NEW FEDERAL PARTY

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 49, 26 February 1921, Page 9

NEW FEDERAL PARTY

&N INTERESTING SETOATIONv

Remarkable interest has been aroused) by the suggestion made in the Mel-'' bourne Age by a correspondent Siat the time.is becoming ripe lor the formation, of a new Federal party. Oix> every hand- (says the newspaper) there., are indications of dissatisfaction with 'Haas existing administration,; but the Government has continued to command support^ ■not for its own sake, but through the fear of Labour's opponents that the • .downfall of the Hughes Ministry would) place the reins of office in, the bands, of the Labour Party. Given any other choice but Labour, there is little 1 doubt; ■that many of the present Nationalist members would have withdrawn , their support from the Hughes Governmen*. months ago. It may, of course, be argued that there is a Country Party, with, a'distinct identity of its own. But the* ■Country Party as constituted to-day represents but a section of the community* and its platform is not broad enough in; the national sense to gather beneath its banner sufficient adherents to make the party a real power in the land. At the' same time the Country Party has made economy its slogan. The eleven members, of this party may easily become the nucleus of a greater national party, providing they are.willing to subscribe to a platform which has as its foremost) plank the welfare of the whole peopl* of Australia and the development' and progress of the Commonwealth. [ . ■

There are several members of the Country Party, as it'exists to-day, who, ■would willingly agree to accord their wholehearted support to a reform movement. It has been proposed that a new party should be formed to stand,; fireb for economy in Federal and local administration ; for the bestowal of self-govern-: < ing powers upon groups of rural people, and for the establishment of ■ industries in country centres for the treatment of; the products'raised in the areas.concerned. Every member of the Country.. Party would support such a party, and if the suggested platform were widened to include a guarantee that there would:; be just treatment for the workers in thai big cities'arid the manufacturers with' capital to invest, others, besides members of the Country Party, would b«-. found supporting the movement. . ". It would be difficult to estimate how? many real supporters the Hughes Ministry can count. Party ties have Kept th»< 'Government in power, but many so•called Nationalists would only too willingly transfer their support to another quarter were they assured that it would ■not place Labour in office. This being the case, a suggestion: that' Mr. Watt, the former Federal Treasurer, should take the lead informing an all-Austra-lian party, has been received with intense interest. Undoubtedly Mr. Watt would be assured of the support of a section of tho present Nationalist Party, and if the Country Party threw in its weight also; big possibilities would be opened up. Recent reports that efforts are being made to secure n, reconciliation between Mr.' Watt and the Prime - Minister would seem to suggest that the :Ministry is alive to the possible danger in the direction indicated. Meantime Mr; "Watt continues silent as to his intentions. - Does it mean that he is biding Ms time?