GRAVE WORDS.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 July 1919, Page 3

GRAVE WORDS.

LABOR LEAD'ER’S WARNING

(By Electric Telegraph—Copyright ) ■! AUSTB.VLIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIAIIONI

(Received this day at 12.25 p.m) LONDON, July 26.

Mr Thomas, (the Labour Leader) in a striking interview on his return from America said we were drifting headlong to ruin. Everything seen m America, in conjunction with events here, convinced him that we would soon lose our commercial position, unless political methods were drastically changed. An open incitement to violence. appears to have become common. I am dead against this brute force. Such a statement may be unpopular, with the railwaymen’s executive, but the situation is too serious for anything except the plainest of truths. He described the system as rampant sectionalism by which, time and again, sectional threats bring the country to its knees. These Russian tactics will lead to disaster. Either the country will lose the greater part of her overseas trade or Constitutional Government must be restored. America is gigantically preparing to capture our trade. The English sovereign steadily depreciates and Africa will soon be in a position to hold the Empire to ransom, unless Britain buckles down and produces vast quantities of manufactures at cheap prices. Mr Thomas entreats the, Government to show courage and prevent chaos.

The interview is an interpretation, in somo quarters as an intimation that moderate, labourites will enter upon a campaign for the election of a Labour Government, transferring their issues to political areas.