party of one. but Mr McCallum went home to Blenheim to tell the political story with which he seemed to be overflowing. However, the breaking away of these two liberals from the party only goes to indicate the surprisingly slender threads that, have hitherto held them. If it

be true that the friend in need is the friend indeed, then the friendship and attachment of these two was never worth much to the party of which

they have now shaken the dust from their feet. How lightly the conviction,and the traditions of liberalism sat upon- Mr McCallum he fully discloses in his communication to the Blenheim newspaper. Tie would have his constituents believe that he is

! changeless, and that present political j* phenomena is purely attributable to obliteration of party lines; thaj the old dividing lines of Conservative and Liberal have disappeared, and have so merged and converged, to use his own words, as tc leave it difficult for many to discover ihe distinguishing party principles. It is understandable that Mr McCallum finds it easv to find in Conservatism the reflection of his own principles of Liberalism, but the men who have experience of those principles of 'Liberalism held by Lib-

erals, by the greatest Liberal and the j greatest statesman that has ever sat in a New Zealand Parliament, will still be unable to find one speck of resemblance between Conservatism and the Liberalism of Bailance, Seddon and Sir George Grey. Conservatism visibly hates that part of Liberalism which it was'compelled to rake over from Liberalism, and which it dare not jettison. It is quite customary for men of Mr McCallum's tem- | peramcnt to assume, and really ,be- • lieve that because they cast anything i aside it is worth nothing and cannot continue a useful existence. We could go back over British political history and quote several instances in which great statesmen have blundered in this connection, therefore, it isv>quite understandable that Mr McCallum should become impressed with such a notion. In his political loneliness, the Member for Blenheim will invoke the sympathy of some and the contempt of others, for it is sure to~be felt in some cases that Mr McCallum is regarding Liberalism as a sinking ship. But why should he continue a party of one while be expresses the conviction that dividing lines between j his liberal principles and those of conservatism no longer exist? It is obS vious that in accordance with this expressed conviction he should move over to a bench behind the Conservative leader. There seems apparent in Mr McCallum's attitude a much greater modicum of factiousness than of ' true loyalty. Very much of liis contribution to the Blenheim newspaper, if correctly telegraphed, is a veritable pottage of political bunkum, and is only calculated to mislead the least sophisticated amongst his eonstitu--1 ents, for it is not at all likely tp mislead anyone else. It is an excuse for quitting the Liberal Party in its misfortunes that many people will consider unworthy, and some will'view as discreditable. In any case while he constitutes a party of one he will have the pleasure and satisfaction of knowing that all resolutions in caucus will be greeted with unanimity. If in his concluding studied periods this lone Liberal lamb is referring to political dry-rot which has characterised the last decade or thereabouts his ments are not wide of the truth; they constitute a fairly correct statement of the condition government, has drift- ' ed into, but how Mr McCallum can claim that this condition accords with and harmonises wifh that for which Liberalism has stood f° r > n the past I and should stand for "in the present and hi the futre. is not understandahle. It really appears as though logic has been lost in a mass of special pleading; that reasonableness has become obscured in rhetoric confusion. Accidentally or otherwise he undeniably voices a very serious impeachment" of New Zealand "government, and this impeachment will be better understood by quoting Mr McCallum's own words, they are as follows: —"Governments have not so much pursued ideals as yielded to the pressure of a public sentiment and opinion, becoming steadily ever more articulate and imperative. This concession has often been reluctant, insincere, and fitful, opportunism besetting its path at every stage, unsocial vested interests impeding it, and the fear of progress itself making the response to the pressure useless and inadequate. The result, has been largely due, first, to the persistence of the old, and negative, conceptions of the duty of the State, and largely and only to nature and the defects of the political machine .itself" After this follows the political manifesto of this aberrant party of one. It has been said that logic is essential but grammar tends to prevent a man expressing himself as he would like.. Many of Mr McCallum's readers will meet with considerable , difficulty in understanding just what he means, and this difficulty will be j accentuated by his statement that all j differences between Conservatism and Liberalism have disappeared as a re- I suit of a four years association of the two parties during the war. It is evident, however, that Mr McCallum has no sympathy with the postulate that the majority should rule. Mr Wilford is the leader forshadowed by Sir Joseph Ward and by the late Honour- j able Mr MacDouald, and he is the j choice of the majority of the Liberal. Party in caucus, and the people of this { country have yet to learn that the Liberal choice is in anyway lacking in those qualities from which statesmen are made. Mr only j fault seems to be that of youth, for he is what may be termed a young mid-dle-aged man. He has held « seat in the House for getting on towards half his natural life, and it cannot be denied that in retaining that position ae has disclosed a statesmanlike cleverness. Had "Ee been anything but. sincere, honest and straightforward* with his constituents they would" long ago have abandoned him. Mr Wilford has a standing with his const!- i tuents that Mr McCallum ha* y ! io ; earn with his in Blenhean. ft. is at j .least bo,] form 1o discard old friends in their greatest need without reason- . able provocat'ion.