LACKS FIGHT

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 42, 18 August 1930, Page 7

LACKS FIGHT

[LATHAM'S LITTLE ARM2I A DULL PARLIAMENT NO PERSONALITIES. Two priceless political maxims fell from the lips of Lord Bosebery whea he was in his prime:—"lt is the dutjj of an Opposition to oppose," and "Tha people will follow any man that will show them fight." His Majesty's Opposition iv the Aus* tralian House of ha« not profited by the wisdom of the fam« ous English Prime Minister, says tha "Sydney Sun." It has neither th«j will to oppose nor, apparently, any hopa, of producing on its benches a man that is a leader who will show serious fight* It is a drawing room wrestler confront* ing "Strangler" Lewis. In the history of the Commonwealth Legislature there has never been "'sa> little contention; so little leadership;! so little audacity, and so little pugnacity as to-day in the House of Kepresentatives. The thin ranks on the left of thai Speaker have given up any idea of conii pelling the Government majority to listen to them. And this tremendous preponderance of voting strength has in its turn deprived the Labour Caucus of tha joy of battle, because sportsmanship demands that a man shall not be kicked when he is down. And the Nationalist Opposition is very much down. A ONE-MAN ARMY. It cannot even irritate or exasperaUj the Labour Party. It has not' the instinct for provocative interjection Senator "Jup" Gardiner, when he was'tha only caucusite in the Senate, was abla, to make a better show of party feeling than the whole of the National Party in the Representatives. . ' . ' Going back- still further, if Silj Joseph Cook had never been Prime Minister or High Commissioner, he would still have gone down in history as tha man who could enrage his opponents and work them to a more acute stata of exacerbation than any other man; who has been in the Federal Parliament. The present Opposition simpljj does not know how to put soap in th« geyser. , .... It is impossible to study the Chamber without' realising that it is sadly; lacking in. commanding personalities^ and particularly on the left. Mr. Latham, the present Leader of the Opposition, can never divest himself of thf chilling atmosphere of the Equity Court, His thin, reedy voice carries to the furthest confines of the Chamber, but i$ not persuasive. Listening to him, on(j pines for the silver-tongued men of tha past. Even the voice of Mr. Eodgers, whjj represented the Western District of Vie« toria in the last Parliament, was infinitely more alluring than that of any oi| the men who grace the front Opposition' bench to-day.

Mr. Latham unconsciously emphasise^ the legal atmosphere in which he moves and has his being.. He rises from his seat at the table with extraordinarjj celerity—sort of just suddenly appearai on his feet. .Theu he pushes in his chair, leans gracefully on his right elbow on the brass-bound despatch bo^ on the table, rests his left hand on hi* left hip, with his fingers catching at something which eludes them, and commences quietly to address the Court. Uninspired, and uninspiring, despit* his very splendid intellect, he is not truly at home in the political game. ' A BIG VOICE. At his elbow sits the deputy-leadeiv Mr. Gullett, fretful about the wings o£ his tie, restless, keen, and searching his brain for some cutting observation. Never sweeping into debate without some acid and acrid observation, ha jumps upon the loud pedal from the moment that he< catches the Speaker'^ eye. "If Johnson were to write a fabla about little fishes, he would make them talk like great whales," Goldsmith said. So would Mr. Gullett. Next him, Mr. Parkhill—dapper, round, and no longel; a featherweight, sets out to sting, but,' like a gnat, is easily brushed aside. Dr, Earle Page, having a group of his owb» is more assured than Ms fellows, but still does not impress. He tears ahead at such a pace that even the Hansard men are oft-times unable to follow his speech. The pleasant smile and the gossipy manner which commend him to> rural electorates do not leave mucli impress in the House. MISSING PERSONALITY. On the other side, there are no giantsjj but there are many men with pep an<f ginger, who are just aching for a fight^and, not getting oue, are wearied of thai whole show. The figure of Mr. Theodore can stilt be seen in ghostly outline on the front bench, and, though the Prime Ministeij (Mr. Scullin), is doing the work of tea men, and accomplishing the miraculous' at the table, yet the personality of th«; ex-Treasurer cannot be banished. _ JE6.B ]}aMy_as_a_TOholo»-tas_»oi readjusted itself to the withdrawal of ifci hardest hitter. And though, there is al great deal of talent on its benches, there is none to take his place. To this general sense of depression, more than anythiug_else, perJiaps,_jnust_4ie attributed the more courtly conduct which has of late been displayed by the Caucus. Lacking Bafferty rules, it has found some solace in acquiring and practising good manners. Which, after all, is something gained.

The Opposition to-day, disheartened and enfeebled by its inability to make even a good display in debate, is look, ing to the Senate to discipline the Caucus, and, like the youngster who ha« just got a drubbing, is metaphorically; saying, "Wait till my big brother catches you!!" .