LABOUR LEADERSHIP

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 34, 9 August 1921, Page 6

LABOUR LEADERSHIP

The somewhat colourless leader* ship of the Australian Labour Party by Mr.: Tudor has invited ambitious designs upon his posi-, tioh; and when the late Mr Ryan stepped-from Queensland politics into the Federal Parliament, many people thought that his succession to the leadership would be' automatic and immediate* Mr. Tudor, however, sat tigh,t, and the conditions seemed to have been stabilised, for the time being, into the position of mediocrity on the throne and talent on the steps thereof, j Mr. Ryfan's. sudden death, to which Mr. Hughes in England paid eloquent tribute, has now-rendered vacant the deputy-leadership, and speculation is again busy with the names of former leaders. From the time when Mr. J. 0. Watson stepped out of politics into private life, and Mr. Fisher went td^the High Commissionership, and Mr. Hughes transferred his leadership to the Nationalists, a few of their old admirers have never despaired of their restoration to their old authority ; and as Mr. Fisher's return I to Australia synchronises with Mr. Ryan's death, his prospect of reelection to the Federal Parliament, to deputy-leadership of Labour, I and ultimately to his old post, is by no means negligible. Meanwhile, Mr. Hughes is evidently an interested spectator; and Mr. Tudor's resignation, news of which is cabled as these lines are being written, removes the obstacle that confronted Mr. Ryan.