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THE FIGHT IN THE FEDERAL PARLIAMENT HAS ENDED.
THE VOTE OF CENSURE MOTION WAS DEFEATED BY 38 TO 33.
MESSRS. FENTON & LYONS MADE A SCATHING INDICTMENT.
Mr. Ward voted with Government, though Bitterly Opposing Policy.
" ( ; ' .
' . CANBRRRA. FrMnv.
The no confidence motion was defeated by 38 to 33. Mcssrsj LyonB, Fenton, Gabb, Price and
Guy voted for the motion, and Messrs. Beasley,' Ward, Lazzarini and Eldridge against.
The first touch of life in an all night debate on the censure motion came. shortly after dawn, when
' members, who had been dozing on the benches, sat up with interest, while other members, who hod h»en
in other parts of the House, flochcd in to hear what promised to be an interesting contribution to the
debate.
In his opening remarks, Mr. J. E.
Fenton expressed the opinion that a
reduction of salaries of the Common
wealth Public Service would mean
only a small annual saving to the
Government. He went on to deplore
the Government's proposals to im
pose a tax on interest, amounting
to 3/6 in the £. This taxation v/ouid
be a very heavy blow at the great
masses of the people, through tho
Savings Banks, Life Insurance Com
panies, Commonwealth Bank and
Friendly Societies. If such a pro
posal were incorporated in the mea
sure brought before Parliament ho
would oppose it. Proposals for the
so-called fiduciary issue, he said un
hesitatingly, was inflation of the
worse ana most aamname Kind, ana
he would not tolerate it. Once such
a thing had begun there was no tell
ing where it would stop. Parlia-
ment had not the brains — not the
intelligence to deal with such an intricate matter, which was one for experts only. The Government had
no right to play tricks with the currency of the country. The currency had to be beyond political control.
Continuing Mr. Fenton said : When
Mr. , J. H. Scullin left Australia I
made up my mind that whatever was
done, whatever was said, I would
hold the fort until he came back. .
Mr. R. Green : You had a lot to'
put up with while you were doing it.
Mr. Cusack : He was paid for it.
Mr. Fenton : You can say what
you like. My life is an open book to
anyone who wants to examine it.
Mr. Gabb : There is no Mungana
about you, Jim.
Mr. tFenton : I will vote against
any political tinkering with the cur
rency or banking of this country. Up
to the time that; Mr. ... Scullin left,
Australia, ' he had greater confidence
in no man than in Sir Robert Gibson.
INFLATION,
In this country to-day, I might
point out, that we have inflation to a
degree of £53,000;000. Part of it is
used to pay members' salaries. Last
year the Prime Minister said Parlia
ment might fittingly become an
economic conference to discuss Aus
tralia's position. It was about time
something was done about it. He
could not help thinking seriously
that, if Parliamentarians did not
soon show responsibility, and carry
out their duties, that the people ex
pected them to do in, a fair and hon
ourable way, they might be swept
away — perhaps not in a constitutional
way. He was not one to believe in
revolutionary methods of doing
things.
AT BREAKING POINT.
He was always in favour of con
stitutional methods, but the people
were practically at the breaking
point. If members were in Parlia
ment, as intelligent representatives
of the people, and were not prepared
to carry out their duties, then it
might bo that disaster would befall
the country. Ho declared that he
would vote in favour of the censure
motion. .
CHARGES AGAINST THEODORE.
Proceeding, he said that charges
against the Treasurer (Mr. E. G.
Theodore) had not been rebutted. At
the first intimation that Theodore
might be reinstated, he (Mr. Fenton)
had told Cabinet what he intended
to. do if Mr. Theodore came back as
Treasurer. Later he told the party
the same thing. It is not a matter
of personal honour. I say that any
public man associated with such an
institute as Parliament carries not
only the right to defend himself per
sonally,' but he has the right to re
gard the honour of tho party, Par
liament, and the people of the coun
try. I say, without bitterness, that
the proper course for Mr. Theodore
to pursue was to remain out of office
until his name was cleared. At pre
sent it still had the tarnish.
MUNGANA TARNISH.
If I had to justify myself I would
carry it to the platforms of the coun
try. I have seen documents of the
Mungana Commission finding that
many memebrs have never seen. 'T
say that a transcript of the evidence
given before the Commission should
be placed on the table of this Par
liament, or in the library, for every
member to read.
HARM TO COUNTRY.
Proceeding, Mr. Fenton, said it
seems to mo there is only one line
of duty in a case like this, that is, the
inescapablo code that cannot be dis
regarded. d have not the slightest
bit of sympathy with the policy of
Mr. Lang, but I say more harm can
be done ( to the citizens of this coun
try by the inclusion of Mr. Theodore
in the Cabinet than by any other
thing. -I do not stand here as nn ac
cuser, but I am trying to follow con
sistent and fair lines. I shall .have
no hesitation in having a free henrt,
mind, and. conscience in voting for
this motion, because I believe it will
(lo good for tho people of Australia.
THE PUBLIC CONSCIENCE.
Mr. Morgan congratulated Mr.
Fenton on taking such a stand, and
hoped that the public conscience
would re-act definitely in Mr. Fen-
ton's favour.
Dealing with the recent decision
of the Caucus to appoint a chairman
of committees to replace Mr. Mc-
Grath, Mr. Morgan said that a body,
outside Parliament, had no right to
do such a thing. Parliament should
show its disapproval of that action.
Caucus had made 'definite attempts
to interfere with the prestige of
Parliament. ,, ,
DISGRACE TO LABOR PARTY.
The Government, however, will
never have the courage to bring this
matter before this House. The whole
thing is a disgrace to the Labour,
party.
Referring to Mr. Theodore, Mr.
Morgan said that Mr. Theodore's re
cord as an executive officer of tho
Queensland Cabinet has been so dis
astrous that it had brought Queens
land almost to the verge of ruin.
TREASURER OF AUSTRALIA.
Never under any administration in
Queensland was the country so mis
governed as under the direction of
Mr. Theodore. This is the man who
is now Treasurer of Australia. Noth
ing on earth could justify the action
of the Government in putting him
where he was. In doing so, the Gov
ernment had placed a millstone
around its neck, which would ulti
mately and finally drag it down. (Op
position applause).
Mr. Price Sincere.
EXPLAINS HIS VIEWS.
Mr. J. Price, who recently resigned
the secretaryship of the Federal
Labour Party, said he hoped still to
be associated with the labour move
ment. Following the declaration of
his intention to vote for the motion,
he had (been met with sneers, but he
felt it his duty to adopt such a
course. He did it believing it to be
in the best interests of the country.
PRICE CRAWFISHED.
I will say candidly to Mr. Theo
dore what I have already said to him
in another place.
Mr. Theodore: You crawfished in
another place, and apologised for put
ting it against me.
Mr. Price: I did nothing of the'
sort.
Mr. Theodore: And you apologised.
Mr. Price: I spoke up in the Caucus
and told you what I though. I say
again that I believe you would be do
ing a service to your country if you
were to resign your position. (Op
position cheers) .
Mr. Theodore: You apologised for
having said it before.
Mr. Price: I never apologised for
it. The debate in the party's room
was one of the best we had ever
had.
Mr". Riley, junr.: It must have been
if there wore apologies flying around.
Mr. Scullin: And two weeks after
you accepted re-election as secretary
of the Party.
Mr. Price: The Prime Minister has
honoured me with the interjection
and I will answer it.
Mr. Scullin: I did honour you.
Mr. Price: When I was re-elected
to the secretaryship, I thought that
the Caucus would have required Mr.
Theodore to stand down. But that did
not happen.
Mr. Theodore: And after it was
plain Caucus did not favour that
coursp, you ran for Ministerial office.
Mr. Gabb: You watch the Trea
surer. He will put one over you.
Mr. Price: I will say I allowed my
self to go to the ballot for Secretary
ship and was pleased with the result.
Mr. Theodore: And this is your
gratitude.'
Mr. Price: It is not a matter of
gratitude but of principle. I took the
opportunity at a suitable time to ten-
, der my resignation to the Prime
! Minister.
SCULLN'S INSINCERITY.
Mr. Scullin: Your apology is ac
cepted.
Mr. Price then recalled that, dur
ing his absence abroad, the Prime
Minister, by ' cable, intimated to the
Acting-Treasurer (Mr. J. Lyons),
that he was opposed to any form ol
repudiation. The only thing Mr. Scul
lin had done since his return from
abroad was to reinstate Mr.' Theo-
doro.
A DISRUPTING, FACTftR. -
While Mr. Scullin was away, Theo
dore was a disrupting factor. His
first, of many schemes, was the Gib
bons plan, and now comes the fidu
ciary issue of notes. This was not in
the best interests, of Australia. It was
undoubtedly inflation, and would
push the country further into the
mire.
Mr. J. A. Lyons.
A THOUGHTFU DECISION.
Mr. J. A. Lyons said that, to break
associations of a lifetime, is a step
no man, who was not utterly bank
rupt of sensibility, can take, without
pain and sharp mental suffering. I
have not decided hastily.. I have ex
plored and studied every aspect of the
situation. I patiently examined, care
fully analysed, each of the various
financial proposals put forward, from
time to time by the Government from
the rfVrst to the very latest, and have
earnestly endeav.oured to find, in one
of them, any feature sound enough
to compensate for their many obvi
ously dangerous effects, in order that
I might reconcile my conscience to
even qualified acceptance. In this
search I have not succeeded.
A VERBAL DEFINITION.
The scheme now under considera
tion of Parliament, and of the coun
try, for the issue of £18,000,000 fiduci
ary money, differs from its predeces
sors only in methods, chosen for its
verbal definition. In his opinion, the
scheme of currency inflation, which It
proposes to accomplish in such an
Act, as it is only possible to" create
is to make something out of nothing.
The Government would pot be con
templating this excursion into the
realm of miracles, if it was possible to
secure real money by approaching the
people for a loan, because it knows it
has forfeited and lost the confidence
of the nation.
LOST CONFrDENCE.
The Government has lost the
nation's confidence, when a nation has
realised the Government intended to
dishonour the agreement signed last
August, to begin 'forthwith to balance
its budget by effecting real economies
in expenditure.
Having lost the confidence of the
people the Government now seeks to
recover that confidence, not by proper
dutiful action ,and not by performing
.he duty it had neglected, but by pos-
ng as a conjuror, by pretending it
possesses the ability to materialise
money from the empty air, as a con
jurer materialises geese or rabbits on
the stage.
THE CONFIDENCE MAN.
It is not by juggling with currency,
it is not by the tricks of the conjuror
or the confidence man that the public
confidence can be restored, and credit
re-established, and the integrity of
the Commonwealth be recreated.
The Industrial rehabilitation of
Australia cannot be achieved by such
methods. Real , money is needed for
that. Real money depends upon con
fidence and credit.
REAL MONEY.
All the real money now needed by
tha Government would be available if
the people had faith in the will and
; capacity of the Government to honour
: its con' "act a d meet its engago-
monts. This was true by the response
L —
of the people to the £28,000,000 loan
in November last. That loan was
oversubscribed. The people oversub-.
scribed it because they had not lost
faith in the Government. There,
however, was not a penny of real
money available to-day, because the
Government was pursuing a policy
which the people justly consider must
lead eventually to an abyss of nat
ional insolvency and ruin.
INFLATION.
The latest inflation proposals of
the Government are calculated rather
to hasten than to defer that evil day.
They cannot provide employment for
the unemployed of more than a tem
porary or fleeting character. It is
pecause I have been all my life a La
bour man, and because I desire to
protect the workers from misery and
destitution, that will unavoidably be
fall, if inflation is practised, that I
feel impelled to adopt the course I
am following. 1 ,
HONOUR OF COMMONWEALTH.
It is also because I conceive it to
be my duty to do what lies in my
power to protect the honour of the
Commonwealth. Repudiation and de
fault have been provided as path
ways from our difficulties. The Gov
ernment had set its face against
these hideous expedients, but I warn
tho Government, solemnly and em
phatically, that its policy of 'inflation
cannot be enforced without bringing
the country to a position where na
tional insolvency and default will be
inevitable. .
LAMENTABLE END.
The Government's inflation pro-
posals differ from the undisguised
dishonesty of Mr. Lang's programme
of repudiation, but they lead to the
same lamentable end.
However much they may differ
from Mr. Lang's downright self-con
fessed dishonesty, they differ even
more startlingly from the simple
principle of honesty which should
guide the actions of a responsible na
tional administration. I do not ad
vance any claims to be a financial
genius, like Mr. Theodore.
CREDIT OF AUSTRALIA.
I do' not think any special quality
of genius, or even any special know
ledge of finances, are needed to re
deem the credit and restore the pros
perity of Australia. All that is re
quired, in mv judgment, is that the
nation should be led firmly and un
falteringly along, the straight course
that honesty dictates. Honesty, in the
long run, is always the best policy.1 It
is the only policy for Australia to
maintain our solvency, preserve our
honour and retain our self-respect.
DUTY TO MY COUNTRY.
I am a plain man, and have
Spoken plainly, what is, in my heart,
and my heart is aching that I have
been1 compelled by circumstance and
conscience to criticise my former
colleagues, many, of whom I have long
admired and loved, and to sever my
connection with the party that I
have lnlnured to consolidate ntr-
(Ointinucd on Page 2).
none Help
MR. J. H. SCULLIN, Prime Minister. Help
MR. J. H. SCULLIN,
Prime Minister.
none Help
MR J. E. FENTON. Help
MR J. E. FENTON.

CENSURE MOTION. ,
(Continued from Page 5.)
help somewhat to construct. I sno.J
like to nssure. them that I have not
liked the task, and that nothing
could have induced me to perform it,
ibut the' absolute conviction that, in
failing to do what I am doing, and
have done, I would have failed in my
duty to my country.
HIS FELLOW-MEN.
Mr. Lyons, referring to Mr. Theo
dore, stated he had never posed' as
a judge of his fellow-men, as he was
too. conscious of his own frailties,
but he sincerely trusted Mr. Theo-
dore would be able to absolutely
clear himself. He did hope, however,
that Mr. Theodore would have re
mained out of the Cabinet until that
was done. He realised the step he
was taking would automatically place
him outside the Federal A.L.P., and
this would separate him from the
men of whom he was very fond, and
for whom he had the greatest re
spect.
22 YEARS' SERVICE.
He had yesterday completed 22
years in the service of the workers.
He would feel a .traitor to them if
he did not take the step he was tak
ing. He believed the policy of the
Government would increase unem
ployment, misery and dissatisfaction.
He had appealed for a change in the
Party's room, and, he repeated, if
the Government would frame a pol
icy on sound lines he would render
every assistance he possibly could.
HAD LOST CONFIDENCE.
He had lost confidence in the Prime
Minister as leader. Important parts
of the policy had been changed up
side down by the Federal Executive
of the A.L.P., which was not respon-,
sible to the people, yet they selected
representatives of the people where
asked to come to heel. Because they
would not Labour said they have
broken their pledges.
ARBITRATION COURT.
They were returned to support the
Arbitration Court, but they had done
everything they could to thwart it.
The Transport Workers' Act was a
vile thing, and they were pledged to
remove it, but no effort had been
made to do so. They had allowed
people outside to save it and keep
it, and use it in their own interests.
HAD BEEN LOYAL.
He had stood loyally by the Prime
Minister while Mr. Scullin was awav,
: and faced insult and humiliation. He
had not approved of the appointment
of 'two High Court judges, and was
. not present- at the Cabinet meeting,
, but he- had said nothing of what had
occurred, in the. Party or Cabinet un
til how.
: ! He .would say no he: was not a
.pqrty, to the "decision of Mr. Fenton,
and, he investigated with economists
tile causes of Australia's difficulties
, and ,ntteihpted to apply ' a remedy.
They could not get even a meetipg
of the .Cabinet to carry .them .out be
cause of "the New: SoiltK Wales elec-
% ..j. -'. -
1 ' WHY GAG APPLIED.
Mr. Lang was in power in New
South .Wales, and four of his col
leagues were in control in the House
'; of ; Representatives. There was no
time to get their policy approved, and
when they1 came to the House they
were ' humiliated and had to apply
i the gag on ;the criticism of the Lead-
: er of the Opposition. They should
1 ; have faced ; squarely the financial
' issue. The policy of the Government
bhd- completely changed "with the
Minister for . Markets going to Wagga
to tell ' the farmers they must nay
high, salaries of public servants. They
Should not expect to receive the same '
amount.

CHALLENGE. TO RESIGN.
t Mr. Cusack : "Why do not you re
sign and fight your seat again ?
Mr. Lyons, said Wilmot was a
fifty-fifty seat, and his majority was
under 1200. Anybody might win it.
He would resign to-morrow if the
Prime Minister, with all His prestige,
would come and fight it with him. If
the Prime Minister would not come
let him Bend his Treasurer, and he
would have a go at him. (Loud
Opposition cheers and Government
laughter).
COALITION GOVERNMENT.
Perher Moloney had mentioned
sacrifices, but he (Mr. Lyons) did not I
mean they should be confined to the ,
public servants. |
There was uproar at this stage
when Mr. Moloney shouted at Mr.
Lyons : "I never intrigued with the
Opposition" to form a. Coalition Gov
ernment.
Mr. Lyons said there was only one
word to describe that statement. It
was a contemptible and confounded
lie. (Opposition cheers).
Mr. Lyons was ordered to withdraw
and did so.'
ieMr- Lyons : It is nothing but a
Mr. Moloney : I can prove it.
Voices : Go to Wagga.
Mr. Lyons added he was concern
ed about the unemployed who had no
salary. All should make sacrifices,
it the problem of finance was tack
led seriously there would be no
trouble about London debts. An hon
est attempt to balance the Budget
would bring relief overseas, and in-
Australia the impetus to industry
would grow like a snowball.
The Attorney-General.
PARTY FIRST CONSIDERATION. '
; F.- , Brennan, (Attorney- Gen - I
eral), said Mr. Lyons was full of self- i
hi s !nU8?e3.S' and aeomed to over-
look the fact, recognised by the Lab
our Party that loyalty to the Party
meant subordination of self to the
Considerable heckling prevented his
o j'rumf' and he appealed to the
'.lrotect him from organ
ised .hooliganism and pick out the in-
Sr«als..wht00k part ip the blag-
"shame") (0pposition cries 0f
rwu nfr threat hy the Speaker
U , b ? would take necessary action
more than a dozen members on the
wTprotest " 'eft the Chamber
"RESPECTABILITY."
Mr. Brennan, continuing, said the

chief difficulty before the Labour
Party had not been so much the at
titude of industralists, or repudiation-
ists, but had been the result of some
members under the cloak of respec
tability, coquetting with the National
ist policy. That action had led to dis-
session from the Labour Party. The
most significant, and the most out
standing member concerned was Mr.
Lyons. Mr. Lyorfs was a subordin
ate .Minister, who had been hniled
throughout the Commonwealth as a
political apostle of holding up Aus
tralia's honour, in some way peculiar
to himself. Referring to Mr. Fenton
he said it brought tears to his eyes
to see him playing the part of a
traitor.
He was called to order. Mr. Bren
nan withdrew, while Mr. Fenton in
terjected "He is losing his head."
The New Member.
MR. WARD OF EAST SYDNEY.
Mr. Ward, in his maiden speech,
said the electors of his constituency
had been dissatisfied with the inaction
of the Federal Labour Government.
They believed- that the Government
had wasted wonderful opportunities
to do something. The people had lost
confidence entirely in them because
they lacked courage and proved weak.
WHY PROMISES MADE.
Mr. E. G. Theodorp had said can
didly that promises were made at the
general election only to secure votes.
He did not agree with such a policy,
even if Mr. Theodore were a Labour
representative. He would not., be
ju'sti'fie(l|IJas Ja"true" Labour ' man, "to
vote with those' who were criticising ,
the Government, because he believed
that the whole lot of those in the
Chamber had lost the confidence of
the people. What would he regained
by recording a vote against the Gov
ernment and letting into office the
Government that candidly admitted it
would sacrifice pensions and reduce
wages ? /
AFRAID; OF ITS RECORD.
The Federal' Government was not
game to send a candidate to East
Sydney, because it was afraid of its
record. They were sick and tired of
representatives who would do nothing
but say that they had secured good
positions for themselves. He was not

prepared to be a seat-warmer. The
policy he supported was one that def
initely threw down the gauntlet tc
desperate interests. It was not his
intention to ally himself with the Op
position against the Labour Move-
; ment, ' which he was confident "was
great enough to settle differences
within its ranks.
The Closure.
MOVED BY PRIME MINISTER.
At 2.36 Mr. Scullin moved the clo
sure. Messrs Cameron and Bayley,
(Queensland), wanted the opportunity
to speak, but were denied it.
The motion for closure went to div-
,s'1 and was carried by 38 to 33.
The no-confidence motion was then
pu'and defeated on a similar division,
fhe voting was:
AYES.
Bell, Donald, Cameron, Corscr,
Fenton, Francis, Gabb, Gardiner,
Roland Green, Gregory, Gullett,
Guy, Hawker, Hill, Hughes,
Hunter, Killen, Latham, Lyons,
Mackay, Marks, Marr, Maxwell,
Morgan, Nairns, Page, Parkhill,
Paterson, Price, Prowse, Stewart,
Thompson, White, Malcolm-
Cameron.
NOES.
Anstcy, Beasley, Blakeley,
Brennan, . Chifley, . Coleman,
Crouch,, Culley, Cunningham,
Curtin, Cusack, Eldridge, Forde
Frost, Gibbons, Albert Green,
Holloway, Jones, Keane, Lacey,
LaZzanhi, Lewis, Long, Moloney,
Martens, McGrath, McNeill,
Moloney, Riley snr„ Riley jnr.,
T.'.n iv Rwa!rSc,u,"ln' Theodore,
Fully, Watkins, Yates.
- Bayley pnired with Mr. James,
absent through illness.
will!"; r68"1!1 .f the, vote was greeted
on. ' lobour cheers,
Tuesday10"80 adjourned at 4-10 until
Mr. Scullin1 Pleased.
"WAS NEVER IN DOUBT."
CANBERRA, Friday.
Commenting on the censure
motion to-night Mr. J. H. Scullin
stated: "It turned out as the Gov
ernment expected. Despite very
frantic efforts that were obvious
ly going on, during the week, to
swing supporters from the Gov-
ernment, I was never in doubt as
to (he result,"

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