The Heview of Heviews. 



July, 1912. 



foolish ideas that .inyont' may have that Liberalism 

 is offensive capitalism writ in large type. The 

 Liberal Party is naturally opposed to the pr0ii)osed 

 lease of Federal territory, and one clause of the 

 jjrogramme reads :—" To promote the settlement 

 and development of the Northern Territory, and to 

 Mvnire to settlers the right to secure their freehold, 

 with safeguards against aggregation." If the 

 Liberal Party be returned to power, it will gi\e back 

 to the public the facilities for voting by post that 

 it was deprived of by the Labour Gov'ernment. The 

 remainder of the manifesto is on the same lines as 

 the last, except that the note on the fiscal issue 

 reads: — "To maintain the present tariff policy, 

 as determined by the electors of the Commonwealth, 

 iind to establish a board of trade or other perma- 

 nent non-political bod\' to make recommendations 

 for its adjustment, with due regard to all sections 

 of the community." 



If prool wrru necdril ol liic cfiafiqe 



The Werriwa in public opinion since the general 



hlection. elections, it is supplied by the result 



of tiie Werriwa by-election. There 



Labour had what seemed an unassailable stronghold. 



Hut that it was built on sand, which may be taken 



to mean the Labour Party's policy, is evident from 



the fact that, whereas at the general elections Labour 



won the seat by a majority of nearly 2000 votes, last 



month it won the same electorate bv a majority 



li only 338 votes. So can public opinion 



I n- made to veer round in a short time. 



'I'here can be no manner of doubt that 



I he charges in the indictment of the No-Confidence 



motion have been troubling people's minds. And 



il Liberalism be wide awake, aggressive, and united, 



I here is nothing to prevent similar inroads being 



made upon Lalxnn- majorities everywhere. 



It was generally believed, because it 

 Rash was frequently announced, with 



Expenditure, .blare of trumpets, that when the 

 Labour Party assumed Cabinet re- 

 sponsil)ility there would be instituted a regime of 

 fniancial care. The cry of the Labour demagogue 

 liad been against large salaries, and special con- 

 -iilerations, and incidentally against class appoint- 

 ments. But when LalK>ur gets into power, it can 

 easily out-distance its rivals, and it does so with the 

 most unblushing impertinence. Numbers of Labour 

 -u|)porters ha\e received rewards for services by ap- 

 , ointments to new Federal positions. Some time 

 igo, the Federal Government re\'i.sed the scale of 

 illowances to Ministers, and revi.sed it on an elabor- 

 !ie and lil<eral scale. Now Mr. Fisher has written 



' the State Prcmier.s, a.sking tliat they should grant 

 railway jiasses to ex-Ministers in F(-(icral Cabinets. 

 Surely things like these ought to op«'n the eves of 

 Labour folk generally. Why should ex-Ministers Ite 

 singled out as a special class to receive favours, one 



mav reasonably ask. Political Ministers are well 

 [laid for their work. If railway facilities are to 

 be given to any, they should in justice be given, say, 

 to struggling farmers, who find themselves handicap- 

 ped by long distances from railroads. Of course, 

 these items are comparative straws, but they indicate 

 most surely the hollowness of Labour's demands 

 when it professes to seek all-round equality for 

 everybody. 



But Mr. Fi.sher is a.stute. People 



That may well ask, that is, his followers 



^^' may well ask, where they come in. 



Individualism has become the doc- 

 trine of Labour in power. What about those not 

 in power, who support Labour? So !Mr. Fisher 

 announces that he proposes that to every mother who 

 brings a child into the world, the sum of ;£5 shall 

 be paid. Now, the proposal is so audacious that it 

 .ilmost takes one's breath away, and prepares the 

 J verage mind to receive favourable impressions. 

 Une finds his powers of resistance somewhat weak- 

 ened ; and suggestions of philanthropy and benevo- 

 lence come swarming in. But, when the mind re- 

 covers, and is in a position to consider the proposal, 

 be finds it one of the boldest electioneering schemes 

 ever placed before an open-mouthed public. What 

 endless elocutionarv possibilities open out before the 

 Labour orator who is prei)ared to descant upon the 

 theme ! What harrowing pictures he may draw of 

 the terrible need of mothers in the hour of their 

 greatest extremity ! What a thrilling picture of the 

 beire\-olence and pity that inspire a grant of jQs at 

 such a time I Now this is a prophecy of a lot of 

 bunkum that will be talked. We yield to none in 

 s\mpathy with womanhood in her part of race re- 

 production. Our records are sufficient defence in that 

 matter. But here is the position, .\ustralia as a 

 Co.mmon wealth does not need it. There is no more 

 pro.sjjcrous community on the face of the earth. 

 The average family is well able to provide neces- 

 saries, aye, and comforts, too, at the times when the 

 new arrivals are expected. No country so wealthy ; 

 no country where the working classes spend more on 

 amusement ; no country w here money is so easily 

 earned and so quickly spent. It is true there are 

 cases where help is wanted, and genuine cases, too, 

 and these should be provided for, with the aid of 

 local committees, who have a knowledge of the cir- 

 cumstances. But to make it widespread is ridicu- 

 lous. Indeed, it ought to come as an in.sult to the 

 average family. Of cour.se, it may be .Mid that if 

 people do not want to take it they need not. That 

 is true; but a class distinction then comes in which 

 it is undesirable to create. If the Government is 

 really desirous to help tlie man with the family, 

 there are many ways ojjen that will be more effica- 

 cious, but less pyrotechnic. But that might not suit 

 Mr Fisher. There is no demand for this propo.sal. 

 The States look after it now. Mr. Watt long ago 

 made provision for the regular payment to needy 



