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Press, Volume LII, Issue 15751, 18 November 1916, Page 8

A correspondent, signing himself "Xemo Rcpe.ite ..." writes to us today to suggest that the ultimate responsibility for thc follies and crimes of a section of organised Labour in Australia and Xew Zealand lies outside Labour circles. We quite agree, but wo do not 6ee just now any necessity for thc "revival of certain quotations" that ho recommends. It is true thattlio Labour danger in Australia is very largely the creation of men and newspapers who are now driven by their patriotism into fighting it, and it is equally true that the lied Fed spirit in this country was greatly assisted by people who to-day see how evil a thing that spirit really is. At the present time, however, w o may rightly take the line that these offenders may be treated as in tho position of having to come up for sentence -p-hen called upon. They did enormous harm to the national interest, but tbey are now striving to assist the national interest, although we are bound to say that in somo cases they are showing a marked unwillingness to take a bold line respecting thc Red disloyalists. At thc same time we think our correspondent's reminder is quito legitimate, for tho public interest will bo ill-served if tho people arc allowed to forget, as the huge pressure of great events may make them forget, how much Itcd-Fedism owes to the encouragement of non-Labour tacticians. I

In the New York "livening Post'' a correspondent of tJio Associated Press gives an account of the extent to which v Japan is clothing, shooing, arming, and munitioning the Russian Army. A military observer, who had just returned from a trip along the Russian front, reported having seen great numbers of Russian soldiers clad in Japanese-made uniforms and leggings, canning Japanese guns and Japanese cartridges, and "wearing Japanese shoes and accoutrements. It is a curious fact that it is* Korea, over ivhich Russia went to war •with Japan, ivhich is supplying Russia with the leather for her soldiers' boots and shoes, and saddles. The arnis and munitions sent from Japan to Russia are of all kinds, from the service rifle and small fiold-picces to the big 12-inch guns, a mobilo and very deadly weapon. Japan is not furnishing men, however. In this rcspoct her assistance is confined to tho sending of artillery experts to explain tho Lest method of working the Japanese guns.

Tho "Rficiniseh Westfalischo Zcitung had a telegram in a recent issue which helps us to understand how the Germans cherish such fantastic delusions regarding tho achievements of the Zeppelins. Tho Hague correspondent of this particular journal sent an account of an important interview with a Dutch sea-captain. This Dutchman had had a conversation with an English soldier, who, i n return for a bottle of whisky, gave a full account of tho partial destruction by Zeppelins of tho harbour and town of Dover. It i s ea/sy to believe that if tho Dutch captain "had been moro generous with tho whisky the soldier would have been able to report tho destruction of the whole of Dover; for a case ho would doubtless havo thrown in London as well.

The latest return of food prices in Britain brings the figures up to September Ist. Prices then were 4 per cent, higher than a month previously, butter and flour having risen 10 per cent., bread i per cent., and bacon 5 per cent. Tho rise on tho prices of September Ist. 1915, was 22.per on the average, individual increases being: Sugar and potatoes 50 per cent., meat up to 33 per cent., eggs 30 per cent. Prices on September Ist last were 65 per cent, higher than in Julv. 1914. In Berlin prices were stationary —at 117 per cent, higher than before the war. But of course the check in tho increase has been of little use to the Germans, because the actual food obtainable has decreased. In Vienna in July prices were 149 per cent, higher than in July, 1914. The rise in Switzerland owing to the war was 40 per cent, by last June, and in Italy 33 per cent. In this country food "prices wero only 18.13 per cent, higher i n September last than in the month before the war.