THEODORE DRAMA

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 12, 14 July 1930, Page 9

THEODORE DRAMA

NATIONAL SENSATION

GUILTY OE NOT GUILTY ?

POSITION STILL IN , DOUBT

(From "The Post's" Representative.)

SYDNEY, 10th July

Events, iii the Theodore drama moved bo quickly that they left the wholo nation stunned. It has not yet recovered from the shock of the biggest political sensation since Federation. There still exists a very strong doubt as to what justification the Queensland Government's Royal Commission had for the issue of.such a scathing report. Fql-, lowing on the severe condemnation of the Commissioner by Mr. Theodore himtelf, the public are left with two alternatives—either there has been colossal injustice, or there has been a colossal bluff, the bluff being perpetrated by Mr. Theodore. There has been no hasty judgment of Mr. Theodore anywhere, for it is recognised on all hands that he has not yet been heard in his defence. As far as he was concerned the report was based on purely ex parte evidence, for he did not once appear before the- Commission, though he was given opportunity to do so. However, his work as Federal Treasurer prevented him from going to Queensland while the Commission was sitting, and he has complained that when he did not accept the invitation to attend and give evidence on his own behalf, the Commissioner hastily closed the evidence, and went on to prepare his report. This appears to have been the actual position. The Commission comprised Mr. Justice Campbell, of New South Wales, who recently retired from the Supreme Court Bench, as he had reached the ago limit of 75 years. Mr. Justico Campbell was a distinguished lawyer, and quite as distinguished a Judge. But he has always been a hard hitter; that is to say, he has-.never spared anyono from, the Bench. He is a man who has always called a spado a spade, and he has always been of a particularly fearless type. A SUDDEN ECLIPSE. Mr. Theodore, suddenly eclipsed when fee was on the point of achieving the height of his ambition —he was to be 'Acting-Prime Minister during the abeence at the Imperial Conference of Mr. Scullin —says that the whole inquiry reeks with polities. To appreciate his view of the matter it is necessary to quote him in full. Hero is his atatement: "The report of the Commission' is the most dastardly piece of partisanship it is possible to imagine. The Commissioner condemns me without having heard me. He probed into my private affairs and bank accounts without first calling me to givo evidence. Subsequently, when I demanded the light to bo heard he denied me a reasonable opportunity to attend, and hurriedly closed the inquiry. The findings are very unjust. So far as they concern' mo they are based on ex parte statements -which are flagrantly untrue and malicious. The whole thing reeks of polities. "For years my political enemies m Queensland have spread rumours' and scandals concerning me. They have relied on false allegations of corruption as their chief weapon against Labour, and have persisted in their calumnies against me with a persistency ,that has been peculiarly malignant. The Mungana inquiry is just another phase of the same campaign. My enemies are determined to politically assassinate me. The lawyer in, charge of the inquiry, Mr. M'Gill, is the president of the Queensland Nationalist Political Party, and the solicitors that are associated ■with him are firms that are intimately associated with anti-Labour politics in the- State. I have never had any interest in the Mungana company or in the Mungana leases, and I naturally feel that I am the victim of an atrocious injustice. However, the matter cannot remain where it is. lam assuredly erftitled to a judicial investigation of the charges against me." HISTORY OF MUNGANA. The history of the Mungana leases goeß back many years, and the origin of the charges that have led to such dramatic consequences are almost lost. They have been the subject of Tumours in Queensland whenever the politics of that State were discussed, and therehave been veiled references to the part played by the former Premier (Mr. MacCormaek), the former Minister of Mines (Mr. Jones), and the former Treasurer (Mr. Theodore). While Labour was in power Mungana was invariably drawn into almost every discussion, and it -was as Leader of the Opposition that the present Premier (Mr. Moore) mado sensational charges against those who were then occupying the Treasury benches. On more than one occasion the charges were repeated and then denied, but so insistent was Mr. Moore that he made many requests for a Royal Commission. This the Labour Government invariably refused, saying that there was no justification for it. Of course, it was not long after the Nationalists were returned to power that more was heard of the so-called scandal in connoetion with the mining leases, and it was not surprising that Mr. Moore, once he became Premier, should decide upon a Eoyal Commission to investigate the charges in the making of which he had been the most prominent. He claimed, and still claims, that he was in duty bound to do so, in order to justify the statements ho had so often repeated. He now claims that he has been completely vindicated in making the charges. He says he is satisfied; that as far as he is concerned there is no question of taking action against any individual* However, on the point as to whether any further legal action should be taken, he has sought the advice of tho Crown Law Department, and ho is now prepared to do whatever the Department recommends. Mr. Moore denies that there is any question of prosecution or persecution as far as he is concerned. DESIRE TO CLEAB. NAME. The question whether any grounds lie for criminal prosecution has engaged the attention of lawyers, and as to the exact position there seems to be considerable doubt. In many quarters it is felt that there would be no hope of convicting any of the principals in the drama. Mr. Theodore has expressed a keen desire to clear his name. What tribunal can assist him to do so? That in itself is a knotty problem. Who is to answer this demand for a judicial inquiry, and what form would the inquiry take? Everyono is convinced that the matter cannot be permitted to remain where it is. If Mr. Theodore is really guilty of the serious fraud that has -been alleged against him, the public should be made fully aware of the fact. If not, Mr. Theodore has every right to clear his name. The whole matter has such nn important bearing on tho whole of the public life of the community that it is in the interests of all parties that a definite decision should be given one way or ttie other. Mr. Theodore has a very Jarg» following, and at present, even Ma

position as a member of tho House of Representatives —his position as a member of the Labour Party—is threatened. GREAT DEAL OF SYMPATHY. There is no denying the fact tli.'it Mr. Theodore has a great deal of sympathy in the predicament in which he has "found himself. When the report was issued he had almost comploted what it was considered would be tho j most momentous Budget in the history of the Commonwealth. He had been j working on this for months past, for it has involved a complete readjustment j of the finances of the country. He was to have the document ready for delivery in the House last Tuesday. This Budget was to bo his masterpiece of finance. Now he has been denied the right to read it, and must consider himself fortunate if ho is permitted to hear it read as a privato member. Surely the fortunes of no other politician have been so rudely disturbed. Further, he was to be Acting-Prime Minister during the months that Mr. Scullin will be away. This is also denied him. He probably regards this as the unkindost cut of, all, for lie is a man of very great ambition. And so it is that we have the paradox—a man suddenly eclipsed politically, and yet tho most talked-of man in Australia. There was an intensely dramatic scene in the House of Representatives on Tuesday when Mr. Theodore made his memorable statement in his own defence. Not a seat was vacant, and every eye. was turned on the one figure —the somewhat weary, but the calm and reposeful figure of the fornioL' Treasurer. Had he never been accused of fraud the position would have been the same, for he rose to speak at the hour when, under other circumstances, he would have delivered his Budget. During his impassioned address to his fellow members he often betrayed signs of deep emotion. His usual doliberate style of speaking was missing, and he spoke with fire and emphasis. Those who heard him will never forget the fire and emphasis which accompanied the'words "damnable lies." "Yes. Damnable lies," he said heatedly, as he referred to tho charges that were made against him. Even his political enemies must have felt that his statement rang true, for he did not mince his words. ' STRIKING PASSAGE. Here is one striking passage from his speech, and while it was being uttered there was complete silence: "I have kept my hands clear and clean of anything not worthy of my position of trust. I assure yon tha-t you need have no misgivings that I cannot entirely clear my name. I make the demand on the Queensland Government that, without delay, it should formulate an indictment against me, and in some manner enable me to.appear before an unimpeachable tribunal to be heard in my own defence against these calumnies and damnable charges. If I am not guilty, I am entitled to/ clear my name of every tarnish theso charges attach to it. I have given half a life-time to public service, and, I hope, useful public service. I have had exalted ideals, and I have always done what I consider worthy of the high and honourable offices that I have filled." .Members of * his own party cheered as Mr. Theodore resumed his scat. The Opposition maintained the silence that had marked the scene all through.