THE BOLSHEVIK DANGER.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15977, 20 November 1919, Page 5

THE BOLSHEVIK DANGER.

ADDRESS BY MR MASSEY,; a SOLEMN PLEDGE. (Per United Press Association.) ELTHAM, Nov. 19. In his address last night, Mr Massey spoke of the Labour Party, differentiating very clearly between the workers and the members of the Parliamentary Labour Party. The workers and wage-earners of this country, he said, are as loyal as any other section in the country. A voice: More so.

Mr Massey: Well, I am not going to quarrel about that, but when I say the workers and wage-earners, I don’t want to include the Parliamentary Labour Party, led by Mr Holland. (Applause.) I took a very keen interest in everything pertaining to the war, as other citizens did, but I can’t think of any assistance given to us in the struggle by any member of the Parliamentary Labour Party. I can’t remember any of them making a patriotic speech. A voice: Why didn’t you take Mr Semple into the Cabinet? Mr Massey: Heaven forbid that any member of that party should ever have an opportunity of taking part in the government of the country. (Applause.) Through all those long and dark years when the British people were pouring out blood and treasure, this party never lent a .hand- (Hear, hear.) I want to discriminate always between the workers and the Parliamentary Labour Party. In industrial matters, where are the members of the party? Where are they with regard to coal? They are on the side of the go-slow policy, which is a curse to this country or to any other country. 'There are members of candidates of this Parliamentary Labour Party before the people of this country in these elections, and the party expect to get a number of them returned. They cannot get into power, hut they may get into the ‘position of holding the balance of power, without whose vote neither of the other parties will be able to hold office. A voice: And by G—d, you’ll take them, old man. Mr Massey: I will make this pledge to this meeting of citizens of Bltham: that rather than hold office by the vote of any of those men, or of all of them, I would walk off the Treasury benches without a moment’s notice. They will never get me in a position to dictate to me. As long as I lead the Government, I will dictate its policy with the advice of my colleagues, and when I find that I have not enough genuine supporters to.give me a majority of the House, I will vacate office. In making this pledge I can speak for myself and my own party. I cannot speak for the other people. I am not in their confidence. Here is the position of the parties in Parliament to-day: The Reform Party has a‘strength of 41. The Liberal Party is 31. The rest of the House is made up of the official Labour Party, and other Labour members and Independents. It is not possible for the Liberal Party to overtake. We will still have a majority over the Liberal Party, but if we do not get a majority of the House, and the other people form an alliance with the Parliamentary Labour Party, then God help New Zealand. (Applause.)