The Times SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 1939. Labour's Easter Conference

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 88, 15 April 1939, Page 4

The Times SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 1939. Labour's Easter Conference

There has just been concluded the annual conference of the Dominion’s governing political party. Although the actual implementation of policy lies in control of the Parliamentary party, this annual conference is the supreme body in that it shapes that policy. Its decisions are of significance to our national welfare, and that which is of utmost significance from all that has issued from this latest conference is a very definite trend to conservatism. Symptomatic of the feeling at the conference were the refusal of Communism’s united front allegiance, the crushing of the “wild men” from the Left, the putting into pigeon-holes of a number of extremely radical remits and the quashing of several wild-cat monetary schemes. In describing the conference as conservative, there is no intention of implying that there was evidence of any recanting. The party objectives remain as in the past, but there is seen a very natural and rational understanding of the country’s need for a breathing spell. The party’s decision was to afford this and to conserve gains made.

Since last election a profound change of heart has been seen. Emphasis now is upon production as contrasted with years of prior talk about distribution. The spirit of conservatism, now so unquestionably shown, fits well with this changed objective.

Personalities played a prominent part in the conference. Here the Prime Minister’s prestige was evidenced as never before and this carried the day upon many important and might-have-been contentious matters. His right of Cabinet selection was placed beyond doubt. The leader of the attack upon this and the attack on the Government’s “unduly orthodox” financial policy was put in his place very quietly and politely, but very definitely. The Prime Minister has claimed that Labour’s victory was very much his own personal victory. And in that he is undoubtedly right. Mr. Savage is a very great political leader, possessed of a quality held also by the late Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Lyons, namely, a charm of personality and one that leads to his possessing the kindly regard of his political opponents. They disagree with his policies, but do not personally dislike the man. One who shared the Prime Minister’s gains was Mr. Nash, as Minister of Finance. He will be now able to continue his rule in a very different atmosphere to that around him these past five months. And there was seen in several reports adopted, his guiding hand.

One short paragraph of outside news that is of especial significance was a reference to the possible raising of the exchange rate by the Prime Minister. He stated that were it raised, this would be done suddenly—overnight. Note, he made no denial that it would possibly be raised. Two negative aspects of the conference call for comment and this with regret. Immigration was given no serious thought. Yet increased population is the Dominion’s great need. And that most urgent of all our problems to-day was treated without proper respect. The reference is to defence. In this connection Messrs. Barnard, Lee and Lyons are to be congratulated upon their minority report. These M.P.’s did evidence a far more realistic appreciation than their fellows of the dangers besetting our isolated country. Viewed as a whole, citizens generally may consider the conference to have been a propitious one. “Onward and upward with the brakes off,” the cry of the reckless driver the world over, has been replaced with “steady there.” A minority of Labour supporters will doubtless be very disappointed thereat, but the majority, and with them those of another persuasion, will feel deeply relieved.