The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 1920. A CRISIS AT HAND.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3433, 12 March 1920, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 1920. A CRISIS AT HAND.

With which is incorporated “The Taihape Post and Wvaimarino _ News.”

I Cabled messages from Britain are ,bringing indications that a crisis is lnear that will furnish the key to the ‘industrial and trading future of the ‘Empire. Something similar may be 'said about America, and, in fact, of all Old Vi/orld nations, including Japan and China. In England, we are ad- ) vised, the most. momentous conference Jin the history of Labour has com|menced, and, although it promises [something unconstitutional, there is i no real cause for.,..s.urp.rise, simply because nobody from Government down ‘takes the trouble to preserve that British constitution that no man in time past dare impe.a.ch_, if such -.1, one did it was at his peril. To-day men live and act as though the Empire was 1 eonstitutionless, and it is in that fact 1 lies the danger to Society and to thei Empire itself. It should be borne in mind that in Brit.a:in a distinct minor- . ity is ruling, as it. is in New Zealand, I hence the Government li\'es in.a newspaper house that has to cliange its Epersonnel from time to time, indica-9 gting its utter instability. The lawl that enables a minori.ty to rule cannot, ‘fortunately or .u»nfo.rt.unatel.y, give I prestige, strength, or stability, and.so' I a. newspaper wind, almost daily cllang~ | ing, blows and twists it about until it ‘becomes so unsteadfast that it is a blown out by the roots. Vi'hether we are prepared to recognise or admit "it, i i that is the problem in England at this imoment, and 3. conference of millions of determin-ed- earuiest. men are conisidering the best means in the interests of all, not of a class, as they Kagentla paper dlsClo.~'oS. 'l‘he biassedl cablegram nnessagc states foremost‘ lthnt this momentous conference. is it-alled to decide. how to compel thel lGo\'ernme'nt to nationalise mines, whether by means of the strike. or intensive. political propaganda. 'l‘:lking ‘ for granted the eableman has fairly stated the case, there is no question about which is correct, the honest. humane, and constitutional way. but let it be fairly understood that no‘ class, trade, or other industry. is ‘fUl‘ lowing such a course. All are pl'(‘dCh-i ing from their own view—point. none practising what they preach. "It is a r-use of each telling the other what is’ just, and advising that no nofivf‘ .<.hould be taken of his corrupt nets. ' but swallow holus bolus his pretty! precept. 'l‘he honour that was 01100 justly the British trader ‘s boast is today the British tl'adcr’s folly, for he is as big and detestable a thief‘ as the trader of any other nation, yellow or white, and society has to act, with this full knmvledge in securing a. return to some standard ‘of honour, or adopt .~zimilar force to that by which society is being destroyed. The coal mining‘

qn(,‘.<‘(ion has probably been exalted {oi the first place for comment by The : <:ablenlan, because upon it 11nd011b’m5l—! ly hangs such a load of menace 10 LL refurn to 'Lnrlus’rri:ll and +m.ilit'al-y peace. Amongst yesterday's news] \\‘Pr«‘- two items that seemed in confiict. one _.~fafe<l that the London I 'l‘ilm‘-s. of opinion shipping comD€llll(‘.\' are omnbininy: to inc.rca.:~:e outmml froights :1? least 50 per -c.enh’t. Shlpownors are thinking about laying’ up their ships owing to HlO fabulous cast of ooal, which is 150/, they .‘~'3}', as against 15/ pre-war. Against fills <fnlonlvnl.t "Mr Massey says that a very

I pleasant. surprise is at hand in connec‘i tion with shipping. in trade and commerce a. stage has“becn reached that its without a shred of sincerity, except ,the sincere intention. to exploit to lthe last. farthing. The London Times its pl‘obab‘ly being used to create an atmosphere against the Labour Coniferencc, but it certainly would have [shown more honestly had the word I “fabulous” been used to characterise the demands of shipping rings. No section of tindustlry, (trade; or,’ commerce has sole claim to rles-ignating iprolitg and prices as “fabulous,” and }it may fairly be said that it was the shipping rings and combines that commenced the practice of fabulous pl'o- - In turn. they favoured the “‘fabulous” pretensions of American meat trusts, and, of course. the Whole World caught the infection; and now the fabulously rich men realise that they have to foot. the bill for their tabulousness. If a crisis is reached, and coal cannot be‘ worked ‘by conceding a fair wage, and granting humane conditions of life to miners, who spend much of their lives in the bowels of the earth. by the present ‘ownership, the ‘alternatives are to close the mines or adopt a new sys‘tem. The living conditions of miners ,'are virtually unspeakable, and yet ‘owners will only alter them by the most thorough compulsion. At this distance it is impossible to have a survey of the problem. that enables us to urge nationalisation, but the ‘voice of millions of men is raised for na-*t.'ionalisation as the only solution, :and "it. would be criminal folly to unheed that voice The old gag is, that where there is smoke there is fire, and the smoke is so dense at this moment over industrial and social con‘ditiong that the fire of revolution may burst forth with sensational and startling surprise. We are of opinion that the shipping combine is the great‘est sinner in fabulousness; the Imperial Government has more than once almost abjcctly appealed to the monarchs of shipping to commence a return to honesty, and so save some social shred from destruction. VVe do sincerely believe that if shipping, coal, and all other industry leaders were t'rank with Labour, contentment, peace, and happiness would immediately prevail. On the other hand, if shipping combines, meat trusts. and all other r.-ings and syndicates will have fabulous profits, then they nmst, and will be compelled, to pay fabulous wages. The preponderance of Fran-‘M chise power is in the hands of workers l and sooner or later it will be \veild.ml to destroy the fabulous extortitmsi that cares nothing for either Empireor race. The Labour C‘,ont'ereuce agenda paper is a lengthy one. and apart. from the coal aspect. it woultll grace the table of any Parliament in I the world, for it indicates that l.ab—l’ our has a wonderful un(lerste.lnling of‘ national and international questirmrt at‘t'eeting‘ the whole World. i