LANCINGS WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1919. THE WELFARE LEAGUE.

Free Lance, Volume XIX, Issue 993, 16 July 1919, Page 6

LANCINGS

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1919. THE WELFARE LEAGUE.

Here shall the Press the people's right mainUnawedby principle and unbribed by gain; Here patriot Truth her glorious precepts Pledged to Religion, Liberty and Law.

Come Down to Dots, WHILST congratulating Mr C. P. Skerrett, K.C., upon his presidential address to the members of the Welfare League and expressing satisfaction with the general tone of the speeches delivered by certain of the delegates to the recent conference we must express some regret that the 1 platform of the League is of such a. nebulous character. Neatly turned platitudes about the necessity for closer settlement of the land, for a generous treatment of the returned soldier heroes, for the. combatting of the dangerous anarchical policy of the Labour extremists are all very well in their way. But the electors, will want something more than political pap of this kind before they are likely to exhibit any great enthusiasm for the Welfare League, its programme, and its candidates. The League must, to use an American colloquialism, "come down to dots." Its platform must be far more explicit and detailed if its leaders and founders expect to gain any substantial share of public support. A mere policy of negation of Bolshevism is not enough. The electors are looking for men who have courage and originality and who % will speak out with no timid or uncertain voice on the great political questions of the day.

It's all very well for Mr Skerrett and' the officials organising the League to say that the new party represents "the plain man." But "a" plain man" deals in plain speaking, and, so far, this is precisely what the League has not given us. " What, for instance, is the League's attitude—just to mention a few outstanding political questions-;— on an increase of the graduated income tax ? What is the League's policy with regard to the profiteers, Home of whom, as Sir James Allen himself admitted l the other day, had managed to slip through the meshes of the war taxation net? How does the League propose to break up the huge land holdings which block settlement and impede the progress of the country?

Then there is the question of the State education systeml "What stand will the League take up if a new attempt is made, as rumour alleges it will be made,to introduce Stateaided d ! enominationalism? What is the attitude of the League on. a reform of the present most complicated and unduly high customs duties on certain articles? Upon all these and many other questions which might be mentioned! the promoters of the Welfare League have remained silent. If the League is- to be taken seriously it must come forward with a series of political proposals far more definite and courageous than are the shadowy planks in its published platform.