The St. Lawrence Disaster.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14986, 5 June 1914, Page 6

The St. Lawrence Disaster.

It. seeme'l hardly possible that anything could happen to add to the* horro; of the collision in the St. Lawrence river, which-wo now learn resulted in the loss of no fewer than 1024 lives. Yet t<v the great mass of sorrow which this represents there has been added a touch of desecration, which cannot but excite a feeling of disgust in the minds of all right-thinking people. Wo refer to the Sensational siorres circulated h'j the "Yellow Press" —most of them

palpable inventions —and tho despicable attempt of at least ono politician to mako electioneering capital out of this great national calamity. Vvo have already ec-en what the Yellow Press of America were capable of doing in their method of handling the Crippen case and the wreck of the Titanic. Apparently in the wild competition for sensation, there are newspapers in' the United .States ready to manufacture any fiction, regardless of whoso feelings they may hurt, or whose reputation they rcSy shatter. Nor is tho American Republic alone in tho pos-

sc..-ioa of newspapers which every honest journalist must regard with shamo and loathing. There is a "iellov Press growing up in Canada, which copies only too faithfully tho vices of its American rivals. There is only one thing, for the public to do, and that is to refuse to believ© one tithe- of the sensational stories which aro being cabled to this country as extracts from American and Canadian newspapers of tho baser sort. Doubtless wo shall pet the true facts of tho case when the official enquiry is held before an impartial tribunal, and until then tho public will do well to suspend their judgment.

One of tho most popular of hymns proclaims to the world that Christians | arc not divided, but are a mighty united army. It did not require Kilrum to show that this is what should be. and not what is. But now and thon tho Churches do combine for certain purposes. Our Sydney correspondent refers in his letter to-day to n remarkable gathering, full of hopo for the future, which was held in Sydney last -.week to consider united action by tho Churches against the moral evils of tho city. The liord Mayor presided, and those present included tho Anglican and Koman Caththo Archbishops, and representatives of tho Presbyterians, Methodists, Congregationalists, and Jews. The "Herald" describes it as tho most representative Church gathering ever held in Sydney. It was agreed that conferenco on questions affecting the moral welfare of tho community was desirable, that where it was deemed advisable, xinited action should be taken, and that a committee be appointed to dofirib the objects of the movemeut. At present tho movement is littlo moro than nebulous; something moro definite must bo announced beforo one can form an idea of tho prospects of a union of bodies which differ so much in doctrine. But it is a hopeful sign that tho Rev. C. E. James (Presbyterian), who was responsible for tho meeting, took a broad view of the movement's scope, declaring that they had not the slightest intention of being "kill-joys," or of posing as self-constituted censors of the community's morals- They sought tho inculcation of high ideals, and the preaching of tho gospel of sanity and self-respect. Tho movement will bo watched with interest. It is an attempt to apply to the field of moral warfare the basic strategical principle that union is strength. .

The trouble on the Maitland coalfield over tho afternoon shift requires some explanation. Colliery wort over there is dono in one. two, or three shifts, Thero is the "day ,, shift from. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., the "afternoon" shift from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m v and the "dog watch" shift from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. The last, however, is not much worked. On tho Newcastle field most of the mining is dono on the day-shift system, and tho present tioublo centres on some eight mines in the Maitland district, in which both ehifts aro worked. Tho reasons advanced by tho minors for the abolition of the-afternoon shift are that, especially in summer, they are not 60 physically fit to work between three and eleven as botweon seven and three; that therefore- they earn less, that their health suffers from tho sudden change from tlie warm colliery to tho cold night air, and that generally the afternoon shift entails loss of eleep, irregular meals, arduous hours on-the housewives, and danger below at the change of shift. Thoir case wont before tho Northern Coalminers' Wages Board, which decided against them. Tho men then appealed to tho Government for redress by legislation, but the tactful Mr Holman proposed a Royal Commission instead. When tho men etruck, however, the appointment of the Commission was cancelled. The strike is another proof that a section of Labour regards Wages Boards and other such tribunals simply as a means of getting concessions. When .the concessions desired aro not granted, the awards are ignored. One wonders how long tho arbitration system will live in this I atmosphere of contempt.

In. "Westland they have always taken their politics very seriously, and it is not very surprising that the recent speech of tho member for Christchurch North in Hokitika was discussed in very plain terms. The "West Coa«t Times" described it, in the heading of its leading article, as "A Miserable Plea, "a ' Mendicant's Whine. :, If this appears rather strong, there is sufficient justification for its in the fact that the phrase is Mr Isitt's own. And it was peculiarly appropriate. The public may recollect, or at any rate those of them who take the member for Christchurch North seriously as a politician will recollect, that Mr Isitt explained that he speaks as ho does speak because it is easier to attack the other fellow than to announce ouo's own principles and defend them. Railing at the Government, in fact, so he explained, is Ins gr.me. Yet it was he who, in tho speech in the House (in February, 1912) in which tho phrase occurred which the Hr.kitika journal applied to his Hokitika utterance, said thus: —

"I do not think that in tho ordirtry circles of sci-isty we & very high standard to h Eac whose only evidence of worth is oHility to a fluent account of hie neighbour's ftulls. and we do not, accept as an evidence of wisdom a man's dogmatic declaration that others are ignorant. And yet this is the sort of plea on which the Opposition aro seeking oific-e."—Hansard, Vol. 157, p. isa.

Mr'Lsiii's Hokitika speech differed in no way from his other speeches or the speeches of the other members of the "flying squadrons." which is to say that it was a high-pitched scroaia of invective. Kis only evidence of the worth of "Liberalism" was "a fluent account of the Government's faults," and ho was so intent on his invective that lie said some really funny things. K<s still poses, apparently, as an "In.depeudeut.*' "First of al!,' , be said,

"the- local paper was very anxious to know whether he attended the caucuses

of .the Liberal Party. His reply was

that when distinctly party caucuses were held he was nob there." It would be interesting to know what sort of "Liberal" caucus it is that is not a "distinctly party caucus ,, ; but nobody needs to be reminded of tho occasions upon which poor Mr Isitt, in the Vory act of defending his "independence," talked of 'car party" and "our leader."

But what chiefly interested us in his entertaining speech in Hokitika was his statement that "ho had not the opportunity or time at his disposal to outline tho Liberal policy." The opportunity was obviously there, and there was surely tbo whole evening to draw upon for time. In any event the member for Chriefcehurcb North and his allies have had no ond of timo and opportunity during their tours to announce and elaborate "the Liberal policy." That there is no "Liberal" policy is the explanation of their reticence. Mr Isitfe could quite easily have repeated his old explanation, namely, that the non-announcement of tho "policy" was duo to the fact that invective is so much easier than honest thinking. We wonder that he did not do so. For his actual excuse— u no time or opportunity"—will chock all the good people who still believe that he insists upon truth and sincerity even in the political world which he so unselfishly decided to enter in order to purge it of its human faults.