Manawatu Evening Standard. THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 1923. THE SUGGESTED FUSION OF PARTIES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 744, 28 June 1923, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 1923. THE SUGGESTED FUSION OF PARTIES.

The member tor Waitemata (Mr A. Harris) made a- strong appeal in the House of Representatives on Monday tor a fusion of the Liberal and Reform Parties; but, apparently, made verylittle impression upon lion, members who are mostly concerned in such a proposal. Mr Harris is probably sincere in bis belief that such a fusion would be in the best interests of the country, and it may be at once conceded that the line of demarcation between the two parties is so slender as to he almost difficult of detection. Apart from the personal equation, which is largely concerned with the leadership of the parties and the allocation of portfolios when the one party goes out and is succeeded by its rival, it is questionable whether there are any salient points of difference between the Liberals and the Reformers. Certainly there is no great difference in the policies enunciated by the leaders. Save for tho inclusion of the State Bank proposal, and electoral reform by means of proportional representation, Mr Milford's policy programme might be almost accepted as a replica of the important proposals foreshadowed in .Mr Massey's 1922 programme and policy. It suits Mr Milford's purpose to speak of Mr Massey and the Reform Party as extremists of the one type, representing them as the party of wealth and privilege, and Mr Holland and his associates as extremists of another sort, Tho hon. gentleman pretends to regard them both us inimical to tho progress of tho country, and poses as the great deliverer destined to save the community from both. He has spoken in terms of rejoicing, at Oamaru, of the “re-birth of Liberalism,” and elsewhere has described his party as occupying the “middle of the road".” In using either expression he lias not, probably, thought of the absurdity of his claim that Liberalism, under his leadership, has been re-born. Liberalism is something more than a name and something more even than a party. It involves principles which ma y* lie subverted, neglected, or even suppressed, but which never die. No one can conscientiously say that the spirit of Liberalism lias been absent from the policy and doings of the Reform Party during the last ten or eleven years, for there are many Reformers who are better exponents of Liberal ideals than some even of Mr Wilford’s followers, and, in the opinion of many people, Mr Massey has proved in bis policy and practice truer to Liberal principles than Mr IVllford himself has been. In politics, as between the two parties (Liberal and Reform), it has, we are afraid, become largely a case of party being preferred before principle. Members become wedded to a particular leader (especially if they arc in opposition) because they think that their chances of politi-

cal preferment are bound up in their support of bis party. And, as_ Mr Harris pointed out on Monday night, “members get into the habit ol wilfully misrepresenting their opponents in statements which they know are wrong, doing it wholly or solely tor party purposes.” That is, wo believe, one of the reasons which deter many good business men, whose experience and counsel would be of the greatest use to the community, from entering politics. There are, unfortunately, also, some members who get into a churlish way of refusing to acknowledge the good that is in their political opponents, and some who do things politically which they would scorn to do in private life. They have ono code ot morality lor politics, and cjuite another for their every-day life. Aral it seems to us that it is this, as much as anything, which stands in the way of an understanding between men who have very much in common, and who differ only upon minor points of policy which should be easily reconciled.

TN THE MIDDLE OF THE HOAD.”

Mr WilforcL we have said, describes his party as standing in the middle ol the road. Surely the lion, gentleman is an unconscious humorist. The men who elect to stand in the middle of the road in these days of quick locomotion are not only a danger to themselves but also to the public. They make traffic difficult. The public will scarcely have forgotten the overtures made by the Reform Party to the Liberals, just prior to the meeting of Parliament for the short session which was supposed to have settled the question whether or not the Government possessed the confidence of the House. The Liberals failed to reciprocate, and, although informal discussions were carried on between certain members of Mr Millord's Party and members of the Reform Party, the former, to use Mr Wilford’s phrase as applied to his followers to-day, elected to occupy “the middle of the road,” thus blocking progress and making things more difficult for their political opponents. It is noticeable that, iu the no-confidence debate, the Liberals are doing most of the talking, and that the Labour members are holding back, although they have had amendments on the boards against Mr Wilford’s amendment. The Liberals are, therefore, justly entitled to the distinction their leader lias conferred upon them as the party occupying the middle of the road, and by blocking progress, playing into the hands of the Labour extremists, who have declared not once, but again and again, that Parliament has outlived its usefulness, and should be abolished in favour of an Industrial Parliament, consisting merely of representatives of the labour unions. While the Liberals maintain the spirit ot exclusiveness, all tiie talking in the world will not bring about a fusion of political parties, and wo are not altogether sure that, if effected, it would prove of benefit to the country generally. The developments of the future certainly point to the coming of Labour, the vote lor which grows materially at each successive General Election. It is most powerful in the four centres. Five Auckland, three 'Wellington, and four Christchurch city and suburban seats are now held by Labour, but only one ot the Dunedin seats has so far fallen to a Labour member, and the splitting of the moderate vote between Reform and Liberal candidates gave Lajiour the Waimarino, Napier and Westland seats. It seems foolish for men who are agreed upon most points of policy to thus help the extremists of the Labour Party, but party jealousies will have to be eliminated before such cutthroat contests can be done away with.