He attempted to enlist in the military in 1915, but was rejected for service and instead began working as a conductor for Perth Electric Tramways.
[1] He entered parliament in the Labor landslide at the 1933 state election, defeating Herbert Wells of the Nationalist Party.
[2] Cross was re-elected on three more occasions, though never with a comfortable majority, and lost his seat to George Yates at the 1947 election.
In 1950, he unsuccessfully ran against the sitting premier, Sir Ross McLarty, in the seat of Murray.
[2] In 1955, Cross stood for Labor preselection in the seat of Beeloo for 1956 state election, but lost to Colin Jamieson.