The Daily News. THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1916. INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION AND CIVILISATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 January 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1916. INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION AND CIVILISATION.

In Mr. Lloyd Ucorge's forceful and logical speech made in the House of Commons on Monday last is to be found much material for reflection. Jt stands out as one of the best contributions that the Minister of Munitions has made on the industrial question as affected by military ambition, and, although only a summary of the speech has been cabled to Xow Zealand it has presented the matter in an aspect that will appeal to those who study the various theories of national life. his allusions to the two (iormanys before the war—the industrial, commercial, and intellectual Germany, which was conquering the world by the success of methods tending to become a genuine blessing to 'the nations of the world, and the military Germany with its hideous civilisation, its barbarities and insatiable lust for conquest—present a picture of singularly vivid coloring and fidelity to facts. We are presented with the spectacle of these two mighty forces —the one for good and the, other for evil—marching in parallel lines, having nothing in common with each other except that they are both products of national Teutonic life and ideals, and yet so diametrically opposed that they could not possible live together. By a subtle process, Germany has made art, science, commerce, and trade, as well as every other artifice that human ingenuity and Kultur could produce, to each do their utmost by way of iur-th'-ring her wild dream of world domination. Hence the present war and

i! c j;>(ii that awaits the German nation. Well >i;.iy tbo civilised -world stand aghast at tie woaftll policy cf attempting to grasp the evil shadow of tyranical power and losing the substance embodied in commercial, industrial, and intellectual success. "The Allies," said Mr. Lloyd George, "are engaged in a mighty effort to dig a grave for the wicked lie that 'might is right,' and will not cease to strive to the uttermost until they have dug that grave deep and wide." That is a faithful and exact statement of the position as it exists to-day. Had Germany been content with building up her commercial, industrial, end intellectual reputation until it far exceeded that of any other nation she would, if the proper methods bad been adopted, have been advancing the best interests of civilisation, but instead of that she has embarked on a hideous policy of destruction, and hent tlie whote of the national forces towards attaining the triumph of a pernicious and potent ideal. Under these circumstances it is not surprising to rind that the movement for crushing Germany's trade after the war has taken deep root, and bids fair to develop into a thoroughly successful oroanisation. It

is now the turn of the British, the Dominions, and the Allies to advance their interests by mutual commercial cooperation—interests devoted to the arts of peace and the true development of civilisation. The war will have done j;ood to the. extent that it has compelled Britain rnd her Allies to thoroughly organise their respective industrial and commercial agencies. Even in India Hi.tion has already been taken by the Government to work the German-owned wolfram mines in India, and to prohibit ■.l-« expivt of this mineral except to the United Kingdom. Throughout the Empire there appears to be a determination not to buy Gorman goods, and if this policy is loyally adhered to it will give an impulse to British industrial life that will materially assist in a speedy recovery from tlve exhaustion caused by the war. The. manufacturers of Britain and the Allied countries have only to adapt themselves to the new conditions and there will be neither any need to 1 trade with Germany, nor to use Germanvessels for transport purposes. The narvellous success that has been achieved by way of organisation in Britain clearly indicates that the ability to overcome difficulties that seemed to be insuperable only requires to bo used in other directions to obtain equal if not greater results. The ease and speed with which new machinery has been manufactured to expedite the output of munitions proves that the arts of peace can be similarly catered for. It is stated that the Germans have immense stores of goods ready wherewith to flood the markets of the world after the war. Even assuming that the boast 'a founded on fact, if the whole of the Allies stand firm and refuse to trade lyith Germany the outlook for the Teutons will not bo alluring. The captains of industry should assist in every possible way to develop ihe Allies' resources to enable the desired result to be attained. , \