The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1929. THE AIMS OF LABOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 233, 2 October 1929, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1929. THE AIMS OF LABOUR.

■ » ■ i ii For the oante that laek§ attiitanee, For the wrong that need* resittanoßg For the future in the distance. And the pood that tee ean da.

The annual conference of the British Labour Party was opened on Monday with a presidential address from Mr. Herbert Morrison. As Mr. Morrison is Minister of Transport in the Labour Government, his opinions may be taken as representing accurately enough the views of Mr. Mac Donald and his colleagues, and this fact gives a special interest to his remarks. No one can grudge Mr. Morrison the satisfaction that he feels at the remarkably rapid progress of the Labour Party and the political strength that it has| now attained. Nor is any unprejudiced critic likely to deny the claims that he has put forward in regard to Labour's recent successes in the sphere of foreign affairs. Even though Ave entertain some reasonable doubts about the treaty with Egypt, which Mr. Morrison rates so highly, we must admit that the vigorous and courageous administration of our foreign policy by Mr. Mac Donald, Mr. Snowden and Mr. Henderson well deserve the panegyric pronounced upon it by the President of the Labour Conference.

But when Mr. Morrison came to deal with the domestic policy of the Labour Government it was evident that he was moving warily, and that he chose his words with care. As regards the condition of some of Britain's staple industries, which, as Mr. Morrison says, have "undoubtedly lagged seriously- behind their foreign rivals," the investigations already initiated by the Labour Government should produce beneficial results if a constructive policy is based upon them. But as to the main features of the Government programme, all that Mr. Morrison ventured to say was that he and his colleagues are "engaged in translating into legislative and administrative detail" the measures of industrial and social reorganisation to which they are pledged in the interests of the whole community. This is certainly vague, and Mr. Morrison evidently felt it desirable to offer some sort of apology for his lack of precision. The Government, he reminded his hearers, is "handicapped by its minority position," and it can do nothing if the Opposition forces combine against it. Clearly Mr. Morrison bears in mind Mr. Lloyd George's warning that as soon as Labour becomes aggressively "socialistic" it can count on Liberal hostility and its tenure of office will cease. No doubt Mr. Morrison's attitude is for the time the only safe one. But we have y«jt to discover if Ministers can induce the multitudes of workers who have made "socialism in our time" their slogan to accept the slow, and cautious rate of progress which present conditions seem to impose upon them.