DIVIDED PARTY

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 126, 30 May 1934, Page 12

DIVIDED PARTY

AUSTRALIAN LABOUR. LANGITES' EFFORTS FAIL. REBUFF IN VICTORIA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, May 23. In view of the near approach of a Federal election, the Labour party is naturally anxious to present a united front to the enemy, and this fact gave special importance to the conference called by the Victorian Labour party for last Saturday. The immediate question at issue was whether the Victorian Labour party would endorse the action of the union executives and join up with the Langites, thus virtually ignoring the A.L.P. and clearing the ■ way for Mr. Lang to supersede Mr. Scullin. The hopes of the Langites were high and two of their leaders, Messrs Garden and J. B. Martin, went down to Melbourne to watch the course of events. But when they came back to Sydney, thrv utmost they could claim was a "moral" victory for Langism, and this was described by most of its opponents as an overwhelming defeat. Authority of the A.L.P. The curious feature of the situation is this —that at first sight it looked as if the resolutions carried at this conference had conceded practically all that the Langites asked, and that the agreement arranged between the Victorian Union executives and the Sydney Trades Hall some weeks ago was now officially endorsed. Several of our newspapers— even the "Sydney Morning Herald"— seemed at first sight to regard the conference as "swinging toward Lang," but a little reflection showed that the Langites had no cause to rejoice. For the conference, while accepting most of the terms offered in the GardenGraves unity programme, insisted on inserting clauses which compel the Langites to acknowledge the authority of the A.L.P. and to accept its programme. The "Labour Daily," at all events, was in no doubt about the real outcome of the discussion. It denounced the conference for allowing itself to be "bull-dozed into the acceptance of a resolution clothed in the guise of the unity agreement, but incorporating entirely foreign proposals," and it made no attempt to conceal its bitter disappointment. "What," it asks, "is the force at work that, with diabolical intent and certainty, undermines every attempt that is made to reunite the political forces of the workers throughout the Commonwealth under the mantle of the Australian Labour Party?"

The answer, of course, is that the Langites claim to be the Australian Labour party, and will not tolerate the existence of any other form of A.L.P. "In vain is the net spread in the sight of the bird." And so the Victorians, though many of them sympathise with the Langite policy, refused to recognise the ascendancy claimed by Lang and Garden, and the Sydney Trades Hail delegates came back frankly resentful and disillusioned. It may be added that in certain quarters it has heen hinted that one reason for the failure of the "Lang Plan" was the presence of "Jock" Garden, whoso astuteness and his strong Communist sympathies have made him "suspect" in Melbourne. The Next Move. What is to be the next move ? Mr. Scullin, who is the legitimate leader of the A.L.P., has decided to make a great effort to consolidate all sections of "the movement" in preparation for the coming election, and he is opening his campaign with a public address at the Town Hall here to-night. But there is still some faint hope for the Langites, for the conference, after carrying resolutions which meant the defeat of Langism by majorities of three to one, decided to appeal to the various State sections of the A.L.P. for endorsement of its decision; and the secretary of the A.L.P. lias already taken steps to secure an expression of opinion from them. If, as seems extremely probable, the branches of the A.L.P. in New South Wales and Queensland, already definitely hostile to the Langites, are supported by two other State 3, the Langites will have to fight on without hope of victory. But Mr. Garden already talks about an "invasion of Victoria" by Langite candidates; arid at the moment it looks as if Australian Labour will still be a divided party on polling day.