"'JOE' HAS HAD HIS LESSON."

NZ Truth, Issue 483, 19 September 1914, Page 4

"'JOE' HAS HAD HIS LESSON."

(To the Editor.) Sir,— -It was with pleasure that I read the pronouncement m your last week's issue by John I>ayne, M.P. for Grey Lynn — and the more so since he frankly confessed his sin?. He declares "himself "fooled to tho top of his bent" by tho specious promises pf tho plute push now m power. Your humble servant, aware of his knowledge of men and things, gave him credit for more perspicacity. One could have understood his working slmp'a, bucolic Bill Mousey for all he was worth — but Bill Massey's working him Is Inexplicable. However, ho ha« confessed and, as a sin once confessed is twico atoned for, It had better be left at that. The outstanding fact is that, m his communication to you, he has put the political position exactly as It is to-day, and the sensiblencss of his attitude is confirmed by the results of the recent general election m Australia, Across the Tasma.n there exists a well -organised Labor Party, with a team of tried ministers capable of taking charge of public affairs. At tho previous election, tho people, with their usual fickleness, gave Andrew Fisher and his colleagues tho "go-by," presumably because they had not gone as far a.s the hot -heads among the progressives desired. They tried .Too Cook and his Fuelon Party, but tho results were disastrous. Consequently they fell back to tho old lovo and Labor onco more sits In the seat of authority. The position In New Zealand Is quite different. To start with there Is no Andrew Fisher apparent m- Uio I^abor crowd — there may bo an embryo one. but ho Is not yet visible, Further there Is no team of prospective administrators capable of helping an Andrew Flsh*r. If he wore there. "Per so." the Labor Party In "CJorzone" is divided and discredited. What then Is to bo dono at tho present Juncture? Tho candidates already named by Labor have not a bally hope of con-: vlnclng any constituency that they are capable of representing a democratic people. They uro 'foredoomed to failure by their folly and Irresponsibility m tho past. To h worker who has looked over the political battle ground In thlß fair Dominion for tho past thirty years, tho only sensible plan l« to throw Jn our lot with the Liberals. That party Is now pledged to proportional representation— the only means by which Labor can come Into Its own. Farther, Sir Joe has had lila lesson. He knows now. If ever a mun did, that his political interests He with tho people and not with pluic." Tom Wilfonl rocoKnlnes that his position Is tho same. Therefore, the one and onty hop* Is to take tho Liberal offer—to Btipport tho flvo Labor men now m Parliament — ami for Labor to Rlvo Us undivided support to Blr Joe for tho next three years, without any guaranteed alliance — simply an "entente eordlale" to get ovor the present "Impasse," I should like, Sir, to hear something from Paddy Webb and Alf. Rindmarsh on tho position.— Yours, etc., AN OPTIMIST,