The Appeal To Caesar

Northland Age, Volume XII, Issue 47, 2 September 1943, Page 1

The Appeal To Caesar

ON election day every citizen is for a few short hours a king. For the day all political power has passed back into his hands, to be bestowed again as he pleases. For a day democracy becomes a reality, all voters are equal, each counts as one and none more than one. A revolution of the mast j£ar-reaching nature may be effected by the dropping of a piecemf paper into - the ballot box. It is not surprising that there should have been many a bitter fight before the right to vote was won. What is surprising is to find the vote so little valued, that so many exercise it with so

little thought and others do not trouble to vote at all. It is tragic that in Australia a law should have had to be passed to make voting compulsory. The Dominion election to take place next month is likely to be the most important in its results for a generation and will call for all the wisdom the voters possess to select suitable representatives for Parliament. From present appearances there is likely to be ample choice so far as quantity is concerned; the

quality is more doubtful. It is a good sign that so many worthy citizens are willing to undertake the burden and heat of a Parliamentary campaign in which hard knocks are likely to be given and received. It would be better still if more of them showed that

they had prepared themselves by a study of the political and social problems with which the next Parliament will likely have to deal. A certain fluency on the platform and a loyal adherence to one’s pai'ty, right or wrong, js not enough qualification in these troubled times.

In the multitude of parties there is usually safety for the party in power. General Smuts found it so in South Africa, the present Federal Government, fighting a bitter battle in Australia, is finding it an advantage, and the Labour party here are likely to profit in the same way. The Dominion political tradition is for long periods of party rule one remembers the lengthy reigns of Seddon and Massey though neither the leader of the Government or the Opposition can claim the same popular appeal. The Labour Government has committed enough sins of commission and omission to furnish texts for daily diatribes in the press, but against that they have much good work to their credit. The Government was fortunate in coming into power with the return of the tide of prosperity in peace and its conduct of the war effort has been efficient and popular. The average voter might well be doubtful of the wisdom of swapping houses in crossing a river in spate.

A good deal will depend on the various programmes submitted by the various parties for approval. The public naturally will not be willing to give any party a blank cheque to be filled in at its discretion. So far as the prosecution of the war goes all parties are agreed. At whatever cost and whatever sacrifices may be necessary the war must be fought to a victorious finish with the Dominion taking its fair share of the burden, heavy though it is. Should it be necessary everything else must be subordinated to that. But there are problems arising from war conditions the solution of which rouses sharp division of opinion. AVhen the period of reconstruction comes it will make demands on our politicians for courage and boldness that they must be prepared to meet. Mr. Forbes who in his day was an efficient if not very brilliant Minister and Premier, is reported to have said a very wise thing. Asked why he was retiring from Parliament seeing he was in good health and not old as politicians go, he said in effect that the Liberal philosophy he had faithfully followed all his life was now dead and was being replaced with a philosophy with which he had no sympathy. Wars make revolutionary changes in society and it is common prudence to fall in with what is inevitable. This is a world of change and even the best of political theories have their day and cease to be.