The Daily News WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1930. LABOUR TRADITIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 October 1930, Page 8

The Daily News WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1930. LABOUR TRADITIONS.

Apparently the movement which has for some time past been uppermost in the minds\ of the younger and more thoughtful members of the British Labour Party is now emerging from its hiding-place into the open field of active politics. If, as seems likely, this new Labour policy becomes a definite organisation destined to replace the existing traditions of the party, and th enlist a far greater volume of political thought than was possible under, the existing hard and fast restrictions of Labour’s platform as dictated by its present leaders, it will not be surprising to find that the right wing of the party will be reinforced by the remnant of the Liberals; while .- the , left wing will gravitate towards cooperation with the Moscow extremists. It may be that Sir Oswald Mosley will prove to be the “man of the hour.” That the time is dpe for a change such as was indicated at the conference of the Labour Party at Llandudno is beyond dispute, and Sir Oswald is the right type of man to capture the attention of the younger men, and by dashing leadership, together with a sane, vigorous policy, lead them to a cleavage that will be the means of carrying them eventually to power. According to the correspondent of the Morning Post, the’Labour Party’s devotion to free trade was due to the fact that the present leaders were brought up in the Liberal, free trade school. Even if that assert tion cannot be accepted, there is no doubt that Labour is being kept in power by the support of the Liberals, who as eager opportunists are waiting for something to turn up to their, advantage,, and are playing for time before again facing the electors. Certainly/both Labour and Liberals dread an election at the present juncture because of the tariff issue which looms ominously ahead. To find the key to this new movement in the ranks of Labour it is necessary to turn to the manifest indications of a change in .Labour’s policy to be found in the reports of the more recent meetings of the Trade Unions Congress, representing nearly four million members. For some years past Labour speakers have always expressed an open mind on the fiscal issue, and have denied that they are necessarily tied to free trade under all circumstances . and places. Equally, of . course, they have repudiated protection, but it now seems to be dawning upon their intelligence that there is something sensible in reciprocal trade and reciprocal safeguarding, which is equivalent to regulating trade in the widest pocial interests. There are in evidence distinct indications of restraint and moderation in the presentation of Labour’s aims as well as a notable repression of Communistic demands. Although it suits the policy of the Liberal Leader to take the Labour Government under his wing in order to avoid an appeal to the country, it must not be supposed there is any community of policy between these two parties. During the present week the council of the National Liberal Federation meets at Torquay. Of two of the motions to be submitted to the council one approves the consultations which Mr. Lloyd George had with Mr. Ramsay MacDonlad on unemployment and agriculture, but re-affirms the complete independence of the Liberal Party, while the other pledges the party to make every sacrifice to build up a fighting fund for electioneering contests against both Labour and Conservatives. There is, however, no good purpose to be served by traversing the various pronouncements contained in the Liberal manifesto. The main point at present is the outlook for the Labour Party in view of the action taken by Sir Oswald Mosley. Will the present directors of that Party’s policy find themselves between the upper millstone of Communsim and the nether millstone of moderation? Much depends upon the answer to that question. To rush forward drastic changes in

the policy of any political party is always fraught with more or less danger, but given a wise, farseeing, vigorous leader there is no reason why, out of the growing political chaos of the present, era of unrest concerted means for solving the difficult problems of the age should not evolve. It will be of no consequence what particular party finds the solution so long as it is achieved. It. is quite possible, therefore, that a. practical way out of 1 the Empire’s troubles is not far off, and though too much faith need not be centred on the new Labour cleavage, there is no harm in arousing moderate optimism by welcoming any and every change that gives promise of better things to come.