The Liberal – "Reds" Alliance.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19467, 14 November 1928, Page 8

The Liberal - "Reds" Alliance.

It is not too late for the electors to weigh the significance of Sir Joseph Ward's declaration that his Party, if it gets the opportunity, will work in alliance with the Reds. The United Party, he said, would vote with Labour to turn the Reform Government out. Mr Downie Stewart did not exaggerate when ho said that Sir Joseph's statement was almost more important than liia wild borrowing plan, for, as Mr Stewart pointed out, this was "the " first time in the history of New Zea- " land that any responsible third Party " leader had agreed to tie himself at "the chariot-wheels of Labour for the "purpose of rejecting the Govern."ment." For many years The Press has been demonstrating that the Liberals and the " Reds " are essentially allies, and for as many yeara the Liberal Press has been attempting to deny this. Some of the Liberal politicians have shrunk from lending themselves to the harnessing of their Party to the Reds, and while he was' Leader of the Opposition Mr T. M. Wilford, whose position was not an easy one, kept his- Party, so far as he could, from taking the course which Sir Joseph Ward now prescribes for it. Sir Joseph will place his forces at Mr Holland's disposal: the Reds can count upon the United Party as a firm ally. Some of the members of the United

Party—Mr Wilford and Mr Tom Seddon, for example—will refuse to follow their leader, but most of them will do as their leader bids them. Therefore, as Mr Stewart pointed out, any moderate voter who votes for any United. Party candidate—except such candidates as Mr Wilford or Mr Seddon—will be voting for a sort of substitute Red. It is now no longer possible for the spokesmen of the United Party to deny the plain fact which they have been evading for years. The United Party is in politics merely in order to help the Labour Party to turn out the Reform Party, and thus to revenge themselves for that defeat in 1912 which still rankles in their breasts. Its leading spirits care nothing for the consequences, but we shall be surprised if thousands of electors who had intended to vote for United Party candidates are not shocked into common sense by Sir Joseph's declaration. For what he has said is'in effect that the votes given to his candidates will be votes for men who will follow the flag, obey the commands, and assist the strategy of the Party of the Reds.