The Dominion. MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1919. TAKE NO RISKS.

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 69, 15 December 1919, Page 8

The Dominion. MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1919. TAKE NO RISKS.

After sevoral weeks _ of active electioneering thp issues in the present general election have been narrowed down to an extent that .should leave little room for doubt to those electors who are .concerned for the future welfare of the Dominion. Two or perhaps three things are responsible for this. The first is the increasing evidence of a growing spirit o£ lawlessness in certain quarters which finds expression in attempts to intimidate candidates by rowdyism at public meetings and by the suppression of free speech. The second is the refusal of Sir Joseph Ward to sink party strife and assist to form :v united party of the moderate and progressive elements in politics to defeat the ends of the extremists responsible for the revolutionary -ideas which are threatening to embroil the country in serious trouble. The third is the danger _ (created bv Sip. Joseph Wahivs attitude) of the revolutionary element in our midst winning a sufficient number of seats at the coming polls to'give them the balance'of power as between the two main parlies in the new Parliament. Mr. Massgy hna declared in the plainest possible terms that he will not under any circumstances hold office by (he votes of members of the official labour Party who mav be elected to~ Parliament. Sir Joseph Ward has failed to make his position equally clear, and tho fact that the offivj Labour Party has through its leader, Mr. Holi-and, 1 announced .its intention of joining with Sir Joseph Ward to oust Mr. Massey from office leaves no room for doubt that the Ward Party and the Holland Ptyty will vote together on a no-con lidence issue. That is the position with which the electors arc confronted to- r Jay. There is only one party clearly and definitely committed by: its leader to a refusal to work with or to gain office bv the support of the members of" thj Holland Party. That party is the party led by Mr. MasseY. The issue then narrows down to this: Do the electors think it most in their interests and in the interests of the country to have a Government free from the taint of any form of alliance with the representatives of the revolutionary forces who pass under the guise of official Labour nominees; or do they prefer a Government weakly dependent for attaining office on the of these ' extremists 1 In making.up their minds on these qrestnns the electors will 110 doubt take into account certain obvious facts. They must, for instance, recognise that if any material number of "official Labour" candidates are successful at tho polls it will naturally be assumed that the disorderly conduct of their followers and tho revolutionary aims which they advocate find favour with the people of Now Zealand. Do they 1 If they do not, and we. are cpiite confident they do not, then it is the plain duty of electors to indicate that fact in the most unmistakable manner at the ballotbox. But how can this best be done? The action of Sir Joseph Ward in insisting or. reintroducing party strife, on the old artificial lines, into our politics has had the effect of splitting the votes of the sane and moderate section of the community. All over New Zealand Reform and Liberal candidates, whose views, broadly speaking, differ only in matters of detail, are competing for the votes of sane and moderate people to the advantage of the third clement , in the contest —the candidates of the "official Labour" Party. For this situation Sin Joseph Ward is solely responsible. Had he and his followers met the overtures of the Reform Party in a friendly spirit, ] had they shown the slightest wil- j l'ingness'to come to an _understand- ( ing, the electors of New Zealand 1 to-day would have been in a posi- ' tion to decide straight out for or 1

i gainst the rcvulutionaries. Now, i thy make up their minds Lu vaiiy unitedly to'the suppurt 01 tiw one loader who has tincomproinisuiß'ii' ueeiareu hiiiibdi against the extremists, their voles may lie largely nullified, and tliey will piay ia Lu tin: haiuh of iVlu. Holland and bis friends. Dues any elector outside the ranks of the extremists really want this! At one of his meetings last wcex ■the Liberal candidate lor Wellington Central, Mi;. Pll;ani, made reference to the industrial trouble which looms ahead in the near future. This is 110 light matter to bo passed over without further thought or concern. That there is serious trouble ahead no one in contact with the more aggressive labour forces here for a moment doubts. Whether it will come in January or February next or still later may bo a matter for conjecture, but it is generally recognised that but for the elections and the probable effect on the prospects of "official Labour" candidates the trouble.,would have come ere this. 1 Residents of Wellington still havo clear and unpleasant recollections ' of the disorders of the strike period in 1913, and the farming community throughout New Zealand also have particular reason to remember them. Can they now, in the present unsettled state of affairs,' afford to take any risks in the men they send back to Parliament? Can they afford to .risk having in power during the next few years a Government dependent for office on "official Labour," or a Government so weak that it will not be in a position should occasion arise to deal firmly and effectively in upholding law and order, and in safeguarding the interests of the people generally against the ening peril of industrial disorder and business stagnation? Electors both in the city and in country districts are deeply concerned with these questions. They cannot afford at the present juncture to take any risks, and they certainly will be "taking risks unless they return . a strong Government to power. It is most important that every elector should, as far as possible, viow the present political contest from the broadest point of view, sinking - personal prejudice and party bias. _ What he or she has to think of is not a win for the Reform or a win for tho Liberal candidate in his or her particular constituency, but what effect may be on the country during the critical period immediately ahead. Me, Massey has proved himself as a Leader who has risen to each fresh emergency as it developed during the most desperate period in the history of our race. He has broadened and strengthened under the stress of increased responsibility and through close and i.ntlimate contact with the greatest leaders and statesmen in the world's affairs. To-day he is the doniinanfc figure in our public _ life. There is no man in our politics at (he present time so well equipped to lead a strong and progressive party along safe and sound lines. While Sin Joseph Wabd has stood still or moved fitfully and weakly along the old, old party grooves Mr. Massey has stepped holcllv forward and upward; to_ the higher levels where national interests take precedence over those of party. This has been well exemplified in Mr. Massey's effort to bring about unity in our politics,' while Sir Joskptt Ward has insisted on the perpetuation of party strife. There can be no doubt that at the present iiime the best guarantee of sound progress is offered under the leadership of Mb. Massey; and electors who rea'ise the threatening nature of the outlook and who do not wish to see turmoil and disorder in the country encouraged by a weak Government should make every endeavour to give Mb. Massey a following strong enough to enable him to handle matters firmly and decisively. We do not wish to appear alarmist, but no thoughtful person can fail to have noted the growing aggressiveness of the extremists in our midst, and no elector concerned for the welfare of his country can afford to waste his vote at this election. A safe vote on this occasion is for the reasons we have given a vote for the .Refoun candidate in your electorate.