Manawatu Evening Standard. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1919. TO-MORROW'S VERDICT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1702, 16 December 1919, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1919. TO-MORROW'S VERDICT.

The present appeal to the electors of New Zealand is, beyond question, the most important that has yet been made in the history of the Dominion. It involves issues the determination of which is fraught with the most momentous consequences to the people of New Zealand. A wrong decision will mean an infinity of trouble in the near future, for, with the extremists besieging the Parliamentary citadel and planning (if they are unable to gain possession of the Treasury benches themselves) to place a numerically weak party upon them, the members of which would hold office merely at their pleasure, all hope of stable government and equitable, allround dealing would vanish, should their hopes be realised. The events of the last few days have shown pretty plainly what are the real objectives of the New Zealand Labour Party, and its leaders, Messrs"Fraser, Holland, Semple, McCombs, Paul and Walker. Its candidates have all accepted the platform of the,party, the first principle of which is the nationalisation of the means of production, exchange and transport. It is fully alive to the fact that it cannot possibly gain enough seats to give it a majority in the House of Representatives, and in certain cases, rt«; at Waitomo, for instance, it ha_s withdrawn its officially selocted candidate to 'avoid the vote-splitting which would place the Reform candidate at the head of the poll. The leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party, speaking at West port the other day, declared that .the Labour Party would support Sir Joseph Ward to oust Mr Massey, but added, "it would not support Sir Joseph Ward unless he enacted the legislation the Labour Party is fighting for." It must, however, be remembered that Sir Joseph has definitely repudiated their support.

WHY MR MASSEY SHOULD BE SUPPORTED.

Mr Massey has made it abundantly apparent that he will not continue to holq! office unless he has an absolute majority over both the Liberal and Labour parties. He has proved himself, during the last seven years, Jo be a

leader of infinite courage and resource. Before the legislation it haß been his good fortune to place upon the Statute Book, the old charge that ho is a man of reactionary ideas, and that the party he leads is similarly reactionary in policy—a charge that was repeated in tho Labour candidate's advertisements yesterday—signally fails. in 1911, ho placed a clear-cut and well-defined policy before the electors—not in flowery* language, embellished with profuse promises of prodigal expenditure, which were the leading features of the Liberal manifesto of that day, but couched in plain, common sense terms, such as commended themselves to the majority of the electors. And the programme embracing that policy was given effect to. We have Mr J. T.. Paul's authority for making that statement. The war interfered with Mr Massey's 1914 programme, yet much of it was embodied in the legislation of 1915, and subsequent years, and particularly in that of last session, the latter being the most fruitful of any session held during the last 25 years, while its legislation has been more pronouncedly liberal than that of any previous session. Twenty-six out of the 55 Public Acts passed by the Government either directly, or indirectly, concern and benefit tho worker. Mr Massey, by jus treatment of the pensions and housing schemes, and by his labour legislation generally, has shown himself to be tho genuine friend of the worker. He is leading an eminently sound combination of Ministers, all of whom deserve well of the electors, but it is understood that, after the elections, if Mr Massey retains his majority, the Ministry will undergo a certain amount of reconstruction. His programme for the next three years is at once practical and comprehensive, covering,.on sound common sense lines, practically every problem r sight, :iho ; ..men, supporting him Xrouguout.the country are of the right stamp! andthere is every .reason, .there, S why the electors shoud continue to'support Mr Massey and the Reform Party at'the polls to-morrow. .In tins collection the appeal made l>y Mr AlSv at the Palace Theatre yesterday fS likely to have, fallen upon deaf ears. In that forceful way of his, the Prime Minister reminded Palmerston electors.that the Official Labour Party, whose candidates are now posmg/s the friends of the returned soldier, did absolutely nothing to help or encourage the many thousands of brave lads who, at the call of duty, volunteered for active service. "The Official Labour, Party, Mr Massey said yesterday, "never lifted a finger to help our brave boys during the war. They put every possible obstacle in the way to hinder them. They did nothing." And that indictment stands true and unassailable. lhe Parliamentary Labour Party represents the extremists; it does not represent tho Avorkers, the vast majority of whom /as Mr Massey says) are absolutely loyal." What claim then have the men who stood coldly aloof during the war upon the. sympathy and support of the loyalists ?, Is there even one of their candidates who can claim to have voluntarily come forward to help the country in the hourof its -need?. Tlie issue is clear and - well-defined;. To-morrow> vote should see tlie Reform Candidates returned with big. majorities all over the country, arid Palmerston will not be the.exception. ; ',.'.'. ' ■■: ' • .'•'.'' ,''.■/',