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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 116, 24 August 1910, Page 4

UNKNOWN

to Australia or JSTew Zea- [ land f At that is'what'it" may come to. The most potent fact, how- ] ever, is that under no singlet but the British singlet does a heart beat for the Empire. It is impossible, impolitic, and against international law and usage to employ colored men to fight our battles, and with., the growing desire of mere shipping: commercialism to cheapen labor there is excellent evidence that the British seaman 'must ultimately "sing small" to the element that is not British but which mans British ships. The Home Britisher does flot take the same view of the question as the colonial Britisher. He regards the foreigner in his port with a kind of curiosity, and j not as a menace. The colored man neither knows he is a menace nor cares j a straw aibout it, if his bodied rice is | supplied on time, and 1 the shipping com- j panies that employ ihim have no thought. about the matter at all except from the.j dividend standpoint. If ten Lascars give a better financial result than five Britishers, tihe employment of Lascars is justified commercially. Itlhere is no doubt that in a quiet way Britain likes cheapness:'| off employment. l]Ma is evidenced In the fact that' im many British ports even i the (harbor masters and port officials are ' foreigners. This may Ibe very well from i the point of view of pounds, shillings | on 3 pence, but it is (had Imperialism, and tihe fact may be proved when Bri-I tain is called upon to defend her ports j against armed 1 foreign aggression. In

\ the matter of the manning of boats trad--1 ing to the colonies, and manned by coolies of any country, there *is absolutely no excuse, except that of greed on the , part of shipping! companies. The Seamen's Institute of both Australia and New Zealand are perfectly justified in their antagonism, both on the score of ! personal work and on the score of Iml perialism. If Britain is to retain her ■ mastery of the seas she must necessarily 1 mian her ships, both fighting and mer- . cantile, with white men. The assump- > tion that it is impossible to obtain ) British seamen is sheer twaddle. Any " number of British seamen can be hired | —but not at the wages paid to Lascars.