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Hokitika Guardian, 8 June 1920, Page 2

Tiik Auckland Tramway strike promises to take an interesting turn. The employer (in this instance the City Council) happens to represent the paying public—the ratepayers. Speaking on behalf of that very important section of the community affected by the strike,

the City Council has declared it will not deni with any overtures from the strikes till discipline and authority are established as fundamental to the settlement. In other words the strikers are not going to be allowed to victimise the public at their own sweet will without facing some penalty for their action. For some time past-the average striker has made much his own way. He has played fast and loose to suit his own position and those affected have had to go to him cap in hand to secure his return to work. This lias been repeated rafclier often of late and it is just as well that a salutory lesson. should be given.the other way. The swing of the pendulum of prosperity in this country is going to swing the other way very soon. There are stringent times very near at hand now, and we do not know that the average striker is very well prepared for the new order. What lias he saved for the rainy day approaching? Tho less he has saved the more anxious will he be for work spoil, and work will not lie as plentiful as it has been. The time is very near at hand when discipline and authority will again rule with a firm hand for as the Labor Premier of New South Wales has pointed out workmen will be very glad shortly to take what work is going. New Zealand is likely to pass through a period no less stringent—tl\ere seems no escape just at present.

Mr Lloyd George has told the railwaymon tho plain, blunt truth about the position in Ireland. “Whatever it costs” he has said, the Government .cannot have the railway traffic of Ireland held lip at this juncture. Mr Thomas the trusted leader of ’the British railwaymen, realises the position—what it means to support the Irish railway strikers. He gathers from tile Prime Minister’s plain statement of fact that any such action would be a declaration of war on the British Government. Thus do matters in Ireland progress towards a grave national crisis. In the House of Commons, Hon. Walter Long in charge of tile Home Rule Bill, has indicated that if the measure is not accepted in tlie .soutli of Ireland as intended bv the Government, the provisions will be suspended, and the Imperial Parliament would be compelled to take such action as was necessary to restore order. There is some hope for Ireland to redeem herself if the message the Irish Bishops are carrying hack from Rome will result in file Sum Eeiu methods being realised for wluit they are. His Holiness the Pope- has stigmatised tlie methods as “deplorable,” and says “they must be denounced.” If this behest is given effect to in Ireland it may have a considerable measure of success, for through the Church in Ireland much c an ‘be done. The regret is that, this aid has not been' invoked sooner, Init better later than never, for then only a ruthless reign of war would have sufficed to restore order. Mr Lloyd George lias again earned the gratitude of the nation by the clear cut issue lie lias put to the railwaymCn. His statement of the case is an unvarnished statement of fact, and the only deduction to be drawn from tlie Premier’s statement is that to resist the force of law and order as maintained by the Government is to embark on a national storm which would ultimately wreck the forces of unionism pitted against the established order of the country.