HOLDING ON

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 34, 9 August 1934, Page 13

HOLDING ON

BENNETT IN CANADA

POLITICAL MAELSTROM

BITTERNESS. OF PARTIES

(From "Tho Post's" Representative.) VANCOUVER, July 4.

Tho Dominion Parliament has adjourned in an atmosphere of intense party bitterness, engendered by a fruitless censure motion, tabled by Mr. Mackenzie King, who demanded a dissolution because of the defeat of the Conservatives in Ontario and Saskatchewan in their General Elections last month. Mr. Bennett has fifteen months yet to run, and, in holding on to tho. last, is doing no more than Mr. Mackenzie King, who is an astute, political strategist, would do in like circumstances. It has become generally accepted that all Governments who go to the people during the depression face almost certain defeat. The electorate imagines things cannot possibly be worse under a change of leaders and parties. Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan maintain tradition. By a coincidence all the Governments in power, before the elections were Conservative. Their rout was greatest where distress was most severe. Thus, in Saskatchewan, where the Bennett Government spent 40,000,000 dollars in drought and depression relief, and guaranteed 15,000,000 dollars loss on the Wheat Pool, every Conservative in the House, Minister or privnto member, was defeated. Ontario, at all times, is a seething maelstrom of politic?. Charges of patronage and other improper practices aro ever being hurled to and fro. Ti'ael was added to them by tho tendency to government by commission that has grown up undor a quarter of a. century of Conservative rule. The new Liberal Premier served notice on twenty-three commissions that their highly-paid members must resign. Tho centre of industrial activity in Canada, tariff and fiscal issues are always paramount in Ontario. Communism has its headquartors there. Laissez-faire policy, born of long-sustained victory at tho polls, and a rampant Press combined with other attendant circumstances to produce a 'debacle. The only saving grace is that the electorate was content with one or other of the old-line parties, Liberal or Conservative. Ontario, like the rest of Canada, has not yet felt the need of entrusting government to Labour or any other political group. ■ . • ' THE TRADING OUTLOOK. Anticipating events Mr. Bennett introduced legislation, aimed at meeting popular demand. The Central Bank is established. The fullest measure of control of his industry is given to tho I farmer and to every natural resource, with the exception of mining. Public and private indebtedness has been scaled down. The wheat grower is relieved of much of tho mortgago burden. Markets have been found in increasing volume for tho primary and secondary products of the. country. Unemployment . has boen reduced. Relief has been paid out in generous volume. Taxation has been pared down. Deficits have boon controlled. Modest stops have been taken to avoid waste and duplication in railway services. Had Ontario and Saskatchewan returned Conservative Governments it was generally believed that Mr. Bennett would have gone to the country on the session's i-eeord. The recent appropriation of £8,000,000 for Fedora! public works; to relievo unemployment, wa3 accepted as an election portent.

Outside tho sphere of domestic politics Mr. Bennett's progress has not been so clear. The United Kingdom is not satisfied that he is faithful to tho Ottawa Conference agreements in Canada's recent treatment of British textiles. Australia was promptly told to ceaso sonding soft flour shipments to Canada, although the market for that commodity existed here, without disturbing tho sale of Canadian hard wheat. New Zealand cannot hope to sell butter to Canada while Mr. Bennett is in power.

There is no grievance, as between South Africa and Canada, as the interchange of trade is not of such relative volume. But, when the Empire agreements eomo up for review next year, Canada, as the Dominion that has profited most from them, will be asked to make somo sacrifice. With the assured prospect, in the interval, of a reciprocal trad© agreement between this Dominion and the United States, Canadian reception of that appeal is a matter for conjecture, whether the Government bp Conservative or Liberal.