AUSTRALIAN POLITICS

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 74, 28 March 1917, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS

SPLIT IN LABOR RANKS

SYDNEY, March 21. The sharp split in the ranks of organised Labor, the result of the conscription referendum, while apparent all over' Australia, is to bo.discorned most clearly in South Australia. In the Eastern States there has been, more or less, a fusion of the Moderate Labor, and the Liberal forces to oppose the shrieking extremists of the P.L.L;, a condition of parties that, in course of time, will probably shako down into the status quo ante helium.:' But in South and West Australia there are three parties —the P.L.L. Laborites, the Moderate (nr National) Laborites, and the Liberals, with a strong bond of sympathy uniting the two last-named. The National Labor party in South Australia., icd by the Premier and principal Ministers, has set out on n vigorous organising campaign, and with such success that the- P.L.L. Laborites seem to be retiring in confusion to their dug-outs, whence there is issuing the '"kamerad" cry.' In other words, they have adopted tactics of marked conciliation, and are b^e;ginq the Nationalists to consider the foolishness of wrecking the Labor movement for the- mere sake of sentiment. They arc Urging the "loyalists 1' in the "new party, to return to the "United' 'Labor party. None who knows the arrogant, swashbuckling P.L.L. of New South Wales wouid recognise the samo organisation in this humble pleader in South Australia.

The inclination of the Port Adelaide Working Men's Association to s<H;ede from the P.L.L. and join tho new party was made a swt of test .case in' South Australia. The asrocntion listened to speakers from both sides who argued, stormed, and cajoled. Then a vote wafc'taken on,the ine.ction of continuing to pnv iocs to the United La.bor- party. This is the results So. 507; Yes, 386-.- So tlwrr* iff gloom, and a certain, amount .of peafimif-ni, among followers' of thfr P.L.L.