The New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1924. THE CONSERVATIVE DEFEAT

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11734, 23 January 1924, Page 6

The New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1924. THE CONSERVATIVE DEFEAT

The defeat of Mr Baldwin’s party transfers the reins of power to a Labour Government. The event is the most notable in the constitutional history of England since the signing of Magna Charta. Though the event ia astonishing, it is a direct consequence of the instrument which King John was compelled to sign by the barons, acting in the name of the people of the realm. In the interval, the realm has expanded, and tho constitution has expanded with it, through many struggles of the people, for the complete freedom which was the object of the Runnymede instrument. The Parliamentary event of Monday last marks the attainment of that completion of freedom. Under the constitution rooted at Runnymede a Labour Party has reached the seat of power. The men of Runnymede never contemplated such a result. But that only means that they did not contemplate the development of the constitution. Nevertheless, the development, moving along the lines of their great policy through the ages of history, has placed the reins of power in the hands of a Labour Government. In many quarters there is both astonishment and panic. But these are illogical, and uncalled for. The persons who are thus stirred forget that virtually they have been for years predicting this very thing. What other meaning can be attributed to their unceasing advice to Labour to proceed always by constitutional ways. If tho advice meant anything, it meant that the constitution offered to all of every shade of political opinion a safer and sounder road to the power which guarantees their political aspirations than the devious, uncertain, and bloody ways of the revolutionist and the anarchist. The exhortations to Labour to pursue the way of the ballot-box with patience and loyalty were really prophecies that one day they would succeed. Labour has, in spite of the temptations of specious extremists, taken them at their word, and the great fact is, Labour has succeeded. To the world at large, reading history with understanding, the fact whether there is, or is not, agreement with the Labour views, is of paramount importance; the outstanding fact is the triumph, so far, of constitutional government. The character of the debate, brief, but of tremendous import, and the comparative calmness with which the division was received, strongly corroborate this view. Some newspapers and some politicians appear to have lost their heads, but that is an ebullition of the 6ort that always dies down before tho end of tho proverbial nine days. "What Will He Do With It?”—tho title of a once famous hook of BulwerLytton’s—is the question many are asking themselves as they watch Mr

Ramsay Macdonald’s assumption of power. Sir John Simon, in the speech, of which the severe handling by Mr Austen Chamberlain was one of the incidents of the debate, suggested an answer. He said the Parliamentary victory of Labour will lead to a new method of government. The Labour Party is in a minority in the House, and as all the parties are similarly situated, the Labour Government must be a minority Government. A mi-

nority Government is certainly a new thing in Parliament. Sir John Simon implied, of course, that the new thing has come to stay, and that it will stay only if it recognises that the urging of party lines of action at the present juncture can lead nowhere. In view of that circumstance, it matters little what the party in power is called; whether it is “Socialist” or “Labour,” it will have to obey the Parliamentary majority. And that it can only do by devising measures which the majority can be persuaded to pass. The difficulty ahead is that Parliament, in spite 1 of its name, has become a place not favourable to persuasion. If discussing things strictly on their merits, irrespective of party views, ever takes the place of the present system of presenting cut-and-dried measures perfunctorily debated, and makes Parliament once more a house of persuasion, then Sir John’s prediction of a new method of government may be realised. If the Labour Government, which cannot hope to pass any extreme measure, as parties now stand, has the wisdom to propose measures likely to be agreeable to a majority which is in the main moderate, and the tact to ensure full discussion of them, it may retain power. In that case the party condition in the House will be a truce —a truce fruitful of good necessary work —lasting until such time as consultation of the constituencies shows favour enough to one of the parties by a decisive majority. If the new Parliamentary method predicted by Sir John Simon works out this way, it will commend itself generally. If it does not, anything may happen in the way of deadlocks, coalitions, and general elections. But nothing will happen to disturb the constitution. “What will he rio with it ?” will be answered by the Labour Leader at the first opportunity. Till then we must wait.

Some indication of the effect on Continental opinion of the advent in England of a Labour Government to power is given in to-day’s cable messages. The Socialist leaders in Belgium, owing to the numerical weakness of the party in power, fear a failure from the Socialist point of view, declaring that the moment for seizing power was inopportune. Here we have to consider two things: (1) The Labour Party of Britain is not as wild as the Socialist Party of Belgium; and (2) the opportunity in the hands of the Labour Party is not one for doing heroic things without consideration, but for showing its capacity to govern the realm. The Belgian criticism misses the real point. In Germany a Cabinet Minister has, declared that, in view of the advent of Labour to power, Germany must hasten to make terms with France. But this is unexpected, and apparently contrary to much that has been reoently cabled out here. However, if tho German ‘Minister should be right, after all, it will be a case of “All’s well that ends well.’’ But it is early to speculate about foreign policy, for that is a great hurdle for Labour, and as yet it is impossible to say how Labour will face it. All that can he said is that Ramsay Macdonald will face with courage some tasks which have baffled many “cracks.”