SIR JOSEPH WARD'S EQUIVOCATION.

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

SIR JOSEPH WARD'S EQUIVOCATION.

SOME PEETHTBNT QUESTIONS.

('srrrm. to "nre muss.")

WELLINGTON, December 8

In a well-balanced articlo on tho political situation, to-night's 'Tost," tinder the holding of "A Tailed Ministry," deals with the possibility of tho tail wagging tho dog in tlio next Parliament. It points out that tliero are three groups of Labour to Bo considered: (1) Tho triumvirate of extreme extremists; (2) tho rest of official Labour who arc extreme by their subordination to tho triumvirate, if in no other way; and (3) unofficial or Independent Labour." From their published statements wo gather that neither Mr Massey nor Sir Joseph Ward would acccnt office from No. *1, and neither of tliem, so far as wo know, has said that he will not accept office from No. 3. But what about No. 2, tho ordinary members of official Labour, any one of whom, if he chooscs to score off his own bat. might bo ablo by one vote to keoo a Government in office? Mr Masscy's pubFshed statement is much more explicit than Sir Joseph Ward's. Has not the timo arrived when Sir Joseph Ward should be equally explicit P Last Friday, in tho South, he resented the imputation that ho is in bngtio with extreme Labour. But as the word extreme may be twisted, does not candour compel him to siy whether he would or would not tako part in a Government dependent upon the voto of the official Labour Party, or of any member of that party; or.'fo put it in another wnv. does 'extreme', as he uses the word, npily to every member who is under th-> discipline of the party that the e\ i ron<-ets dominate? W'f'i Sir Joseph Ward's willintmcss to find a supporter, or even a Minister, in an Independent Labourite like Mr Ycitrh, we do not quarrel, but he shouTd make it clear whether his door is limited to that, or whether it opens wid?r. Tho need of a candid statement by Sir Josonh Ward is increased by M* r Holland's embarrassing inflma'tion that ' althonch the Labour Party wculd seize tho first opportunity to defeat Massey on riivlmdv's mntio" if Werd'•nmc i**to power, Labour would nn!y keen him there, while he eomnlie-l" with "it* demand«.' Mr TTr>li°Ti']V r-]-er»rf--l villic*ness to >k> slave-driver doc- not mnko Sir Joseph Ward a slave, b-'t it eer- j tainly the ca™ fnr :i definite* repudiation of any ro«il> : lity that j extremeis;n may make Liberalism its j flunkev."' I As ynnr renders may not be aware! of th*» faet. it i= as well to s'ate that the "Post's" rvl't'eal ctandpoirt is absolutely imlenend-'rr of r>»rtv, t v e-pfire the extreme L'°her;i] ear! take po exception to tho a hove quotation. Tt is a "question that many who aro still in the L : b"ral ranks are anxiously asking themselves to-day.