THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORT

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 8, 10 July 1934, Page 6

THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORT

v In its efforts to grapple -with, the depression the Government has been subject to much criticism. We, ourselves, have been strongly critical of some of its actions and we maintain still that it allowed itself to be stampeded by sectional pressure into courses of action which' will ultimately prove harmful to the community. But this does not prevent us from making a free acknowledgment that the community has much for which to be grateful. In his speech at Cheviot last night the Prime Minister reviewed events, as they were seen at the tjme of their occurrence and as they can be seen now. The survey should help to re-establish confidence -in the community and we believe that it will, if die Government is now prepared to profit by its own mistakes and to recast its policy in the light of greater knowledge. It is true, as Mr. Forbes pointed but, that the Government 'had to meet crisis after crisis without precedents to guide it. In \ die.* circumstances ' omniscience and omnipotence only could have avoided errors/ When this is admitted there is much in the record that is.highly creditable. The early determined efforts to bring expenditure within a rapidly falling income were laudable. When the crisis deepened United and Reform put party feeling aside and combined to face the, crisis. Together they did much/to restore the courage of the people' and to make possible measurcss-of relief which would have been impossible in a divided House. Some of these measures,-; such', as tho help for unemployed, we can approve without reservation. Others, such as the interference with contracts,, have not been' wholly equitable or prudent. But, even so, it must be admitted that many of those who now criticise the Government's actions were themselves clamant for more extreme and confidence-wreck-ing measures. With one submission made by the Prime Minister we can entirely agree: that the time has not yet come to seek a verdict from the people. It would be unreasonable, to give a final judgment until the full effect of the policy is apparent. To insist upon a trial now would indeed be to impose a check upon the process of recovery. When the Coalition was formed the Government was well aware that it could not restore prosperity within a few months. A long and difficult road had to be travelled. We have not yet come within sight of the end of that road, and it is no time to turn aside into the boggy byways of political conflict. The danger threatens in two forms—^Labour's attempt to force an appeal to the country and the rumoured tendency of elements in the Coalition to break away. The Labour threat can be met if there is real unity within the Coalition. If there is dissension or the fear of .dissension, disaster will follow. Looking back now we can see that nothing did more to help the Dominion in the crisis than the splendid example-set by the union of the two parties. It is possible still to regain the hopeful outlook which then put new heart into the community. We can re-establish the political unity of that time by strengthening the Coalition, giving it a more representative character, and, by recasting its policy, restoring its national outlook so that it will again command confidence as a Government wilh a national aim and a national backing.