NEW DEMOCRACY.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 April 1921, Page 5

NEW DEMOCRACY.

EXAMPLE OF AUSTRALIA. ITS FRUITS EXAMINED. A BOOK BY LORD BRYCE. By Telegraph.—Pres* Assn —Copyright Received April 2, 55 pm. London, April 1. Lord Bryce devotes complete chapters bf his book, entitled "Modem Democracies”, published by McMillan’s, to analysing the political and economic histories of Australia and New Zealand. He describes Australia as the world’s fewest democracy that travelled farthest and fastest along the road leading multitudes to unlimited rule, but he concludes that the Commonwealth has got no nearer than any other country to solving the problem of the government of the whole people with fairness to the whole people, only furnishing one more proof, which , was not needed, that any dominating class always governs in its own -intertests. Lord Bryce discusses the ‘'White Australia” policy, arbitration and other in- _ jflustrial legislation, tabor, the caucus Bystem, and the most recent political developments, including Catholic support of the Labor Party. He points out that Australia was the first country to evolve friosely-knit party organisation compelling members to vote and act unitedly, the caucus becoming the absolute master of representative Assemblies. Lord Bryce states that the growth of the national Australian patriotism has not diminished the feeling of unity with British peoples throughout the world. DIFFERENT STANDARDS. He points out there are no classes corresponding with the so-called ‘’governing classes” in England in Australia, which hardly possessed even a plutocracy. No families had possessed wealth more than half a century and therefore there was do class hereditarily interested in politics. and no leisured class from which to draw public men. Not many well-to-do people were attracted to political careers, which, happily, were not lucrative, and carried no more social importance than membership of city or county councils in England. The Australian politician’s level of attainments was low, and at most he had only an elementary education, very few being University trained. In Britain a candidate gained by means of education, but in Australia he loses on account of the suspicion attaching to the rich classes. Australian politics’ Weakest point, with a few exceptions among the leaders, was the Parliamentarians’ deficient education and narrowness of the richer Australians. Lord Bryce dilates on the harmfulness caused by the payment of members, “but,” he adds, “no one told me how it was possible to avoid it if it was desired that -the wage earners should be duly represented.” Examining State enterprises, Lord Bryce points out that when unions controlled labor the Governments and the workers became both employers and employed, and when State considera- * tions conflicted with personal, political, or self interests, the State interests went to the wall. The Australian workers' idea under Labor Ministries seemed to be that a State’s duty was not to get work done by paying wages therefor, but to provide wages and find the Work. TRIBUTE TO THE PRESS. Lord Bryce declares the Australian newspapers wege of a high standard, well written, and generally providing fair and honest news services. As far as he discovered they could not oe worked behind the scenes by politicians. The newspapers had not, save with a few exceptions, lapsed into vulgar sensationalism by inattention to truth, which increasingly characterised numerous organs in the older countries in the latter decades of last century. Three or four newspapers in Melbourne and Sydney exercised more power than any other newspapers ever did in any Country. . Alluding to Australian characteristics generally, he says that in natural and mental vigor and physical activity the country was abreast of any or the modern nations, but the mental Interests did not play a great part, lives being devoted to sports and opennir life. The standard of comfort was nowhere higher than in Australia, if as high. This was due to nature’s blessings rather than to special developments of democratic government.—Aus.NJZ. Cable Assn.