AUSTRALIAN LABOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22823, 6 March 1936, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN LABOUR

PARTY REUNITED LANG FACTION SUBMITS (From Oue Own Cgmsespondent) SYDNEY, February 27. After five years of disunity the Australian Labour Party throughout Australia stands with a united front. This was decided on Tuesday night by a fair majority at the conference of delegates from all States, which had been sitting at the Trades Hall for two days. The' result is that the New South Wales State party, generally known as the Lang party, becomes the accredited branch in that State, and the branch of the Federal party, which has existed for five years, goes out of existence or becomes merged with the Lang section. Both sections agreed to the removal of all expulsions, the Lang party accepted the rules and constitution of the Australian Labour Party, so, in effect, the unity is really the absorption of the Lang party. Its leader in the House of Representatives, Mr John Beasley, becomes a' member of the rank and file, though it is possible that he will be elected deputy leader when the caucus next has to elect its rulers. The present leader is Mr Curtin.

There was a fear at ono stage of the conference that negotiations would break down. The Lang Party delegation was called into the conference room on several occasions, and its members addressed the meeting. It was made plain to the conference that if the Lang Party terms were not accepted they would withdraw from any further negotiation. Late on Tuesday night the expulsion of the Lang party was removed, and the terms were agreed to with very little alteration. Any "automatic" expulsions which have taken place since 1931 in the dispute between the Federal and State bodies arc now lifted. Members of the New South Wales branch of the Federal Australian Labour Tarty will continue their membership in the State branch, dating from the period they joined. Any persons not covered by the foregoing provisions will have the power to appeal to the Federal executive or the conference, whichever meets first, as to the right of their membership. In the letter in which the Lang party sent its demands, the concluding clause read: "We deeply regret the departure by your conference from the terms agreed on by your Federal Executive on October 3, but in the interests of unity the representatives of the New South Wales State Labour Conference agree to hand to your committee in writing the acceptance of the terms, so soon as you rescind the 1931 motion of expulsion, and invite our six representatives to sit in your conference as accredited representatives of New South Wales."

The conference's reply contained the following clause: "That as the New South Wales State Labour Party has agreed to accept unreservedly the platform, rules and constitution of the Federal Australian Labour Party, and their accredited' representatives have agreed to unity proposals adopted by this conference, the expulsion resolution of March, 1931, expelling the New South Wales branch, is hereby rescinded."

The only people to lose are the members of the dwindling New South Wales branch of the Federal Labour Party, formed in this State in 1931 when the Lang faction was expelled. The Federal Executive of the party formed the branch in order that its banner might be kept flying alongside Air Lang's flamboyant standard. For a time it seemed that this branch would attract many moderate Labour men to it, but its campaigns and propaganda were badly managed, while Mr Lang's "inner group" brought both to a stage of perfection. The inner group had at its beck and call a powerful daily newspaper, which was under Mr Lang's financial suzerainty, and the attacks made by it on the New South Wales branch of the Federal Party had much to do in attracting support away from that branch. Its members are now thrown to the lions. Although their expulsions from the Lang Party are removed, they will find the " reunited" party in New South Wales has no use for them executively. They must either sink their moderation or remain in the despised "Right Wing." This much the now extinct branch lias done —it lias helped the United Australia and Country Parties to win four elections. Two Federal and two State elections have, been fought since the great split. At each, the branch of the Federal Party, although never gaining one success, did enough vote-splitting to enable non-Labour candidates to scramble home in several " doubtful " electorates. Unity may spell defeat for the non-Labour members in those electorates when next the voters go to the poll.