The Election Issue

Southland Times, Issue 23610, 10 September 1938, Page 6

The Election Issue

If the Prime Minister’s hope is fulfilled and Parliament is able to rise by the end of next week, it seems likely that the General Election will take place before the end of October, possibly on October 19, probably on October 26. An earlier election day than usual will suit the great majority of people, who like to spend—or prepare for —their holidays away from the shadow of politics; and it will certainly suit the Government, which has made itself so dependent on prosperous conditions that it can hardly risk waiting until the fall becomes more pronounced. The near approach of the election has been marked for the public in many ways. It has been marked by a larger volume of talk in the House of Representatives, by keen canvassing in the electorates and by the wagdring of all kinds of odds on the result. But one of the most significant indications that polling day is not far off has been the strange mood of quietness and conciliation that has descended upon members of the Government. The newspapers and the banks have not been attacked for quite a long time now; in fact, Mr Savage even found a word of praise for the manner in which the Press displayed the provisions of the Social Security Bill. “Vested interests” have been left to go on their vicious, anti-social way; the Controller of Commercial Broadcasting has learned to control himself; the Minister of Public Works —apart from one little outburst—has stopped coining new words and applying old ones to the Leader of the Opposition. The Cabinet shows every sign of concern over the position of dairy farmers,, and socialist theorizings are thrust out of sight. Such an unnatural atmosphere can mean only one thing: the election is at hand and the order has gone out to “take care.”

Dr McMillan’s assertion in the North Island a few days ago, that the issue at the election would be the social security scheme, may be regarded ,as indicative of the course the Labour Party’s campaign will follow. It is true that the scheme will bulk large in the minds of many electors, for it will directly affect their pockets (in more ways than they yet realize) and may therefore seem of much greater importance than issues that are less tangible. One of those issues will be the Government’s reckless financial policy which, if it is continued without check,’will expose the country to more severe economic distress than it has ever known. But the real issue of the election will be the one that arises from the cardinal plank of Labour policy. Do the people of New Zealand want State socialization of the means of production, distribution and exchange; or do they not? The Labour Party lays claim to the mantle of Seddon, but it is not a Liberal party. It is an avowedly socialist party which must move, according to the terms of its policy, towards State control of property, industry, persons and services of all kinds. There are no “ifs” or “buts” about this plank. It is the Labour Party’s declared objective and we have the Prime Minister’s assurance that the party is going “the full journey.” It has already taken many important steps towards this objective. Whether it is to be allowed to continue, and perhaps to complete, the journey will be decided at the ballot box next month.