Honour in Politics.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16113, 18 January 1918, Page 6

Honour in Politics.

Although wo have heard curiously little of the sequel to Mr Hughes's resumption of office with an unaltered Ministry, we have no doubt that in due course we shall hear of interesting consequences. Our Australian correspondent has told us of the widespread surprise and indignation which has been caused by the Ministry's repudiation of its pledge, but this surprise and indignation arc not at all general. There i-. actually a conflict of opinion a-" to whether or not the ilinistry has been justified in its action, and in this conflict issues are jtaisad. which _are_of much more import-

ance than the fate of any particular Minister or any political party. The Sydney "Herald," as soon as it was becoming apparent that the National Ministry intended to cling to office, sought out an excuse for their doing so, and presented this excuse in the following remarkable words: —

It is not a political crisis that must bo considered, but a world tragedy in which everything we hold dear is at stake. Therefore our duty is to make the best of whatever the present exigency may present to us, after recording our protest against anything like political craft or seifish party aims. It is perfectly true that any compromise with truth and honour must react profoundly upon us as a people later on. Yet the call of tho Empire must be held to Justify our acceptance of any leadership that will keep the Commonwealth together in the face of the common enemy, and which will really give Great Britain and her Allies our undoubted support. Mr Lloyd Georgo said at Rome recently that "in a prolonged war nothing counts as much as a good conscience." This must be helcl to apply narrowly as well as broadly. It is as true of the conscience of a community in its internal relations as of the conscience of a league of nations when fighting a ruthless foe like Germany. But. our first duty is to serve the Empire, just as a man's immediate honour demands that he shall guard his hearth and save his home by placing himself where an enemy can best be defeated —even at the ultimate cost of his own life.

In other words, if a policy of dishonour can servo the Empire, that policy must bo adopted. But one cannot accept either of the two underlying assumptions, which are, first, that Mr Hughes is essential to Australia, and second, that a policy of dishonour can really servo any good cause in tho long run. Against such, sophistical pleadings the "Age" and the Sydney "Telegraph" have pointed out the evil consequences that must surely follow the course adopted by tho Ministry. The consequences to Mr Hughes himself would bo serious: "Tho few months during " which he might cleave to offico -would "for him ho a timo of bitter regrets. " His most sententious and solemn assertions would be mocked and given "no credence." But more important would be tho effect upon tho politics of the Commonwealth. "The honouring "of pledges involves the purity, and "even the existence, of democratic in"stitutions, including Parliament it- " self. A people which has the privilege "of self-government must depend on " the honesty of its representatives. "Tho electors accept in good faith tho " undertakings of the leader and party "who receive their support. Were "shuffling statements to become the "rule, the power of the people would "be surrendered to public cheats, and " Parliamentary government would be " infected with a rottenness threaten- " ing its final decay. The honour of " public life is therefore the serious "concern of every democrat." This is so true that the friends of Australia will he divided between wonder that the rank and file of tho National Party should not have insisted upon tho honouring of their leaders' pledge, and dismay that there should bo a further degradation of political standards which were already sadly in need of improvement.