The Wanganui Chronicle. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, APRIL 22nd, 1919. SAVE POLITICAL FUSION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17552, 22 April 1919, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, APRIL 22nd, 1919. SAVE POLITICAL FUSION.

It is to be hoped that adherence to oldtime political prejudices will not be permitted to thwart the constitution of a strong party ojt a coalition basis. Speaking in the-Far North last week, the Acting-Prime Minister, Sir Ja-mes Allen, stressed the fact that a strong Government is essential to the welfar© of New Zealand during the next few years. Sir James also made it clearthat he is in agreement with those who see in the existing Coalition the basis for f>ucli a. Government. In putting themselves ''on side" for fusion, neither Sir James Allen nor the Hon. Mr. Gnthrie (who has publicly given expression to similar views), are advocating the prolongation of the Coalition in its present form or on its present lines. What they, together with many other thoughtful New Zealanders, realise is that there is no essential difference between thp niain elements of the Liberal and Reform parties. Probably nine out of every ten members of either party could subscribe without any violation of political principles to the fundamental planks of a common policy. "The difference between the two political parties," says Sir James Allen^ "is so small that I cannot understand why they should not become one. I think, also, that if the two present parties ■went to the country ,ns one, the bulk of the electors would support such a party, pre.

suming that the leader, whoever be might be, framed a policy acceptable c>o the majority of the members, and of the oountry. Respite minor differences, I do not think there would be any difficulty in coming to an agreement aiboui, many important things that require to be, done." As the temporary head of the National Cfovernmept, ajid one «f its ab'est ami most distinguished members, Sir James Allen is doubtless fully alive to the political necessities of the immediate future, and consequently it would be absurd to suppose that his conception of an acceptable policy ts other than progressive. As "The Press* saySj Sir James Allen believes, rightly or -wrongly and \nost people will any rightly who are willing to face the facts of politics with minds unclouded by old personal and party prepossessions—that a stable and progressive party could be formed from the present House -which could cheerfully follow an agreedrwppn leader znd an agreed-npon policy. The leadership, like the policy, would neeegfiarily ba the product of conference and discussion, and the alternative to conference and discussion leading to political ptoonßtruction must bo schism by groups or a return to the old party arrangements that subsisted in 1914. Last year 'the Reform Party invited the co-operation of the Liberal Party in seeking for a h\!\ policy that woitid satisfy the moderate and enlightened men of both groups, but this invitation was not accepted, and we suspect tha* its non-acceptance was due to the inability of a section of Sih Joseph Ward's followers to realise the possibility of anything different from the old pre-war conflict of Liberalism and Reform. The future cannot be faced successfully, in politics or in anything else, if all the old ideas and attitudes are to bo carried forward; and what this country requires is the scrapping of old political prejudices, .and the union of all moderate men to safeguard progress against the havoc "that would he made, of it by extremists of every kind. Continued dissensions amongst moderate people will be of no service to any but those extremists, and nftt«-t therefore be injurious to the interests of the oountry at a most critical stag*? of its development."