The New Zealand Times. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1913. “DIVIDED WE FALL!”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8363, 25 February 1913, Page 6

The New Zealand Times. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1913. “DIVIDED WE FALL!”

The trades unions of the West Coast are passing resolutions pledging their members to turn the Massey party out of office at the next general ©lection. Those are brave words, and may be grateful and comforting to the ears of the multitude, but .they amount to simply nothing. The Hon. W. F. Massey and the squatters and the party of privilege axe strongly entrenched in power, and, from present indications, are likely to remain in power for a good many years to come. It is useless attempting to disguise this politically disagreeable fact, A section of lie Labour party were responsible for placing them in power, those of the leaders who are intent upon Labour playing a lone hand are stacking the cards, intentionally or otherwise, so as to keep them there, and it is the Labour party exclusively who will be the direct sufferers by this mistaken policy. The Labour party in Now Zealand, even if it were united, is not strong enough to carry a general election and overthrow a Government, and more especially one buttressed strongly, as the Massey Government is, by the pillars of wealth, influence, and vested interests. The Labour loaders who are submitting resolutions urging the ousting of the Tory Government may decline to accept this conclusion, but it is, nevertheless, based on careful observation of the results of every general election .over a period of nearly forty years, and is supported by a careful analysis of the voting .on each separate occasion. The Labour party does not, and cannot, control the votes of the trades unionists of Now /.©aland, It is well known to tnoea witnin tne inner circles oi tne movement tnat a section of the party, though certainly not a large one, mvariaoiy votes tor Conservative candidates. We have in our mmd one paid secretary of a trades union who nss sympathised with and voted with tne Tory side at every election for the last thirty years, if the officers do; these things, it is useless to expect unswerving loyalty from the rank and file. Another section of the more moderate trades unionists are staunch inborn Is first and trades unionists afterwards. Is this disputed P Then, let us refer the doubter to the experiences of Messrs McLaren, Young, Mack, Savage, Carey, Hickey, Reardon, and other Labour leaders at the last general election. They stood for constituencies where the Labour vote was overwhelmingly in the majority. If the party could have controlled the votes of the trades unionists alone, and directed them into one channel, the return of these men would have been certain, But it could not be done then, and it has not been done to a successful extent at any previous election, The reason is, as we have said, that an obstreperous section invariably votes with the Conservative party end a further and large' section of moderate trades unionists in politics are Liberal first and Labour afterwards. These facts axe being demonstrated at every successive election, and cannot be controverted. And yet certain of the leaders of the Labour party have adopted the cry of the squatters, '‘Down with Liberalism.’' Why? They must realise that the Liberal party includes many thousands of trades unionists. They must know that the interests and destiny of these two parties are closely identified. They most know that all the concessions that Labour has gained by constitutional means during the last twenty years, all the rights that have been established for that party, all the progressive legislation that has been passed, all these things have been accomplished largely by the Liberal party and could not have been achieved without their substantial aid. Why then, we would ask, are certain of the leaders of the Labour party raising the squatters’ cry, “Down with Liberalism,” just as they raised the cry “Down with Ward” before the last general election P There is a deep and sinister motive behind all this. Wo do not wish to individualise in our criticism, but we ask those leaders of the Liberal party whose sincerity and loyalty are beyond question to pause at this stage and reflect whether ah the men who are vociferously shouting in the vanguard are really anxious for the supremacy of Labour and the downfall of Masseyism and Tory rule. Great causes have been sacrificed before now because of the mistaken tolerance of traitors within 'the camp. It is possible' that this undertaking to remove the Massey party from power may prove, when It is too late to repair the disaster, to be another example of the folly of thoughtlessly following the loudest shouter. The present is a period when wise reflection and unceasing scrutiny and vigilance will be profitable to the Labour party. If they are content to play a lone band, and accept Massey and the party of wealth and privilege as their permanent rulers, that is their own concern, The Liberal party, with less to lose under the new system, will reconcile itself to the inevitable. But why is Labour being called upon to “down” Liberalism? That is a question that calls for thoughtful consideration at the present moment. Who is raising the cry that Liberalism should be “downed”? What are the influences

at work behind that cry ? The lesson; of the last general election should prompt Labour to be alert and war) in its own interest and in the interest of the whole progressive movement. Before the cry is taken up too lustily, before it is allowed to work out a further triumph for Masseyism and tin squatters’ interests, it is wise that each man in the ranks of Labour should cast a scrutinising eye to tne fight and loft. We ask again, and wo ask in a spirit of grave seriousness. ‘■Are there any traitors in the ranks?” The question well merits thoughtful consideration.