A POLITICAL MAZE.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 January 1918, Page 6

A POLITICAL MAZE.

THE COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT. .JI'UCIiiES CABINET TO RESIGN Sit! JOHN FORREST'S DID FOR PREMIERSHIP. Writing to the Sydney Daily Telegraph pn January 2, the Melbourne correspondent of that joumabsays: — The Federal situation is now in that entangled condition which inevitably follows the determination to take a course the contrary of what has been pledged to the electors. When Sir John Forrest arrived from West Australia to-day it was to tind that an advanced movement was on foot to appoint him leader of the Nationalist party ;n succession to Mr. Hughes. The members who have always been assiduous workers for the Treasurer whenever a prospect of a change in the leadership is ahead began operations in his behalf almost as soon as the Referendum figures had made it clear that the vote was in apposition to the Government's proposals. 'When the Cabinet met this afternoon it was with the knowledge that noses were toeing counted for Sir John Forrest, that members in Victoria and several from the other States had been sounded, and that the preliminary speculations were not unfavorable to ultimate victory. Mr. Hughes had bad a hurried consultation with the party Whip, who was aware of what was proceeding, and whose report was not at all satisfying to the Prime Minister. The other members of the Cabinet who had been taken into the. consultation became gloomier as the day progressed, and by the time the Cabinet assembled there was an air of depression and restraint quite, different from the confidence that has'been remarked during the la=t few days, Mr, Chapman, who is a sort of unofficial Whip for Sir John Forrest, was at the train to meet him. Other members were at the House ready to give him a cordial welcome. The reports of success achieved were cheery, though still I uncertain. Tt was only the remaining Ministers who were dejected; they were probablv affected more by apprehension than by actual information. Many memI uers from New South Wales and Queensland have yet to arrive, and until they a)-.* on the spot the chances of a sucecssI ful move to displace Mr. Hughes are entirely speculative.

THE CASE FOR SIT! JOHN Tlie case for Sir John Forrest is Hint lie was not present at the Cabinet when the Referendum was decide.! upon; that lie was known to be in favor of a further trial of the voluntary system, and that lie was not consulted before the change of policy was adopted. It is hardly to lie supposed, however, that he was not in direct communication with his colleagues, or that the proposal for a referendum did not receive his sanction. Whether lie understood all the details of the arrangement is not so clear. His partisan?, however, insist that Hie was not in agreement with the proposal to make the result of (he referendum vita! to the Government, and that he intimated the fact to the Prime Minister at the opening of the campaign. The refermilmn was. however, so intimately a part of the ("Jovernment policy that, if there was any part of it to wihich Sir John Forrest objected, it was reasonable thut he should make Inf. opposition known at once. If he disagreed with the proposal altogether, his com.--"' \va.; to resign: if he tacitly acquiesced in it, his acceptance of action designed to lift him into the Prime Minister's office over the head of Mr. Hughes is inexplicable.

The intention of Mr. Hughes to carry on if he can get a clearance from the Ministerial caucus is inexplicable also. Mr. Hughes' pledge was to the electors. Apparently '.t is not eonsirtered so licinnus an offence to break a promise to the public as it is for a Minister to claim that he was not a participant, in an integral part of the Government's policy, and then take the right to act as an independent member, and assist in rejectin? him from power., Tlie new position which lias been created will have to be dealt with at the caucus to-morrow. MINISTERS ANXTdtA For nearly four hours this afternoon the Cabinet endeavored to prevail Upon Sir .John Forrest to join in tTie general resolution lliat. they should all stand oi fall together. With the vista oi the one office which lie has been ambitious to peon re ri<rht in front of him, though still a long way oil', Sir John Forrest requires a great deal of eloquence to convince him that be «l>oukl call oil the members w',lo were whipping up the numbers. In' the evening his friends had a close consultation with hiiiKin order to convince ; him that events were marching steadily in his favor. Whether Sir .Tolm Forrest consents to be a candidate or not at the caucus to-morrow, an effort is being made to compel the Government to resign. The party i-, however, likely to view the matter in the light of the individual interests of its members, and it may he found, therefore, the safer course to allow Mr. Tliighei to remain where he is. I Ministerialists seem unanimous that tlie official Labor partv should not be called in. and that if there is another Ministry to be formed, it should he from ilie ranks of the Nationalists. With Sii John Forrest excluded, the difficulty would be to find another leader to succeed '.vfr. Hughes for, as the Ministers have, outside Sir .loftn Forrest, resolved to be all in or all out, the retiring Cabinet could not- he looked to to supply a head to another Administration.

Hardly anything more pathetic has been soon in Federal or any other politics A Prime Minister has announced that, if the Government is beaten, it will nit attempt to carry on. It is bonten; it is anxious to carry on. To avoid the risks of a rivalry for leadership from it? own ranks, its members decided jointly and severally that. Ihev shall stick together, shall go downy ..together, or shall remain up together. Suddenly a member, who has been 3000 miles away, appears on the scene with the announcement. that he is not bound by the arrangement. The distress in the Cabinet is not caused by the fear that the public will resent the trifling with the pledge given (o itself, but by the chance of the missing tncmhoi stepping over their beads, and they, as loyal party men, being called upon to support him LABOII'S ATTITI'DF,. II Sir .Tohn Forrest found any difficulty in securing full •V.itienal support, was represented that the official Labor Party' would look indulgently on any .Administration that lie might form. The official Labor party is ready to join any

movement that will depose Mr. Hughes, and keep him out of office. Some feelers were thrown out the other day from outside Labor circles fn Melbourne as to w.'iet.her it would be possible to effect a reconciliation between the official Labor men and Mr. I-luglios. As the response was most, unsatisfactory, the steps were promptly withdrawn. The attempt to induce Sir John Forrest to thrown in his lot with the other 'Ministers, so that they should stand or fall together, according to the decision of the Caucus, did not meet with success. Sir .John Forrest adhered to his statement that he had been no party to the pledge to resign if the Ministry was defeated on the referendum, and in spite > of the pressure, from his colleagues, lie refused to yield. There is practical certainly, however, that no move to elect him leader would be successful, and it is exceeding doubtful whether, when the rrnrty meets, he will l>e nominated. RECONSTRUCTION AIMED AT. The (iowrnmcnt intends to announce to the Caucus to-morrow that it will rbsigjl as a result, of the adverse vote. an\ will leave it to the party then to take what action it desires. It. is likely that tin? Caucus will ask the (government to continue in o/liee, and as tlks is what is njined at the request will in such ease be acceded to. There is believed to lie a majority of (lie party in favor of this course. That is how the situation stands at present. If the Government carries out its resolution to resign it will be for the purpose of reconstructing the Cabinet. It is certain that at least one, and it may be two, of the Ministers, will not accept portfolios in the proposed renrrang-

cd 'Administration. One of "these is ex- j peeted to be.Mr. Watt. Many members of the Caucus are do- | tcrmined to criticise severely the work of the Prime Minister an<F of the Government; particularly (luring the referendum campaign. But as the Government is to he allowed to continue in office j the criticism will be suffered as compensation for the advantage. I :