The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News The Echo and The Sun. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1931. AN AMAZING ROUT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 256, 29 October 1931, Page 6

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

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1931. AN AMAZING ROUT.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, IFQT ihs it% ths di*tanc4, And the good that tee o»» da.

There is nothing in British political history comparable to the rout of the Labour Party in Britain on Tuesday. When in 1906 the Liberals reduced the Conservative strength from 311 to 130, and raised their own from 218 to 376, men marvelled. ' Another huge majority was furnished by the election at the end of 1918, when war sentiment sent the Coalition back just twice as strong as the ; combined Opposition groups.' But both these victories pale before the amazing charge of National Government cavalry that has swept over the"electorates. Now it is not .two to.one. but- ten to one. As a Parliamentary force, the Labour Party has been almost annihilated. Famous leaders, rank and file—trade union stalwarts, intellectuals, recruits from the. aristocracy, moderates and firebrands—all I lie' now in "one red burial blent." Throughout the electorates there is the same story to read. Great industrial centres as well as quieter towns and rural, constituencies responded to the call of the-National Government, and Opposition candidates went down in swathes. The Trade Union Congress, the Labour organisation chiefly responsible f6r the party's flight from • the Government, . must stand aghast as it looks, upon the stricken field. The victors must feel proud that the people rallied so magnificently to the call of duty, but they may also feel dazed 'at the extent of their success, and it will be well for them and for the nation if their joy and pride is tempered by humility. • ; ' ' . ■

It must be conceded that the Coalition had advantages in organisation and publicity, but these account only, in part for this extraordinary turn-over of votes. Labour probably had no more Press support in 1929 than in 1931, but it was then returned in sufficient strength to form a Government. This time the nation was really alarmed. It was told plainly that the alternatives were progress ,or ruin, and if it did not interpret "ruin-'' literally, it did believe that not to support the National Government would be to run a grave risk. Largely this was not a party vote at all, but a vote for a National Party, for a band of men of all parties' who have come together to save the country. Tens of thousands of the men and women who on Tuesday voted against Labour will vote for it when times are better. In the meantime the Labour Party,-lias paid a terrible penalty for taking a narrow view of its obligations, and democracy has proved to the world in the most spectacular fashion that it can be trusted to discipline itself. The whole world waited to see how Britain would react to this test, and it now knows that Britain, is determined to put heir house in order and that the "dole" has not cbrrupted the virtues of an ancient and mighty nation.

Two questions will be asked ■ by many students of politics. What is .the future of the Labour Party, and how will the National Government use its victory ? Time may show that for the real good; of Britain the victory has been too complete, that it would have beet better had a larger and. well led Opposition been returned to the new Parliament. When reaction comes it may be all the more powerful. Experience shows that-a strong and vigilant Opposition is necessary to the success of the party system, and that huge majorities tend to be fissured by personal ariibitions and political differences. The leaders of the National Government in-- Britain, devoutly thankful though they are that their cause has been so splendidly supported, will wish that the Labour Party ih the new Parliament was more than a handful and that it was led by men of experience like Mr. Henderson and Mr. Clynes. As it is, the Parliamentary Party has been bereft of nearly all its leaders, which is good neither for it nor for the nation. It must be borne in mind that the Labour movement is far stronger in the constituencies | than' in the House. The aggregate . vote runs into millions, so it would be absurd to suppose that this result means even the temporary destruction of Labour as a.-political force. And what will the Government do with its huge majority? In composition ..the Ministry's following is overwhelmingly Conservative, and it is too much to expect that the Conservatives will not try, sooner ,or later, to dictate policy. A great crisis has been met, but the road to permanent safety and prosperity 1 is long, difficult and dangerous.