13 OCTOBER 1928, Page 2

The Labour Party's policy on the drink question was feeble.

The decision to refer the whole subject to a Royal Commission lags far behind the ascertained facts. The Labour Party applies the policy of " public owner- ship " or " nationalization " to almost every form of property—except, be it noted, the one form of property in regard to which the policy would have some support from men in other Parties. Even if the Labour Party had not declared unreservedly for the nationaliza- tion of drink, as it might have been expected to do, it could surely have followed Mr.Snowden's line of thought about approaching Socialism by means of public cor- porations. * * * *