THE COMPACT OF 1914.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16701, 9 December 1919, Page 6

THE COMPACT OF 1914.

HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF

Historv is repeating itself so far as the working alliance between the Liberals anil the official Labour party is concerned. Sir Joseph Ward is emphatically denying that there is aw re!.it ion between his party and the Labour Party. Hut he did so in 1014. On November 20th. 1914, at Rnngiora, ho spoke in exactly the strain in which is speaking row. Re srid:— li l want to say thin. At the present election, so far ns mv knowledge poos, there are as many Red Fed* standing against the Liberals in New Zealand as there were at the last general election. And .f the suggestion is made that we are in alliance with them, I wart to know how any rational being in this country can reconcile what I am telling

ynu now as n f;:ct that, these representatives aro standing—ami they have a perfect riL'ht to staid—neither I nor anyone else ran take anv exception to that—hut if there are so many of tho Rod Foils standing at t}-.o present election—ami that is cni'ivr to cost tho Liberals .standing in this contest just as iruch as it is the Reformers—l wart to know what tho men who rail themselves tho loaders of public opinion in this country ran pay uron i< point of that kind. It is unanswerable. ladies and ccntlemon. Tho Red Feds in Now Zealand have made 110 arrnnrcmont with mo. nor have I with them, in connoxi.'.n with tho general election. of anv sort or kind. I want io sav that I have done niy best- to pain t'-r votos of sane La'-our upon the side of tho Lihorn! Partv. and T believe wo aro going to hare thorn." NOW FOR TIIE SEQUEL. it was provided in nn Act passed in 1014 that members of tho Kxpoditionary Force should vote for the Government, tho Ward party, or Labour. Mr Mnsscy was to nliot tho votos for tho Government candidates in tho soldier voters' districts, Sir Joseph Ward tho votes fo» tho Wardist candidates, and two members of the Labour Party tho votes for the Labour candidates. These trustees were obliiod to declare before the poll tho candidates <1 whom they would allot the votes at their disposal. Sir Joseph Ward declared a list of 73 randidates. In GG of these districts ho had his own man. In seven ho had no Liberal candidate. In each of these seven seats lie declared as the recipient of tho votes at his disposal the following:—Messrs Veitcli (Wnnrr.mui), Robertson (Otaki), McLaren (Wellington Fast), TTindmirsh (Wellington South), Mooro (Wellington Suburbs). Walker (Dunedin South), and Munro (Dunedin Central). Every ono of theso seven candidates was on the list of candidates "officially endorsed" by tho Red Federation, and so declared to be in the list printed in the "Maorilnnd Worker," the Red Federation's official organ! And tho Labour Partv reciprornterl bv declaring as the beneficiaries of tho Labour rotes at their disrosal fifi candidates selerted bv Sir Joseph Ward! These farts will enable the public to poo just how much Sir Josonh's nresent protestations—so exactly like his protestations in 1914—aro -worth.