NO MERE PARTY MAN

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 97, 21 October 1935, Page 8

NO MERE PARTY MAN

Although the Labour Party in Australia is split in two factions— although Lang Labour dominates the Labour, organisation in New South Wales, and has a delegation in the Federal Parliament—the possibility of reunion is always present, and Labour may one day, as in the1 past, supply a Government to the Commonwealth ,as well as to the Mother State. So much being obvious, the quality of the Labour leaders in Australia is of importance, and a change of leadership that may not attract much notice when a party is in Opposition and divided may yet prove to be of historic moment. When Mr. Scullin was known to be in ill health, the question of succession to him in the leadership of the Federal section of Labour (as distinct from the Beasley section of Langites) had to be faced. At least two Labour leaders in State Parliaments are supposed to have their eyes on the Parliament of the. Commonwealth. One is Mr. Lang, of New South Wales, who leads the Langite or extreme section; the other is Mr. Forgan Smith, Premier of Queensland. Had Mr. Lang succeeded in securing a seat in the Federal House, and in reuniting the Labour sections there under his despotic rule, financial institutions in Australia would have had little doubt as to what to expect. From Mr. Forgan Smith, on the other hand, moderation in Federal Labour policies might reasonably be expected. But when Mr. Scullin recently pressed his resignation, neither of the great contenders was there to exploit the situation, and the leadership' passed with very little fuss from Mr. Scullin to a comparatively unknown man, Mr. John Curtin, Labour member for Fremantle, Western Australia. Though comparatively unknown to the public, generally, Mr. Curtin is the kind of M.P. who attracts the notice of those who attend Parliamentary debates. People who know the Federal Parliament had long recognised him as being well above the political hack class—as being, indeed, a brain and not merely a parader into the- voting lobby. The exercising o(: an. independent intelli-

geiice does not always recommend a man to his parly, nor do Labour electors always prefer a man who is skilled iii principles and not merely in parly views of principles; but in electing Mr. Curtin, who never has held a Labour portfolio, the Federal party has shown its disposition to recognise ability in its own ranks. The new Opposition leader, says the "Sydney Morning Herald,".is "a brilliant and powerful debater" and "a new force." If, as stated, he is possessed of "outstanding ability," it would seem that lie is not the kind of man who could plead extreme courses against which his sense of moderation rebels. As a Western Australian| he believes that his State does not receive fair treatment from the eastern.States. He says that his State, and South Australia and Tasmania, are entitled to more consideration.. But he is riot a secessionist, nor is he ..a unificationist. Neither of these extremes appeals to him.

This estimate shows the new Federal Opposition leader as sufficiently strong and sane. Whether Australian Labour in the future will'demand a more flexible leader depends on whether the party is to give itself up to demagogic tactics disregardful of economics, or whether its policies will remain,sane and sound. In the latter case, such a leader as Mr. Curtin is represented to be should fill the bill. His debating ability and strength of personal judgment are evident; but he is untried as a leader of men arid as a co-ordinator of political cabals. But that such a man— a Western Australian but no secessionist, a Labour leader yet a moderate tariffist—-should become Leader of the Federal Opposition is one of those events the future significance, of which may be considerable.