“CLEAN-UP” OF LABOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18759, 12 January 1923, Page 8

“CLEAN-UP” OF LABOUR

LEADERS MOVE IN AUSTRALIA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, January 3. Tho latest move by tho leaders of the Federal and New South Wales Parliamentary parties to clean up tho Labour movement and purge it of its extremists and reactionary influences has raised tho wrath of the executive of the Australian Labour Party—tho same executive whose alleged! methods were responsible for the break in tho party prior to the Federal elections. Tho trouble has arisen over a circular issued by the loaders to leagues and unions, deploring tho fact that after 30 years of organised political effort in the State, where it was to tho interests of tho hulk of the people to vote Labour, tho response bad been so unsatisfactory. The loaders suggested that Parliamentary representatives should take over control of the executive, and admitted knowledge of malpractice in the past by proposing safeguards against irregular practices in selection ballots. So seriously docs a certain section of the executive regard the act of tho lenders that there is talk of expulsions from tho movement. Already tho originators of the scheme have been "carpeted,” but no definite action was taken beyond appointing a sulr-committco to deal with the preface to the circular, about which much objection was taken. Most of the unions are favourable fo some reconstruction of the movement, as the "red” objective w-hich socks the socialisation of industry, distribution, and exchange is regarded ns tho chief reason why tho A.L.P. failed to improve its position to any extent as a result of tho Federal elections. Although moat of tho State and Federal Labour Parliamentarians agree with this, they take exception to th'e action of their leaders in issuing tho circular without first discussing the matter with them, and they even talk, of changes in leadership in consequence.