THE H.B. TRIBUNE. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 13, 1922. LIBERALISM. WHAT IT STANDS FOR.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 232, 13 September 1922, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 13, 1922. LIBERALISM. WHAT IT STANDS FOR.

When, last week, there appeared in the Wellington press organ of the old Liberal Party, under the above heading, a letter from Sir John Findlay, it was prefaced by the following paragraph :.. “The question is being asked from day to day— What is the policy of the Liberal Party? In view of the imminence of the general election,, the question is one of pressing importance, but hitherto there has been no answer from the Liberal Party in Parliament. Several months ago, a policy pronouncement was promised within a few weeks, but that policy speech is not yet forthcoming. Under these circumstances it is interesting to learn that some days ago a letter was addressed by Mr. A. G. O’Donoghue, secretary of the Wairau Liberal Party, to Sir John Findlay, asking him as one who was associated with the old Liberal Party and its work of legislative achievement, to define the principles of Liberalism.” To us it seemed a little strange that the task of enunciating a policy for the Liberal Party should be left to Sir John Findlay. It will be in the recollection of most taking an interest in party politics that, only some few months ago, he as much as said that that party, so far as it professed to represent the Liberalism of Ballance and Seddon, was practically moribund. He went further, and declared himself as convinced that the present Prime Minister was the truest exponent of liberalism among the party leaders of the day, and the only one he could conceive of as guiding the country along its paths. Now, according to a message from our Parliamentary correspondent appearing in another column to-day, Mr. Massey has adopted in toto the definition supplied by his one-time political opponent. In view of this it may be worth while to give some fuller extracts from it than are embodied in the telegraphed report of Mr. Massey’s statement. Sir John Findlay sets out by .declaring himself as being “now entirely outside the arena ei politics,” and as making no pretence to speak for any party and being in no way engaged in anything like a propaganda. Having made this clear, he goes on to say, as quoted in our message, that Liberalism, as its name implies, stands for liberty—not merely for political liberty which in the past has proved in itself so poor a remedy for social injustices, but for economic liberty —freedom from class ascendancy and privilege- freedom from the invidious bars of birth and station — freedom for each man to make the best use of the energy and faculties with which Nature has endowed him, and to'this end freedom of access to education, training, and to

the means and agencies of production, so that willing hands may have the tools and the knowledge of how to use them, requisite for each man and woman to work out his or her own material salvation. “This merely means that freedom of economic opportunity which is the basic principle of Liberalism and the soundest policy which to-day can be applied to our pressing problems.” He claims that these principles foster individual effort, by which alone a nation can progress in comfort, security, and general well-being. They shun alike the parasitism of Socialism and the narrow individualism of laissez faire. They favour State action in all directions in which industry, energy, thrift, and intelligence can be freed from embarrassments and made more fruitful. They favour Governmental encouragement to honest effort in field, workshop or commerce, and offer no countenance to monopolies, public exploitation, or individual or collective goslowism. After a reference to the land question as quoted by Mr. Massey, and to the need for the preservation of “law and order” to protect the fruits of individual effort, Sir John goes on to say that Liberalism, as he conceives it, clearly distinguishes between that sacred personal freedom of the individual in his home, his religion, and honest convictions which no State action should invade, and that civic freedom which can rightly be regulated by law in the best interests of all. “It is not revolutionary, visionary, or selfishly individualistic. It seeks practical methods to achieve practical results. It trusts democracy, it does not ffar it, believing that the will of the majority, if it sometimes errs, makes steadily for the moral and physical well-being of the people.”. In conclusion, he says that Liberalism regards the individual character of the nation as its greatest asset, and every influence and agency that will improve and elevate that character as the greatest and most beneficial instruments a Government can employ. To this end it seeks to eliminate by prudent means the ghastly waste in work and life that still prevails. "It acts on the belief that for the welfare of the State, want and waste reduction are as important as wealth production, and hence it aims at better homo and health conditions tor our poorer classes, better provision for the child and the mother in hard circumstances, better provision against poverty in old age, and in all possible directions a brighter outlook for that great number of our people whose future is at present- dark and uncertain.” Such are the principles which Sir John Findlay has formulated as those of true Liberalism, and to which the leader of the Reform Party has unhesitatingly subscribed.