LABOUR’S DEFEAT

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 4566, 8 November 1937, Page 7

LABOUR’S DEFEAT

THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS. ERROR IN STRATEGY. LANG INFLUENCE BLAMED. Sydney, October 28 Labour remains in the Federal political wilderness, because of its own foolishness. It lost the election in the last week of its campaign when, instead of emphasising the bold exclusive features of its policy, it concentrated on competing with the Ministerialists in their own particular stronghold—the patriotic aspect f defence. Mr. Curtin, the Federal Labour Leader, was pushed into this strategical error, much against his inclination, by the New South Wales faction. “The Lang shadow behind the Curtin” weighed the scales in the Ministerialists’ favour.

Labour supporters have lost count of how many elections the Lang “dictator” influence has lost them. Indications are that last Saturday’s results are the last straw. Sydney officials of the party were stunned at the failure of the party. News of the party’s reverses in Barton and Macquarie—seats which they had confidently expected to win—was received with consternation at the Trades Hall, where, on Saturday night, the planned “celebrations of victory” turned into “wake for dead hopes” as the counting progressed. Renewed efforts are now being made by the industrialists to remove Mr. Lang from the leadership and his faction from control of the State Labour Party. Mr. Lang and his section have enjoyed a complete dictatorship over the State Labour movement since 1927. His ability to continue to command has been ascribed to the control of all key positions in the Labour movement by his nominees and to his control of the official newspaper upon which, it is accepted, his political existence hangs. His opponents will now endeavour to depose him by first wresting from him the official newspaper, and then, automatically, all executive posts in the Labour Party. The first step will be a conference of unions affiliated with-the Labour Party. The Minisier of Defence. % It is a paradox of the election that although the Government was returned mainly because of the defence issue, the Minister of Defence (Sir Archdale Parkhill) was defeated for Warringah, a strong Conservative seat in Sydney. This represents deflation of personality on a grand scale. Sir Archdale Parkhill, the official U.A.P. Candidate* had two independent U.A.P. candidates and one Labour candidate against him. One of the independents, Mr, Percy Spender, K.C., stood expressly as a protest against preselection of a U.A.P. candidate. About 40 years of age, he is one of Sydney's ablest barristers. He conducted a vigorous campaign, which gained him many votes, but he won as much support because of a personal attack which Sir Archdale Parkhill made on him in the last few days of the campaign.

Mr. Lyons is the first Australian Prime Minister to be returned for a third term of office. In his home at Burnie (Tasmania), among pines overlooking Bass Strait, he heard on Saturady night the broadcast results from all parts of Australia. Rain was pouring on the roof, but because the kitchen was being pulled down to make way for additional rooms, and a stranger might have injured himself on the earthworks, Mr. Lyons insisted in making the journeys outside to replenish the fuel, by matchlight. Once when he returned in his drenched coat, he went to answer the telephone call from Sydney, to the consternation of Dame Enid. Only the personal staff and two other friends were with him—the tribe of Lyons children were away on the mainland or elsewhere. It was an anxious time for the family, until they learned early on Sunday morning that Mr. Lyons’s own electorate had remained loyal to him. Mr. Lyons has no private source of income, and what remains after he has met the expenses of a large family is absorbed by official claims.