The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1922. INDUSTRIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 April 1922, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1922. INDUSTRIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

In his recen t address to the South. African Party, General Smuts not only reviewed the economic and labor conditions affecting South Africa, but his remarks apply with equal force to the position in other countries. The one real task that confronts all the nations that are suffering from the effects of the war is industrial and economic development. This fact has been so often emphasised that it appears to have degenerated into a mere common expression that has lost its meaning, yet almost every week new factors arise that alter economic conditions, the pity of it being that Labor either cannot or will not pay any heed either to the main situation or its changes. It has to be admitted that the problem in South Africa is more complex than is generally the case, owing to the bitter hatred and hostility of the' Boer Nationalists, which Hertzog misses no opportunity of fanning into a flame. There is one material point in General Smuts’ address that should not fail to be noted in NewZealand at the present time, as it has a direct bearing on the recent action of the P. and T. Association. “If.” said the South African Premier, “the South African Party kept faith, thousands would return and resume confidence in the moderate policy of the Government.” On that point there can be but one opinion by all sane citizens. It is the absence of faith that is at the root of nearly all the troubles of the present time. The need for faith among all communities is a blot on civilisation, and no effort should be spared to reinstall this basic quality to its rightful position in national life as well as in political, social and industrial. General Smuts did not stop his comments on that point, but went on to admonish, his hearers of an infinitely greater danger when he said: “The cause of the bloodshed in the recent crisis was the tendency of Labor organisations to be delivered over to the extremists —and others.” That is the course taken by the P. and T. Association, and though bloodshed may be avoided, it is part of the stock programme of extreme Labor. “No Government, if it descended from Heaven,” said General Smuts, “was able to nullify economic conditions, and wages would fall as prices had fallen.” That, also, is a position which will have to be faced in New Zealand, and the time is at hand when the struggle will be in full swing, and the country must be prepared to see it through. South Africa has struggled through a crisis of great magnitude, yet it was only like other crises that are raging all over the world. It is now imperative to build up a solid and united country, a truly Herculean task in view of the revolutionary spirit that is still rampant. There is no royal road to success in such an effort, which will require consummate statesmanship, unlimited faith, and stern determination. The world is in a state of yeast, and the tendency is to keep it so. There is. however, no question that the many important problems needing solution are of a nature needing calm and courageous handling. Search as we may, the outlook is discouraging, but the longest night gives way to dawn, hence there must be patience, but not inaction. The rebuilding of national structures on sure and solid foundations is a work that will be greatly prejudiced by delay. The urgent matter is to bring Labor into a reasonable and proper state of mind.

With the whole-hearted co-opera-tion of the wage-earners, the process of industrial and economic development would be a. comparatively easy task, and as they constitute the class that will receive the greatest benefit from settled conditions, it is to their interest to help forward the great work that can alone secure progress and prosperity.