MR THEODORE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18915, 2 February 1927, Page 9

MR THEODORE.

RETURN TO POLITICS. ELECTION CAMPAIGN OPENED. •:ST TABLE-PRESS ASSOCIATIOJT-COPrRIOHT.) (AVSTBALIAS A.VD S.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) SYDNEY, February 1. Mr E. G. Theodoro has opened his campaign for the Dalley by-election. He said it was obvious that there was no hope of a vigorous forward policy from the present Nationalist Government. Referring to the Imperial Conference, he said that as far as Australia was concerned, decisions reached there were negligible. It was a mischievous claim of the Rt. Hon Stanley Bruce's, that Australia should have the right to be consulted concerning British foreign policy. Australia could not afford to be embroiled in England's Continental manoeuvres, and as a nation Australia would be wiso to mind its own business and let Britain deal with her own troubles with her neighbours, without involving in any wav a Dominion liko Australia. Nothing could be more mischievous than the action of the Federal Government in contemplating Australian intervention in China. No foreign people had a shred of justification to interfere there, and such meddling would be provocative and highly dangerous. _ The talk of an Australian militaristic adventure in China was criminal madness, and those who aided it were a menace to their own peace and safety. He then referred to the tariff. Ho said that a more rigorous application of Protectionist principles was the settled policy of the Australian people, as it was realised that tho hope of attaining full nationhood depended upon tho development and expansion of secondary industries. He concluded by denying that anywhere under Labour rule was there any evidence of tho application of extremist doctrines. [Mr E. G. Theodore, a former Prime Minister of Queensland, has been selected by the Australian Labour Party to contest the vacancy in the Federal House of Representatives created by the resignation of Mr W. G. Mahoney, a Labour member. It is suggested that Mr Theodore may supplant Mr Charlton as leader of the Party in the Federal House.]