FEDERAL POLITICS

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 141, 17 June 1922, Page 10

FEDERAL POLITICS

Not- for many years have Federal politics presented such a confused condition as at present, due mainly to internal trouble in each of the three

parties represented.

The Nationalists are to some extent broken in two, with a widor severance threatened because of the desire of the old Liberals to get vid of the Prime Minister, Mr. Hughes. The Country Party has shown signs of disruption, and the Labour Party, although outwardly solid, has an extremist group which, unless it can be brought under control, will inflict more damage on the whole of the movement than the whole of its opponents.

. Only this week the leader of the Federal Labour Party has held out the olive branch to those old members of the party who were expelled over the conscription issue, and a combination of these men who ai"e now officially attached to the National Party would lead to interesting developments in tho Federal arena.

Mr. Hughes appears not to be. perturbed with this possibility, or with the threats of the revival of the old Liberal Party and his consequent dismissal from leadership. By playing State against State, it is expected that he will be able to avert an appeal to the country'before the ordinary efiiuxion of the present Parliament at the end of the year.' At present he is averting trouble by playing interest against interest. As an instance. New South Wales is asking for the immediate construction of the Federal capital at Canberra; Queensland wants a renewal of the sugar agreement; South Australia desires the construction of the north-south line; and Tasmania is asking for a special grant from the Federal Treasury.

With these factions at work in the Federal Parliament, which is to reassemble this month, it.is expected that Mr. Hughes will be able to stave off a premature election; but it would not be surprising, if a crisis does arise, to see the Labour Party voting behind their expelled leader.