The Daily News. TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 1917. TRIED AND FOUND WANTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 August 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 1917. TRIED AND FOUND WANTING.

Judging by the criticism in tlic present debate, members are not at all satisfied with Cabinet as it is at present constituted, but it is questionable whether members, aiibuld the opportunity arise, would take drastic akion t-o improve the Cabinet's personnel. They talk and talk and talk; they make a brave show, and then with the crack of the leaders' whips thoy docilely take a back seat and allow the stronger personalities to remain on the box seats. Mr. C. J. Parr stated last week that the only course leading to unanimity and elliciency was the adoption of the British, system of bringing into the Cabinet men of business with organising experience and ability. The present arrangements, he held, should be suspended, and suitable men be associated with the Government in the particular work of organising the country in the next year's w'ork. Mr. Piirr is unquestionably right. In England there has been a sincere desire manifested to put at the head of the country's alfairs in this time* of unprecedented stress the men of highest intelligence and elliciency, without regard to politics. .Many of the old statesmen have been found wanting and quickly dropped. All the time changes arc being made. .The head of the navy to-day was an insignificant railway engineer before tlio war. The country has been sorting out its brainy men and giving them full power and unlimited scope, with the result that today Britain is in a position to throw all her immense resources into the war and exert her maximum pressure. It is a truly national Government. All precedents have been broken, all the old political formulas and shibboleths have been put aside, the one idea being to organise in order to win the war at the earliest possible moment. How different ill Kew Zealand! Hero, we are supposed to have a National Government. It is only national in the sense that the two big parties are fairly equally represented in the Cabinet. It is really a Cabinet of expediency, members holding seats not because of their ability but because of their p»evious .party associations and ■prominence. A good man, with the necessary executive and organising ability to steer the ship of state safely through the shoals now confronting it, the very person the country is in need of, is not considered unless he finds favor with the men at the top, who seemingly are not wanting strong men to show them the correct course to steer in these exceptional times. There are a few men in the House to-day whose inclusion ivould strengthen the Cabinet, but they will never be given a- position, whilst outside the House there are many who would be a decided acaaisition to any N».w

Zealand Government, The present Cabinet will not realise that these are unpreced\uted times that call for unprecedented change and action. Indulgence in tho old political Muff is 110 good nowadays; the country is in too serious a mood to .bother aiiout tho smaller political things and faction differences, and is crying loudly to have its affairs placed on a war footing. As the AttorneyGeneral said the other day, we have not yet commenced organising New Zealand. This is a reflection upon the ability of tile administration of which he is a member, but he stated a truth that cannot be gainsaid. We have had three years of war, and vot there has been no organising. What would be tho position of Britain to-day if she had allowed things to drift in the same way? It would, we fear, have been a. case of "God help the British Empire." Now we are confronted with the practical certainty of tho war lasting at least another eighteen months. What 1 are we doing to face the situation? Little or nothing! In four or five month's tho Second Division will be called up. At the present rate of reinforcements the Division will be exhausted by Christmas of dOIS, which, means that every militarily fit man will be away. It is difficult enough now for, tho industries to carry on; what tho position win bo shortly, unless a serious attempt) is mado to organise labor to meet tho emergency, we do not know. Anyhow, the Government that was alive to its responsibilities would take stock now of tho whole situation, and tell the people plainly and frankly tho measures it considers advisable to bo adopted in order to carry on. As Dr. Newman said in the House on Thursday last, what the country needs is a strong nat ioual policy and leadership. These desirable attributes have so far been conspicuously absent. How undependable and vacillating the Government is may be seen from the Defence Department. When taxed with the unsanitary and unhealthy conditions of Trentham camp, the Defence Minister rises in the House and says everything-is quite satisfactory and a more healthy camp cannot be found. Tho very same night tho Prime Minister makes a statement to the House that tho medical oflicers have brought down a damning report, recommending the immediate abandonment of the camp. Lately the Defence Minister said that, whatever happened, tho reinforcements must bo kept up. Next week he reported that the reinforcements were to be reduced by 32-5 men monthly. It was suggested th«fc the Main Body men should como home 011 furlough. The Minister said it could not bo done. But within a week ho had agreed to the proposal. Six weeks ago the Minister stated there was 110 necessity for altering tho Defence Acts; they were working so .well. A few days ago the Government put out a strong feeler to ascertain how a proposal to call up boys of 19 years of age would bo received. The reception was unfavorable, and now the Government deny it was ever intended to lower tho age limit. .A Tew weeks ago the Defence Minister o aid the adoption of the principles of the British Pensions Act was out of the question in a country like New Xeahuid. It was proved at tho proceedings in connection '■vith tho Second Di.visioii League in Wellington last month that none of the Ministers had studied or considered those very important principles, and therefore, knew nothing about them. Now, we mention these matters to show the hopelessness of expecting satisfaction from a Cabinet composed of men of such conspicuous weakness and incapacity, and the need for bringing in strong and able men to direct affairs. The ordinary administrative routine work, 110 doubt, the present Cabinet is equal to—though in this we nave our doubts—but in times like these we don't want to be ruled by men whose chief claims to office are party loyalty and , service, but wo do want to be ruled by men of proved capacity, who have tho imagination to conceive, tho courage to labor disinterestedly, and tho faith to dare.