TOPICS OF THE HOUR

Evening Star, Issue 17032, 1 May 1919, Page 2

TOPICS OF THE HOUR

[By Tt.aveli.er.] LONDON, March 12. WANTED, A DEMOCRATIC PARTY. It would ceitainly appear that the hour I hs,s arrived when a Hew party is vital to i | the interests of the British Emp.re. 1 Every brcad-minded individual, whilst fully recospiising that Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa are separate nations, realise that they at the same time form part of the whole Empire. The general welfare of each nation composing the British Empire is. linked up with the rest, and all must stand together' for mutual interest It will also be conceded that England constitutes the life-blood of the Empire as a whole, and if troubled times are experienced in the heart of the Empire it follows that ill-effect is felt wherever the British Flag fliee. It would be foolish to shut our eyes to the fart that things are not satisfactory in England to-day. A new Government have been returned to power with a tremendous majority, but that they fully satisfy the people is not the case. The voters had to choose the lesser of two or more evils, and they preferred the Government as they stand to other candidates who were known to have extreme ideas. Sooner or iater another olection must take place,_ and in the interests of the whole Empire it is time that patriots "got busy" and formed a new party. No more fitting title coma be thought of than "The - Democrats." Democracy means the good of ail, and that should be tho aim of every true patriot. Class distinction is much too prevalent in the British Isles, and its evils are most pronounced in Labor circles. The average thinking citizen is apprehensive as to what wiU happen should a Labor Parliament come into power. The wholo tendency of -Labor is to legislate for its own class at the expense of what are generally termed the "middle and upper classes. This is no imaginary danger, and voters of the intelligent class know that they would be more likelv to get justice from, say, the House of "Lords than from a Labor Government. COMBINATION NECESSARY. From time to time we have heard how the great middle class are being bled white by the upper and lower classes. There should be no classes in streat matters affecting the welfare of tho Empire, though there must always be grades in the quality of human brings. Various efforts have been made to form an organ: sation to safeguard the interests of the middle class. ' Unfortunately, the very name stands in the way of success bnobbishness is very prevalent, and thousands of people would refuse to support a middle class lea<nie as thev consider they are above the mid'dle class.' On that account anv reference to/class is undesirable, and if any real success is to be obtained in the matter of a new party for the purpose of cutting out cla-'s legislation, whether it be for those at the top or those who work with their hands, then undoubtedly the best title is that of "The Democrats.' , Under such a title an appeal could be mad? ' to every man and woman who has the : welfare "of the country and Empire at I heart, who desires to see strict justice i done to all, without favoring any particular class. We have had numerous proofs in recent years that Governments listen to those who make a clamor and threaten trouble if this and that concession is not ' Durincr the war various sections of workers have demanded an increase in I wages under threats of strikes. They have usually got their demands or part cf i them," but when the concession has been j announced it was usually accompanied' by the statement that "the advance does i not apply to the clerical staff" No com--1 ment is "necessary, but the brain workers are not blind to the lesson this teachts. That the co-called middle classes mus, combine in their own interests _is selfevident but it cannot, be emphasised too strongly that any reference to the term ; " midlife class " m a new organisation is a j great handicap, to say the least. THE POLICY. Assuming that patriots get to work and form a new party to bo known as_ the Democrats, their programme should' include the following :—(1) Home Rule all round, with five separate Parliaments for strictly home affairs for England, Scotland, Wales, Ulster, and the remainder of Ireland. (2) An Imperial Parliament, in which the Overseas part of the Empire, as well as the British Isles, would be represented pro rata to population. This Parliament would adjudicate on all Imperial questions such as the Empire's defensive forces, customs, consul services, harbors and lighthouses. (3) Only British subjects-born to be eligible for Government employment, as members of Parliament, Consuls, and Magistrates. (4) All naturalisation papers granted to Germans since 1900 to be cancelled. All such, together with other urmaturaiised Germans, to leave the Empire. No German to be allowed to enter the Empire on any pretext. This drastic legislation is accessary if we are to cleanse and purify our Empire of the contaminating presence of Germans. (5) A strict law to be passed to prohibit undesirable aliens entering tho Empire. Tfiis law would enable us to keep out the undesirable agitator from Russia and other countries. (6) The Government to be pressed to demand from Germany such compensation as will defray the entire cost of the war to the British Empire and to provide adequate pensions to all disabled men and to the dependents of those who were killed. (7) All conscientious objectors, and others who found employment of national service so as to avoid serving in the fighting forces, to be deprived of all Government and municipal employment. (8) The Government to be pressed to nationalise mines, railways, canals, and the vital food supplies, which would naturally include milk and bread. All who accept employment in these national departments to serve for a given number of years just the same as though they were entering the Army or Navy. This method would prevent strikes, with the accompanying hardships to the community generally, and the ensured stability and safety would naturally bring about increased prosperity. A given length of service in any national employment to entitle tiie worker to a pension, just the same as in the Civil Service or one of the fighting forces. Some of this legislation may seem very drastic, but it will bear analysing; -and if carried out on broad lines will "do much to bring about that new and better England so much talked about and desired. To carry out this programme it would be necessary for the Government to acquire & great deal of agricultural land now in private hands, and for which fair and proper value would have to be paid. National dairy farms and granenes would have to be established ami would be fed by private land-owners and others installed in holdings in a Government scheme. With profiteering cut out and a fixed price for " certain vital products, such as wheat, milk, butter, and bacon, we should soon have a large thriving agricultural population, and with homeproduced food, the health of the community would benefit accordingly.