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Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 98, 27 April 1932, Page 9

ing to a Constitutional authority Mr.: Lang is committing an illegality in prohibiting tho payment of Government funds into the banks where they are liable to seizure, and on these'grounds it is suggested that the Governor would be within his rights if he demanded the- return by Mr. Lang of his commission. The Governor would be loth to take such action and would prefer Mr. Lang to resign, if ho is unable to carry on. Mr. Lang has maintained his mysterious silence, but his Ministers, in addressing their constituents, have indulged in many brave utterances about fighting to the last ditch. As they-know so little about what is happening, little importance is attached to what they say.' . THE "BED AEMY." Meanwhile, reports are current that a so-called "Red Army," pledged to take up arms for the Premier, if called upon to do so, is being mobilised in the city and suburbs. According to a Trades Hall official plans have been made to make returned soldiers with "workiifg class views" the nucleus of the army. At the last meeting of the Trades and Labour Council a resolution was carried instructing shop delegates to forward to the council the names of all workers "who were prepared to take their place in the fight that is impending." The idea is to place the organisations at the disposal of the Government "on the industrial or any other field," and organisers expect to enlist 25,000 returned men and 100,000 volunteers'recruited from the unions, Labour .leagues, and socialisation units. The estimate seems to bo very much exaggerated, and the plans have not caused any consternation. All parties are now organising for a prospective election which it is anticipated will be held in June at the latest. At the Trades Hall the scramble for seats has set in in earnest, and many Labour men suspected of having leanings to the Premiers' Plan are bound to go overboard. In accordance with Labour's policy of spoils to the victors seats must be found for many men who have battled hard for Mr. Lang, and a general slaughter of the innocents can be expected. A dissolution at any time now will find the United Australia Party under their new leader (Mr. Stevens) ready for an election with the full endorsement of the Premiers' Plan as the only issue. In a statement this week Mr. Stevens referred to Mr. Lang and his Ministry as rebels because they were openly defying the law, but as Mr. Lang has not consulted his colleagues tho references to them were hardly justified. He expressed amazement that Mr. Lang should have attended the Premiers' Conference accompanied only by his publicity officer, : but might have added that such'a procedure was quite typical of the man. Mr. Stevens said that Mr. Lang i had endeavoured to protect, even to raise, the real wages of the members of certain, powerful unions who had a wide political power, but he had crucified the country worker and those of the great middle class. Those sections of the community were of no concern to Langisni. His only policy :for the relief of unemployment was public default, and repudiation of debts would react on the "whole- of Australia. That/ was why the whole of Australia was engaged in the fight againsi Mm. Mr. Lang's misrule had already brought about a position of bankruptcy in New South Wales, and he had to be prevented from bringing about a, similar state of affairs as far as the whole of Australia was concerned. Langisni was costing New South Wales £1,000,000 a month, and when those debts were funded the State would bo called upon to pay £ 2000,000 per annum in sinking fund and interest for the nest fifteen years. RESULTS OF LANG RULE. He summarised the result of Mr. Lang's rule as follows:— (1) The closing of the Now South Wales Government Savings Bank. (2) An increase in unemployment by 100-per cent.—greater than that of any other State. (3) A. reduction in the average effective wage by 20 per cent, in a little over 12 months. (4) A reduction of 30 per cent. in the volume of bank clearances. (5) A- reduction of 25. per cent. • in the volume of trade. In the meantime the finances of the State are becoming more muddled than ever. Mr. Lang has repudiated his adherence to the Premiers' Plan, and it is significant that he has not yet released the financial statement for the quarter ended 31st March, nor has he issued a statement even for the month' of March. It is feared that his deficit has grown beyond even his own expectations.