LABOUR AND CHAOS

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1932, Page 10

LABOUR AND CHAOS

NEW SOUTH WALES PARTY g 1 ’ FUTURE OF MR. LANG. ) a TROUBLESOME RED ELEMENT. F I J Sydney,, Nov. 10. The Labour Party in New South Wales is now in a more chaotic position than ever. Even Mr. J. T. Lang, its leader, is disgusted and the public eagerly awaits an official announcement- as to his future. It is considered that the days before he enters Federal politics are numbered. It is stated that during one of the many disputes at the Trades Hall Mr. Lang said that he had “washed his hands of State political matters.” It will be regarded as a good thing for the State if this is so, but the consequences for the Commonwealth will be more serious than ever should he gain control in the wider sphere. Such a happening, however, is extremely unlikely, for Mr. Lang and his politics receive little support outside New South Wales. His reputation suggests that he will wreck everything he comes in contact with, and this is particularly true of any Government with which he might become associated. The “Reds”—several branches of the Communist Party—have been slowly gaining control of Labour in New South Wales. The-socialisation units have been particularly active and they have proved themselves embarrassing to Mr. Lang and his followers. The time is not far distant when Mr. Lang will have to publicly declare himself in reference to the Communists., GROWING INFLUENCE OF REDS. • For months past the Reds have been gaining power among the Labour leagues and the unions, and unless some drastic steps are taken they will soon be in control of the Trades' Hall machine. This will make it extremely difficult for Mr. Lang, who is far from popular among those with Communistic tendencies. In his public utterances Mr. Lang has always disclaimed the “Reds,” but the fact remains that all along he has flirted with them.

Of late, several branches of the Labour Party have openly defied the Trades and Labour Council and all efforts to bring about discipline have failed. It was because of this that Mr. Lang announced that, he would wash his hands of State political matters. It is significant that Mr. Lang has been spending much more time than usual in his own electorate, and in recent weeks has addressed at least three public meetings. While he was Premier of New South Wales he treated his electorate with a kind of contempt, and that may have been the reason for the hard fight at the last State elections. He realises that he will have to fight even harder if he decides to enter Federal politics. There is a member of the House of Representatives willing to resign as soon as Mr. Lang reaches a decision. He has all along been known as “Mr. Lang’s seat-warmer.” He is proud to acknowledge the fact. ORGANISATION OF COMMUNISTS. An organisation known as the United Front of the Employed and the Unemployed has gained control of at least two of the city branches of the Labour Party and the Trades Council has threatened to withdraw the charter of one of these. When challenged to take this extreme step the council merely displayed its weakness by appointing a special committee to inquire into the position.' This in face of the fact that the “Reds” had been so strong that they had been able to prevent a meeting of the branch for more than three weeks. The social-

isation group at the Trades Hall was behind those who had taken charge of the branch and it was a tribute to their power'when the council decided to postpone definite action. It was certainly the biggest victory the “Reds” had achieved in this battle of tactics. The United Front has been declared

“black” by the council, but this has not prevented other branches from associating with the movement. United Front speakers have addressed several branches, in spite of the official ban. The United Front is clearly Communistic and the fact that the Communists have been declared an illegal body makes me posi-

tion full of interest. With the courts behind it, the Federal Government can hardly delay action, but there is always the danger that the Government will play right into the hands of the Lang Party.