The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, DEC. 29th, 1923. FROM WORKSHOP TO WAR CABINET.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 December 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, DEC. 29th, 1923. FROM WORKSHOP TO WAR CABINET.

Tub political kaleidoscope mows so rapidly in those days, new compiieations follow with such bewildering rapidity, and industrial and economic preblem.s become so involved, that it is difficult for the ordinary man who likes to think himself a student- of affairs to get the whole picture into rightperspective and to remember accurately the history and the bearings uni 1 the implication of each question as it u i os. T. is is why we read war books and volumes of letters and autobiographies, so that our memories may be refreshed as to all our experiences it: the last ten years. But war hooks have a way cf lioing technical. They either go into military or naval science too deeply for the average reader, or they delve, into that far mere complicated f*mj intricate piajitionj science

wliich i- mercifully beyond the range ol the mere ordinary person. The charming, simple and st rn ightforwar d story which George X. Barnes In s now given to us will therefore be very welcome to thousands wlm remain tiiiiif-

tiacted by ilie bigber llights of more aci oinplislied politicians. Barnes is not a politician, lie came from the ranks oi the unemployed, and as lie Inins' II said, he lias gone back to join them. Ju his quiet. street, unaffected way lie fours a mixture of human v. it and wisdom upon the political hothead, whether lie he found in the ranks of tile Labour or any other party. .Mr Barnes’s hook is rather more than a war look and has a wider appeal. It will uiteie-t specially all those employers and workens who arc mixed up I rum different motives in the industrial struggle. More than half of the hook is d- voted to the period of the war and depicts the record of a member ol the historic War Cabinet. But the introductory chapters which tell us of the early lile of Coo:go Baines deal with matters which to most of us conic rather i,carer home. As a. lad Barnes was a:i apprentice in Liverpool working 32 bum's overtime per week, in addition to the o-l which constituted the tegulat measuie. In this way In* accumulated v. hat was to him a small hut mm of £3O, and in company with a eotiptu o! workmates made a trip to London. So fascinated was lie with the air of t : metropolis and i* new-loimd sense ot freedom, that he threw his return ticket into the Thames and risked his all in London. Thai was in the black year cl 1871) and lie went straight into unemployment. When down and out he ,„J liavcd to get a. job at Shoreditch oil

pi; rework, and wanting lm nry lie put hi,, hack into tilings and managed to pick up .f« in a week. This was too much for lii.s employer and lie was paid off. thus early in lile getting fvaetieal experience of one of the most difficult points in the Labour problem. Later on. having become a i rude l nion official, lie found himself in conlliet with the police, v. lien Jehu Bui ns am, other kindred s- irirs took it into their If. :d. r !r.:t they would kohl a meeting in Trafalgar Square against the orders of the authorities. The story of those days helps us to understand and appreciate the difficulties of these, and is well wo:t.ii | ••nisiug. Bn' I lies's gentle and effective way of dealing with exuviiom.s is |erliaps the nicest thing :;l.ilt him. May L- ;b:it he still has a •uispieion llitu he was cue himself. | Ids is one of the most delightful ami n ndaMe oi current j <»litical volume,s It has a special interest for industl'ic.’.Ft, and coiilrioine- not a little wisdom to the solution of current problems.