PAWNS AND POLITICS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 130, 6 June 1927, Page 8

PAWNS AND POLITICS

One fact must strike the onlooker in the recent political history of New South Wales. Mr. Lang and his friends and opponents have become so engrossed in. their fight for power that they are treating the electors as mere pawns in a political game. Heading the chronicle of events, one must bo impressed by the prominence given to tactics and the absence of reference to principles. All the talk is of "moves" and '' clever strategy.'' The motto for success in New South Wales political life, seemingly, is: "Be clever and let who will be good." Mr. Lang has made bargains and broken them. His record is one of points scored for or against his leadership by Labour factions in and out of Parliament. Last year he was defeated by the Legislative Council in his attempt to abolish that branch of the Legislature.- The puppets nominated to the Chamber had failed to dance when the strings were pulled. Scarcely had he regained his composure sufficiently to mako allegations of "bribery of tho most corrupt and despicable kind" (which must have involved his own nominees) than ho was faced with dissension in the elected section of his party. Three members, Messrs. Laughlin, Goodin, and Gillies, rebelled against the powers of a dictator placed in the hands of Mr. Lang by the Labour Conforence. The Premier socured their neutrality upon a no-confidence motion with a promise that ho would obtain Supply and then ask for a dissolution. Later tho quarrel with Messrs. Goodin and Gillies was patched up by an agreement that the dictatorship should be repudiated, the Red rules rejeetod, and Messrs. Willis, Voight, and Garden dropped. Having secured himself for tho time being, Mr. Lang did not hesitato to break his dissolution promise. This'breach of faith his colleagues and party evidently approved. They havo little cause for complaint, then, when tho next betrayal involves themselves. Having broken ono bargain Mr. Lang has cheerfully smashed another, and i thrown his too-trusting colloaguos ovor- j board. They may excuse themselvos by saying it is one thing to break promises without the consent of the Opposition and another to go back on a bargain with his own party; but tho cleverest casuist could not argue such a caso convincingly. Meanwhile whero do tho people oomo in? They may be amused or thoy may bo offended, but. they are not much considered. It is the political game that they are allowed to watch, and tho fact that the intorests and credit of the State are at stake is of no moment. Now, however, the people may havo a say. The election which was avoided in December must be taken now unless Mr. Lang breaks another bargain—tho terms on which he obtained from tho Governor tho commission to reform his Ministry. Will the peoplo continuo hypnotised by the political tacticians or will they concentrato upon securing representatives not so clover but more honest?