NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 119, 13 February 1919, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY

There is better news to-day from London regarding the industrial troubles throughout Britain. The strikers at the London shipyards .are gradually returning to work and a general resumption is expected at once on the Clyde. There is still and sign of trouble in other directions, but a cheering announcement was made in the House of Commons by Mr. Lloyd George yesterday regarding the^ general situation. The Prime Minister stated that the .Government's negotiations had resulted in agreement regarding the hours and wages of two million people, and that negotiations were in progress to deal with two million others. _ No indication is given of the particular classes of industry affected by these negotiations, but-it is a- hopeful sign that the efforts of the Government to promote a peaceful settlement of the issues in dispute have had such immediate results. One has only _to glance at the figures of Britain's overseas trade to realise the foremen doup, nature of the increase in the balance- of imports over exports in the closing stage of tho war. The latest figures available show that for the eleven months ended November last the imports exceeded the exports by £715,000,000, as against £425,985,187 for 'the corresponding period of 1917. "These figures," comments The Economist, "are eloquent preachers of the necessity for increasing our exports at the earliest possible moment." It is not merely in the interests of the manufacturers that this is required, but in the interests of the whole nation, Labour included, and the one certain road to failure is to throw tho machinery of production out of gear by strikes and industrial struggles between workers and employers.

The protest of the Wellington Builders and Contractors' Association against "repeated and numerous increases in the price of ordinary building timbers" raises one aspect of a question to which it is very necessary that the Government should give serious attention. The association suggests the prohibition of export,' price-fixing, and tho planting of forest trees for future supplies. _ The last-mentioned proposal obviously offers no solution of the problems of the present generation. As to the others, it is evident that the Government cannot with any show of justice or reason- take such drastic action as is recommended without obtaining the fullest possible information in regard to the timber supplies in sight. The only way to get this information is to order a complete survey and demarcation of the forest areas of the Dominion. Meantime it may be pointed, out that it is open to the Government to do something to increase timber supplies for years to come and at the same time to open a wide scope of employment. For instance, the single forest of Waipoua is estimated to contain some eighty million superficial feet of kauri and two hundred million superficial feet of other timbers. These figures relate to mature timber which must be cut out as one of the first steps towards converting the forest into a cultivated state, in which eventually it will yield a rich return from year to year.

At an early stage in the armistice period the threat was raised in Germany that an attempt by the Allies to impose severe terms would be met by the outbreak of revolutionary disorders. Apparently the Ebert Government now ventures to take up -and repeat this threat in definite terms. According to some of to-day's messages its members are declaring that they will resign and throw the country into aos in order to prevent the enforcement of the Allied terms. As a matter of fact it is by no means clear that Germany is seriously threatened with such conditions as have been created in Russia, and it is far from certain that chaotic conditions would arise if the Ebert Government stepped aside. Very probably Ebert and his colleagues arc relying upon the possibility of creating a semblance of anarchy without really losing control of 'the situation. In any case the Allies cannot better or more effectively checkmate the enemv design than by adhering steadfastly to the policy that is taking detail shape at the Peace Conference, imposing meantime whatever control on Germany may be necessary to the conclusion of a-'just peace. It is fairly safe to conclude that the better the Allies are prepared ,to establish.complete control over Germany should the need arise the less •likely are their measures to that end to be put to a practical test.

It was not a good beginning that was made yesterday at the opening, of the conference between tho Railway Locomotive Association's delegates and the Minister of Railways. The delegates' wanted the proceedings open to the Press or to be permitted to supply a report to the Press,, whereas Mr. Herries preferred that t-hs customary procedure should be foiiowed. A deadJock in consequence. seems to have arisen. It is generally found that in talking over questions of the kind involved in the claims of the locomotive men it is easier to get to tho heart of a matter and arrive at an understanding at r "ymuu\ tho table conference sitting with closed doors than with the Press in attendance. A greater freedom of opinion is shown, and talking to the gallery, which so often provokes friction and antagonism, is discouraged. There is, of couise, no reason whv the full facte ot the interview should not be made public in due course. The claims of the men and the reasons advanced in support of them can be published and the replies of the Minister as well when they become available.