The Dominion WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1931. RETURN OF MR. THEODORE

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 105, 28 January 1931, Page 8

The Dominion WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1931. RETURN OF MR. THEODORE

Those who were hoping that Australia would grasp the nett will have been grievously disappointed by the Commonwealth Prime Minister’s announcement that Mr. Theodore is to be re-appointe Federal Treasurer. On the face of it, Mr. Scullin s decision appears to be a surrender to the extremists within his party who advocate all sorts of quack financial remedies, including inflation and scorn the virtues of economy and hard work In any- case t [ pointment is likely to prove damaging to Australia s credit in London where it will be difficult to square with Mr. Scullin s valorous declara tions for financial rectitude. , Unfortunately the reports cabled from Canberra do not make it clear whether Mr. Theodore returns to the Treasury n the Pnn Minister’s invitation or whether he has been forced on Mr. Scullin by the Labour caucus. Certainly Mr. Scullin s announcement reads as if the initiative was taken by him but he may have acted under pressure. It may be also that Mr. Scullin was genuinely anxious to have Mr. Theodore as a bed-fellow. If so the decision does no credit to his judgment especially when Mr Theodore, with his reckless talk in millions by the score and the hundred, is entrusted with the keys of . the Treasury. - , , The manner of the appointment, however, matters a good dea,. If the invitation came from Mr. Scullin, it may have been made on terms safeguarding, as far as they could be safeguarded with such a Treasurer, the financial future of Australia and binding Mr. Theodore to a sounder policy than he has been advocating lately. Moreover Mr. Scullin may have argued that Mr. Theodore was a powerful if somewhat astute friend and would be less dangerous as an ally than an enemy. If that was in the Prime Minister’s mind it confirms the impression that he does not possess the strength of purpose to meet the present difficult situation. How then will he prevail against Mr. Theodore? . It is not as if Mr. Scullin had no choice. In his absence at the Imperial Conference, Mr. Lyons gave splendid proof of his quality .at the Treasury. Not only did he keep the caucus at bay and rally Australia to unqualified support of the conversion loan, but he seems to have supplied the Acting-Prime Minister, Mr. Fenton, with backbone. . If Mr. Scullin were seeking support and courage allied with ability, he need not have looked beyond Mr. Lyons. _ He was the one member of the Ministry with experience of office prior to October of last year and he left behind in Tasmania a high reputation as Premier arid Treasurer of that State. He combines force of character and integrity with keen intelligence. Let Mr. Lyons’s record in Tasmania and his reputation since be compared with that of Mr. Theodore in Queensland and subsequently in Federal politics and Mr. Scullin’s choice becomes the mote inexplicable. Unless, of course, Mr. Theodore is admitted to the Treasury at the behest of the Labour caucus. If that is so, it is a poor outlook for Australia. Not only has the caucus triumphed over the constitution by usurping powers that properly belong to the Prime Minister, but it will now be able to override Ministerial responsibility by imposing its own ill-conceived and ruinous schemes on the Government.