AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20392, 22 October 1929, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS.

THE NATIONALIST DEBACLE HOW THE GOVERNMENT LOST. , POWERFUL ELECTION CRIES. [FROM OUR OWN CORfIE.TONPENT.] SYDNEY. Oct. 17. There was a very strong suspicion in New South Wales that, witn tho inevitable saving of the pendulum, and with its sins of omission and commission which even the party could not disguise, tho BrucePago Government would ho defeated. What, however, turned out to bo one of tho most sensational political landslides in Australia came as with the shock of flj yharp thunderclap out of a clear blue sky, not only to the supporters of Mr. Bruce, hut also to very many of tho Labour Party. Mr. Theodore, with his ear always close | to tho ground throughout tho campaign, had predicted tho Nationalist debacle. | With a strong Nationalist majority, how-1 ever, still in tho Scnato, it looks, on the) surface, like a doublo dissolution, and yet another election, before very long. But Federal politicians might conceivably each Jiavo "ono thousand" objections at least to going to tho country again, and perhaps j tho now Labour Government, rather than i risk another election of both Houses, might, until it gets its feet, at all events, steer a safe, diplomatic, middle course between tho Sfiylla of tho Senate Nationalist majority and tho Charybdia of another campaign whirlpool. Tho defeat of tho Bavin Government at the next State election has, for a long time, been regarded as a foregone conclusion; tho Federal fight seems now definitely to have sealed the State Nationalist Ministry's fato unless, in the meantime, tho Scullin Government "gets the people's back up." Tho interesting question now is whether the new Government will offer any of its rich plums of office, outside of portfolios, of course, to the two men chiefly responsible for paving ' its way to the Treasury benches—Mr. Hughes and Mr. Marks. That Mr. Hughes will be offered tho High Commissionership is said to be probable. The People's Pears. Tho attitude of New South Wales generally is to give the new Labour Govern-' ment, in one of the most critical economia periods in the history of Australia, a fair run, in sporting parlance, and to accord tho new team fair and sympathetic consideration in the big task which it is approaching. The general feeling is that if ' Labour clocs not play up to the extremists and brings down a programme that does not savour of class consciousness, jt can avoid friction with the Senate and settle down to a comfortable term of' office. | Those who have close knowledge of 'the j political game know that elections are i never so favourable for a party as when there is a good catch cry—something that touches the imagination—for on such considerations are the destinies of politicians I founded. Labour could not have had a bet- j ter war cry than was presented by the I arbitration proposals of the Federal Government, backed by a hotly-debated bill that advertised the situation thoroughly and supported by the State Government's announcement that State arbitration would ,be .remoulded to meet tho Federal changes. Mr. Hughes, waiting as he has waited ever sinco he gave up the Prime Minister- . ship and leadership of the National Party, found his opportunity, and took advantage of it, and, fighting the cause of thoso who had been his opponents in Parliament, he saw his old party decimated. Mr. Hughes said it is a triumph for tho people, and has "sounded the death-knell of the .party machine,"- but his paean is confused. The Labour machis .stronger than ever. Two Potent Election Orlea. "Wages are in danger!" shouted Labour. . Nothing more vital could be devised* Elections have been won on a slogan 'far .less important. Nationalism replied that ; nothing of tho kind was likely. But it was useless. The mero fear—the sus- ■ picion—was sufficient. No argument of the National candidates could stay the panic. No seasoned politician could go to the campaign pasy iri his mind with such a cry echoing ahead of him. It went right into tho homes. Next came tho warning that going to •'the theatres would cost more. The Government was denounced as intending to tax tho theatre companies, and thereby causing a tax to bo imposed on theatre tickets. That alono would have been almost satisfying enough ordinarily for campaigners, and whether it was right or wrong the cry was enough. ' It was something that went to the pockets of tha electors. Never had a campaign been fought with the odds so overwhelmingly against the , party that lost. Mr. Hughes saw the danger. Mr. Bruce apparently did not; hut whether or not, Mr. Bruce was straightforward. He was sincerely endeavouring to free business and industry

Irorn embarrassments and hindrances to expansion. His courage as a politician has seldom been equalled. He must be credited with going down with the flag of honest intention nailed to tho mast.