UNITED LABOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22694, 5 April 1937, Page 12

UNITED LABOUR

AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS MEMBERS DISCIPLINED VICTORY FOR MR. LANG [from our own correspondent] SYDNEY, March 31 After years of division, a united Labour Party will fight the Federal elections this year —unless Mr. .T. S. Garden, M.P., and Mr. R. .T. Heffron, M.L.A., the rebel leaders in the most recent of the party's schisms, can succeed, at the eleventh hour, in breaking the Lang control of the New South Wales party machine. The so-called Garden revolt last year began when Mr. J. T. Lang and his "inner group" tried to obtain control of the Sydney Labour Council, the industrial wing of the movement, and the council's wireless broadcasting station, 2KY, managed by Mr. Garden. The early rounds of the, consequent fight went in favour of Mr. Garden, who mustered the "rebel" unions behind him, and observers foresaw tho end of the long reign of Mr. Lang as leadei of the New South Wales Labour machine. Turning-Point Reached The fight then shifted to Mr. Lang's daily newspaper, and Mr. Garden and his followers only narrowly missed obtaining control of it. That was the turn-ing-point of the struggle. Mr. Garden failed to obtain tho unanimous support of the industrial wing and the unions which remained loyal to Mr. Lang and the political wing were sufficient to ensure the success of tho Lang faction at the party's Easter conference, tho final and decisive battleground for at least a year.

Then the last blow to Mr. Garden's hopes was delivered by the Federal Parliamentary leader, Mr. J. H. Curtin. In a dramatic speech at the Easter conference he said: "It is impossible for me in the Federal Parliament to carry out the decisions of two State executives. No man can do that, and only a fool would attempt it. In Labour's affairs the State conference must be supreme within the State. In the Federal sphere the Federal conference must control matters with a Commonweal th-wide application.'' Readrnission Refused

His speech followed dramatic moves to briny about peace, and it is almost certain that he believed that the arrangements provided for the readrnission of all the Garden rebels. Tho< Lang-controlled committee, which considered the x : ebels' applications for readmission to membership decided otherwise. The applications of Messrs, Garden and Heffron were summarily rejected, and those of Mr. M. A. Davidson and Mr. E. Horsington, both members of the Legislative Assembly, and of four union officials, were provisionally granted. These men were informed that if by August 1 next they had established that they had indulged in 110 further disruption, they then would be readmitted.

It is expected that if these men make personal application to the central executive for readrnission they will be asked to sign a pledge of loyalty to Mr. Lang, and also a clause agreeing with the principles behind the ban placed on Messrs. Garden and Heffron. One union official was unconditionally accepted. He is president of the Sydney Labour Council, of which Mr. Garden is, the moving force, and the treatment of the president is taken as a sign that the Lang faction hopes to defeat Mr. Garden in his own stronghold. Movements Watched For five months the six men conditionally readmitted will be politically policed. A note will be made of political followers they meet, and their public utterances will be recorded. To keep faith with the conditions of readrnission the six men will have to keep clear of the coming industrial conference convened by the rebel faction, and at which it is expected that plans will be drawn up for a further assault upon the Lang machine. The expelled rebels will also strive for a meeting in Sydney of the Federal Labour inter-State executive, although officials say it is unlikely that any attempt will be made to intervene in State Labour affairs. It is expected that the Federal executive will now wait for the result of the Gwydir by-election in May before taking any steps. The opinion is held that a Labour victory in Gwydir would prevent any Federal action and place Mr. Lang in an unassailable position with A.L.P. branches in other States. It is expected that Mr. Garden will make an early appeal to the Federal A.L.P. against J>.is expulsion. He appealed to the Federal conference last year, but was ruled out of order, as lie had not first appealed to a New South Wales conference. He has now complied with the rules.