PARTY FUSION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 118, 21 May 1931, Page 6

PARTY FUSION.

A WAR PARALLEL. (To the Editor.) On October 10, 1915, in his earnest appeal on behalf of the British viewpoint in the war crisis, Walter Hines Page, American Ambassador to London, wrote to his President: "The present controversy seems here, where we are > close to the struggle, academic. It seems to us a paltry matter when it is compared with the grave danger we incur in cutting ourselves off from a position to be of some service to civilisation and to the peace of mankind. In Washington you seem to be indulging in a more or less theoretical discussion. As we see the issue here it is a matter of life and death for English-speaking civilisation. It is not a happy time to raise controversies that can be avoided or postponed. We gain nothing; we lose every chance for useful co-operation for peace. In jeopardy also are our friendly relations with Great Britain in her sorest need, and the greatest crisis in her history. I know this to bo the correct view." Beading the foregoing suggests the thought: How far may a similar statement apply to the Reform party in regard to the fusion proposals as that applied by Page to America? Did not that party permit indulgence in nebulous academic and theoretical discussion to govern their decision at the hour of New Zealand's need when prompt practical action was needed? Opposition factions in administration of company or municipal corporations are held to be disastrous to good management. The same principle assuredly applies to National Government administration. The action of the United party in the direction of unity is the first statesmanlike move towards the abolition of party Government. W.R.M.