THE LABOUR POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22195, 23 February 1934, Page 8

THE LABOUR POLICY

Of the aphorism that speech was given to wise men in order that they may conceal their thoughts an illustration was afforded in the public address in Christchurch this week in which Mr Savage opened his first platform campaign in the capacity of Leader of the Opposition. The possession of political wisdom is certainly to be attributed to Mr Savage. It will not be from him that at any time verbal extravagances will be expected, nor does his parliamentary career suggest that he will pander to the extremist element among the people by committing himself to the public expression of violent views. It will be left to some of his colleagues to perform, for his party, the service of maintaining its touch with, and retaining its hold upon, the wild revolutionaries in the community. Mr Savage will himself speak with a soberness and a restraint that will be designed to divert the attention of the electors from the objective of his party as expressed in the programme laid down at its conferences. He expounded on Wednesday night eight principles which he invited the public to accept as the policy of the Labour Party. Viewed as an ideal, some of them may be regarded as unexceptionable. Others are skilfully expressed in terms which may be loosely interpreted as containing the germs of a constructive policy but in reality do not expressly bind the party to anything. It is a comparatively easy matter to frame a political programme that holds out ideals to the achievement of which at some indefinite period the public may look forward. But we live in a world and in circumstances in which the ideal is not attainable. However comforting it may be to "hitch bur wagon to a star," it is necessary to adjust our policies, public and private, to the hard conditions of present day existence. The policy propounded by Mr Savage is one in which practical exigencies are ignored as though they are of no account. It may in this respect be a policy that will appeal to visionaries and dreamers. Inasmuch, however, as the adoption of the policy would entail an expenditure upon a scale that is entirely beyond the means of the country at the present time, it cannot, apart from all considerations of its soundness or expediency, commend itself to persons who entertain the possibly old-fashioned belief that it is incumbent on a State to live within its resources, or, at the worst, to attempt to do so, just as it is incumbent on an individual who desires to acquire and retain a reputation for honesty.