LABOUR'S CRITICISM

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 91, 14 October 1931, Page 8

LABOUR'S CRITICISM

Apart from ils opposition to abolition of the graduated land-tax and lo amendment of the Arbitration Act, the Labour Parly failed to state ils allilude lo (he proposals of the Supplementary Budget. The speech made by the Leader of the Opposition was almost wholly a demand for a General Election without any proof of how this would improve the position. If there were any prospect of improvement by an appeal to the people there would be some reason for advocaling this course. But an election to give the people a chance (as Mr. Savage stated it) "of getting even with the Government of the Day" would be worse than futile. The position is too serious to excuse the application of such purely political measures. Mr. Holland's conlention that the policy of the Supplementary Budget reverses election policies is correct; but conditions have changed and they will change again. Policies must be made to meet the needs of the time. As we have previously pointed out an election would really settle nothing. A policy submitted in November might have to be changed in January. But the election demand affords Labour an opportunity of making political capital, and after the party speeches made last night it is-clear that Labour has no intention of abandoning or modifying its party attitudeeven in this crisis.