The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27th, 1923. THE WEEK.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 October 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27th, 1923. THE WEEK.

Tun plain speaking by General Smuts, the able statesman of South Africa, on the European tangle, is arresting. Not. only does lie define the position as 110 sees it, with a frankness that is refreshing, hut lie speaks with a rfi'ai'iio.s and an cui nc.-t ness that is arresting at once. It is in the first place an invitation to carry diplomatic i-msideiation hi* the issues at stake into tii,-. ojicii. We venturi to iliink that what General Sit.tits said so openly at ;t public luncheon, was said no less frankly' behind 'lie closed doors of the Imperial Conference, To bo consistent we would not expect him to huv,. said anything else, and we doubt, it lie 1 ou!d have been Inure plain tier mole earnest- than the t;\t ol his public address new reveals. Further, vveare constrained to think that what he Jias said so openly and frankly, is whet the gi-.-at majority within the rimjiite ere thinking end feeling about tin* action of France in the Ruhr. Mr Lloyd George lias been no loss frank, but his political enemies tried to discount the impoit of Ins utterances with ridicule. Mr Smuts may he regariled e> something of a. di-cijdc, certainly an i.iuuier. of Mr l.mxd George, hut he is none the less a until ol strong persona] opinions.

Gknmk.u. Smcis hits never failed to sj oak his mind in Empire interests when he fell, moved to that course, fie has been heard Indore in regard to matters of Imperial import, and Mr Smuts has been right, invariably. His work in negotiating for tin* ultimate settlement of the Irish omhroglio was a delicate duty discharged with tonta rknblc tact and foresight. His own

statesmanlike uOl k in t.ho great. conntiv in 1 ' which lie is the ptilitit-.il bead, calls for respect and admiration. Recalling as we must that once lie was a relK'l, and is now a brilliant loyalist for the Empire wherein he works to such good effect, the 1 idlest tribute must he paid to his earnestness and his desire to promote a peace which will he for the salvation, not only of the Empire, hut for Europe itself, so sailly tangled up iit military intrigues and political vendettas horn of the war period. The cable report refers to the fact that the speech was outspoken for a responsible statesman. That- decisive attitude serves to add force and cll'cct to his utterances which will ho regarded the more seriously by the Continental statesman who aill he now digesting ihetn seriously. Tun speech was in the main a review .a opposition to the Erorich methods in attempting to levy upon Germany. The reasons advanced were many and cogent. They were not all new. hut wok* restated with it frankness and directness which left no doubt ns to their meaning, ft is easy to he seen that General Smuts is no less anxious than Air Lloyd George for America to enter the European arena, again, and side with Britain in the task of scouring a permanent peace. I lenoral Smuts is hopeful of America so acting at the right..time. It would appear that stops tire shaping to that- end. ft is admitted already that the Cnitoil States which had so much voice in shaping the treaty of Versailles, could with equal action now assist in seeing the essential points of the treaty curried into effect. That action would relieve Europe of the tangle it is in. Eranee and Germany alike might- he saved from themselves, and security within would result in a return to normal conditions which would help Furope to redeem itself in due course. It is clear that the action of France in particular delays the happy outcome, and on that, account there is an obligation on tho other nations interested in seeing that France by sheer stubbornness does not bring about a catastrophe greater even than the war itself.

Arnot-os of the situation in Europe, an exchange points out. that- the official German view of the existing situation is that Germany’s efforts to set her financial and economic affairs in order are lioing defeated, and made of no avail by “tyrant France.” This evidently far-fetched assertion does not in tiny way square with the detail facts available. Although there is some obscurity with regard to more or less important details, the main issue raised at the moment between Frame and Germany stands cut quite clearly. Germany wishes to obtain relief and concessions by promising to resume the payment of reparations in kind. France insists that these payments must he resumed before the conditions of the Ruhr occupation liecome a subject ol negotiation. According to a message which appeared recently “all that France asks as n preliminary is that deliveries in kind shall ho resumed to a certain extent” —this extent to l»e determined by the Reparations Commission. In any ease, an inxistenee by France that payment must precede negotiation is not unreasonable. It amounts simply to a demand that real effect shall he given to the announced abandonment of passive resistance in the Ruhr. Germany is not entitled to use the ostensible abandonment of passive resistance —unaccompanied by a resumption of reparation payments-as a

lever with which to obtain relief from tlie pressure she lias incurred as ft defaulting debtor. The claim made ir those terms indicates .an extraordinary belief in human gullibility. The pictures German propagandists are painting of starving people groaning under ruthless oppression by France are interesting only as works of imagination. It is true that Germnay is sinking deeper and deeper into financial and economical difficulties, and that he' 1 eople are-likely to suffer serious hard, ships before these difficulties are over come.

It is equally cleat, however, that Germany owes her plight primarily to the policy of reckless inflation pursu 'd by successive post-Annistice Governments, and that the oooupalion of the fimr does not prevent the adoption of a policy which would ensure an ultimate return to normal conditions. Bad as the position looks at the moment, it has one or two more or less hopeful features. One is that monetary inilaii .c as a means of evading the payment of reparations and enriching German agrarian and industrial magnates appears to have been carried to its practicable limits. For a time the murk deprc'i.l. tum put a tremendous premium mi German export trade. Of late this trade lias slumped heavily. Inflation many months ago attained a rate e-ncl scale at which it scveicly handicapped all forms of Gorman production. Receipts from the sales ol goods, it was stated some time ago, did not suffice to pay wages in German factories. A stage evidently has been reached at which Germany must set her aflairs in order, or drift headlong to oeomrniie disaster. The best reason lor believing that France will not wilfully impede any effort by Germany is to .set her affairs in order is that she would thus destroy any hope she now has of collecting leparations. In her own interests, Franco is bound rather to assist than retard any genuine elforts the German Government makes in the direction of financial and economic inform. .Such reforms launched in good time, would have ensured not only Repayment of reparations- though. not perhaps on the- scale that Fiance ex- ! eels—hut better conditions for the German people than they enjoy to-day. They might easily have l’.eeu launched hut for the opposition of influential sections in Germany, and may be launched now if this opposition is withdrawn.

Tuk good friendship possible between Britain and America, was emphasised by Colonel Harvey, the retiring b .S.A. ambassador from London, this week. Mr Harvey in his own country is apressman of note, who has been pioBritish for a very long time. He was strongly opposed, by the v.a... to tll policy of the ex-lTesideiil, Ml \\ ilsmi, whom he criticised trenchantly, in bis week!v journal. '1 he service abroad hatempered the Colonel as regards omspokcntless, but- he is none the h’."understood in the diplomatic language in which he couched his speech this we.-k. It is not likely after his ser- , K-o in England. he could, any mere Him his predecessors, seek to belittle the power and purpose of Britain in Europe, nor be jealous of her aims and ambitions. He has had ft fust hand view of the European situation and has been able to glean a very intimate knowledge of continental happenings. It is well that one so "ell placed in Ids own country should return to it fully charged with the true position. He Will do his country greater service than ever when he returns to America, fully endowed with knowledge and understanding of the l-.nro-j veil it situation.

Tim Hon. .1. Coate,s. wlio IS Minisu.r (>f |> u i,|„. Works :in«l Uhilwsivs. ; m( l holds other impoitaut. portioiics. i,„.|uclinir thi.t of Postmaster-General. is 1,, visit heroin abmt a fortnights tiino. i! is a matter for icgi'et that :i Minister of such importance pay? such Heeling visit-. Only one day is devoted to this immediate neighbourhood. runti'in of which is to be allocated to lies. The Minister will pa» 1,11 evening here, and while he will he a very busy man her,, with deputations ii ml departmental matters, it is l» he hoped some little time can he spared for recreation, and we would hope sumo organised entertainment might he arranged whereat it will he possible lor the Minister to relax and deal m a semi-public way with larger public i, flairs than local requirements. Of the latter he is sure to hear a good deal, hut wo as a community, though wo have important grievances to bo remedied and urgent requirements to be attended to. desire also to take an intelligent part in public matters generally, and it would be interesting to hear the Minister expound on some of the hirer questions of lh,. day. so as to tiling home to the average elector a knowledge of important world happenings outside our own little sphere.

Thkhk "ill of necessity, he the desire perhaps to harms? even the Minister in regard to the railway service this community has to phi up with. It is a shocking stale of affairs, as every Visitor knows, who. perloreo. uses the railway, ft is not ai all creditable io the Minister that the worst, run railway in the Dominion should lie m Westland. That judgment i- not our own; it. is the view of a late visitor who spoke openly on the subject. Me believe that with the position brought prominently under the notice ot the Minister personally, some effort will he made to remedy a positon which is little short of a scandal so tar as railwav management is concerned. As regards public works the .Minister might he besieged ad lib. Rut the local bodies will be reasonable no doubt. There is a limit to the possible expenditure, hut whatever it is. the amount should he available now. The 'Department has had local requirements before it- long enough to roach a decision, and authorise expenditure on works sanctioned by the late parhamentaiy session. This delay and procrastination in expenditure needs remedying and this aspect should he urged specially upon the Minister.

As to the important works of the district. if is known that the Minister is favorable to the bridging of the Waiho river. The report- is current, however, that though an increased amount was voted by the late session, the work is not to Pe put in hand immediately, ll this he so, the Minister's reason for deferring so important a matter to South Westland should lie ascertained. Other works might be deferred, hut the bridging of the Waiho river should now he pressed for no less ardently tlnin the community as a whole asked for the crontpletiou of the Midland railway. The matter of arterial communication by improving all the bridges on the main south road to carry the traffic offering from that quarter, is another question of outstanding interest to the whole of Westland. Any progress in the south will rolled itself hero, and seeing that the southern district was jockeyed out of its railway extension, the Government is in honor hound to see that adequate road communication is provided. These two matters should in particular ho pressed most strongly upon the Minister.