The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, DRCEMB. 5, 1916. AUSTRALIANS NOT QUITTERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1646, 5 December 1916, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, DRCEMB. 5, 1916. AUSTRALIANS NOT QUITTERS.

THERE is little doubt that the “No” pronounced by Australia in I he conseriplion referendum is regarded by the outside world as a mark of Australian dishonour, says the Post’s Sydney correspondent. “Yet that is scarcely fair to the Australian people. Over one million people voted ‘No/ but (he people who voted ‘Yes’ were also more than a million. The “No’’ majority is represented by the eomparatively small total of about .10,000. And one of Hie most unfortunate .features of Hie whole unfortunate business is the distress of the people who, hating conscription, yet voted for il its a nalional and imperial necessity. They naturally feel chagrin that the side which included pro-Hermans, I.WAV. men, shirkers, and disloyalists generally should have oblained victory by so small a margin: bul Hieir distress really lies in the fact that they feel thill their country Ims been put lo shame before Hie world. Events will show dial Australia hits not “quilted,” Hml her troops will continue fu take an offeelive part in the war. But, to-day, nations elsewhere simply see the one big fact; —that Avealthy, ease- loving Australia has refused point-blank to make the sacrifices by which the other members of the Entente are being ennobled. Only I hose who are in Australia can appreciate the bitterness Avith which Hie better-class Australian Ims received this knowledge, and the anger and boundless contempt with Avhieh he regards the (•lass responsible for this shite of affairs. There is a feeling, growing rapidly towards action sinee the referendum disclosure, that Hie dangerous and contaminating spirit of disloyalty now associated with the extreme Labour sections must be either finally killed or definitely limited in its operations. This may involve a struggle with organised Labour. Organised Labour is notoriously blind to everything except its petty politics and immediate desires; it is as incapable of seeing its connection Avith world politics on (he one hand, as it is of discerning, on the other, the sinister influences at Avork in its own ranks. Already in public men have expressed regret for the “No” vote they east in the heat and passion of polling day. Privately, one hears of many persons Avho, seeing the linger of scorn

pointed ;il their country, and learning’ of (lie jubilation of open disloyalists, arc frankly and lionestly ashamed of ilicir ha Hot-paper. All of which goes to emphasise the unwisdom of submitting - such an issue to a popular referendum.