THE FEDERAL ELECTION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 71, 17 December 1919, Page 6

THE FEDERAL ELECTION

Although the returns of the Commonwealth election are incomplete at time of writing, it is already plain that the Caucus Labour Party has been defeated, and fairly certain that it has been defeated very heavily. As regards the House of Representatives. the latest returns in hand show that with nineteen eontests undecided the Nationalists and the Farmers' Party between them hold M scats and Labour 22. It is predicted that the final result will be; NalionnlisU 4A l-'.r.nrr* " hi the late Parliament, the Nationalists held 53 of the 75 scats in the House of Representatives and the Caucus Labour Party 22. The

result now predicted would therefore leave the anti-Labour forces very littlo weakened. The Nationalists and the Farmers differ in somo details, notably in regard to the referendum proposals, under, which it is proposed to transfer to the Commonwealth powers now exercised by the States of dealing with monopolies, and with industrial disputes. They'arc alike opposed, however, to the extremists of the Caucus Party, and in general will no doubt make common causc against it. As regards the Senate, the nossibility is mentioned that tlw? whole of the 18 vacancies may be filled by the Nationalists. The latter party in any case is strongly placed where the Senate is concerned. At the election of 1917 it gained or retained the wlwlfi of_ the 18 scats vacant (which made its strength in the Senate 21 out of 36). Tho eighteen members elected in 1917 retain their seats for another three years; it is the other half of tho Senate that retires. Thus the Nationalists already fill half the Seriate seats, and every seat gained will build up their majority.

It is evident, even as the 'returns stand, that the Australian electors have given a decisive vote against Labour extremists and disloyalists and those who are prepared to pander to these factions, and have concentrated their support on. the parties which stand for safe and orderly progress. The fate of Me. Eyas's bid for the Commonwealth Prime Ministership was no' doubt largely influenced by the recent experience of Queensland, which is now reaping such a harvest as might bo expected ft'B'm the nrodigalitj and weakness of the Labour Government in which Mr. Eyan, until a few months ago, held the office of Prime Minister. The Commonwealth electors were faced by much the same issues as an* raised in this country, and there i? no dnubt that they have made a wise choica They have rejected a party which at bestwould have pursued a career of reckless prodigality and extravagance, and very probably would have invited and weakly tolerated anarchy and disorder. They have reinstated in power the party which stands lor a policy qf progress in the interests of all sections of the population, and the measure of succcss gained by the Fanners' Party is more likely to help than to hinder the sound development of such a policy.