STATE LABOUR PARTY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23811, 18 May 1939, Page 13

STATE LABOUR PARTY

MR LANG’S LEADERSHIP SIGNS OF BEGINNING OF END CAUCUS’S SIGNIFICANT VOTE (From Our Own Correspondent) SYDNEY, May 2. Opponents have been saying so frequently and for so long that Mr Lang is going to be ejected from the leadership of the Labour Party in New South Wales that a newlythreatened eclipse must be regarded sceptically. Nevertheless, events of the last few months and particularly the last week support the belief that Mr Lang’s leadership is beginning to end. Mr Lang’s popularity with all sections of the Labour Party continued for several years after his dismissal from the Premiership in May, 1932, by the then Governor, Sir Phillip Game. His “ martyrdom ” was fully capitalised by his publicity agents, and, in addition, the rules giving him practically a dictatorship were stringently enforced by the “ inner group” of the Labour Party executive. For seven years Mr Lang has been kept in his position artificially, and despite a series of revolts. The last of these, that led by Mr R. J. Heffron, M.L.A., seems likely to .bear fruit.

Mr Heffron first won over half a dozen Labour members of the Legislative Assembly. Then he gained the support of some powerful industrial unions and a majority of the district Labour Leagues, the latter regretting the steps that had led them to surrender their power at the party conferences. Next the HefTron section stormed the most strategical Lang stronghold—it gained, by decision of the Supreme Court, control of the Labour daily newspaper, which for so long had fought the Lang cause, not only against Labour’s opponents, but also against dissentients within the party The Lang Sun Sinks

From that day, the Lang sun began to sink. The paper itself is fading, but Mr Lang’s loss of control of it has meant much to him. It was mainly through the co-operation and support of the newspaper that Heffron candidates at two recent byelections, not only regained the seats from the United Australian Party, but also relegated the Lang candidates to last position on the ballot returns.

These two by-elections undoubtedly persuaded the State Labour Party to make a decision that meant, probably, the end of the party’s domination by Mr Lang. Against fierce opposition by Mr Lang and members of the executive of the party, the Labour caucus by a two-thirds rna-

.lority carried a motion in favour of immediate steps to bring about Labour unity in New South Wales. The motion, which was in favour of Federal intervention, was moved by the Deputy Leader, Mr Baddeley, until that day Mr Lang’s staunchest supporter. Mr Lang threatened certain action against those who voted for it and earlier described the motion as tantamount to censure on him. A . Vigorous Speech Mr Lang’s speech was one of the most vigorous he had made in the caucus room, and he told' members that they had no power to move the motion. A chorus of dissent greeted this statement. During a heated stage the debate a member went close to Mr Lang and shouted to him: “Why don’t you resign! ” Mr Lang waved him away, making an angry reply which caused general uproar, Mr Lang said it was not the duty of the caucus to make decisions on policy. Policy was decided by the annual conference, which was also responsiole for saying who should lead the party. Sign of Surrender It was Mr Lang’s first defeat in caucus and is regarded by political observers as the beginning of the end. The Heffron party regards as a sign of surrender the decision of the caucus to ask for Federal intervention in the Labour dispute in New South Wales. Not long ago Mr Heffron and his team would have welcomed such intervention, but now, flushed with success after their two by-election victories, they look with surpicion on the move lest it result in an effort to snatch from them what they rightly regard as the legitimate fruits of political conquest. They fear that the Federal Executive’s suggestion will be that neither Mr Lang nor Mr Heffron should lead united Labour, but that a third man, who would be accepted by both parties, should be chosen. When Labour stages its inevitable victory march to the Treasury Benches Mr Heffron and his followers want to be still in the van. Unity efforts by the Federal Executive are not going to be easy and the actual overthrow of Mr Lang as Labour Leader will not be achieved without great heartburnings within the movement. Though he has never succeeded in holding together a Government for its full term, and though he has led his followers time and again to defeat at the polls, he has a remarkable grip on the loyalty of Labour supporters in the electorates.