TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 36, 12 February 1912, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

To-day's messages from the "fighting front " in Brisbane The Brisbane indicate that th« Battle. "Strike Committee" is not winning. Th« chairman (Mr. Coyne) is hoping against hope, but he cannot blind himself to * prospect of defeat unless a. miracle happens. The strike began to , break down plainly some days ago, and the process of fracture has been continuouD. A determined effort was made to paralyse trade and industry, and much injury has been done, but the " Strike Committee's " power of achievement has not been equal io its threat. If the discomfiture) of that l>and of ambition dictators is &oon completed, the whole of Australasia will have good cause to be thankful. Such an event ahguld gjv*-

a eet-back to the destructive revolutionary method' of settling industrial differences. An ea*y victory for the "Strike Committee" might Have e*tablished a ruinous vogue for the "holdup " system. That plan of general warfare against the whole public to ensure a triumph for unionists in a dispute with one tramway company has been vigorously resisted in Australia, and the resistance here will need to be just as firm if tJie " Ked Syndicalists " attemptto carry out 6uch threats as they voiced eight days ago. They have given "notice of motion"; they are very noisy in their voicing of their aspirations. The attitude of the " Rede " has been clearly defined, and however much their lurid language may be discounted, it has to be remembered that the Socialist Federation of Labour ifc working strenuoubty to increase its membership. Among tho Labour leadcrt; who see no good in "syndicalism" wo aro flad to ccc Mr. D M'Laren. "There as come into existence recently," he has stated, " a federation that depends for its success on the methods of militancy. Its leaders have talked peace between whiles, but all know that they are most at eae<) when preaching war. To eecure the advance of their organisation they will be ready for settlement and compromise, bufc it is a policy of peace for the sake of war. . . . After all, the force that tells in all instances towards the success or failure of a strike i» tho power of public opinion, and the higher social economy is to organise public opinion for the settling of disputes rather tnan the continuance of Bame." This is the policy of eanity against tho destructive mania of the "Reds." Britain and Germany are continuing their armaments, For International but earnest men of Underetanding. both countries are hoping to remove the mutual suspicions of hostility. Many are hoping that Lord Haldane'B visit to Germany will benefit each country and benefit Europe and the world by creating a better understanding between the strong men of the two greatest Powers. Journaliete of Berlin are now saying that "a disposition exists on both sides in favour of a lasting agreement." In "Thoughts on the Anglo-German Problem," in the January u»ue of the Contemporary Review, «lr Frank Laecelles commented : — "The immediate danger of war has now been eliminated, and I am not without hopej — nay, I am firmly convinced, especially since Germany has now concluded arrangements with both Franco and Russia— that, unlet» some further deplorable incident should arise, the eu&picion which in England is entertained of Germany, and the intense irritation which now prevails in Germany against England, will gradually subside, and a situation will be created in which both countries will agree to come to friendly arrangement, based upon the principle of reciprocity, and to let by« gones be bygones, on the full understanding that — to use a phrase which, though illogically expressed, has nevertheless a meaning in it — the reciprocity must not be all one side." In the 1 same number Dr. Dillon consistently declares his belief that German policy — involving markets and colonies — will clash with { Britain's so long as "the tortuous policy of the Wilhelmstrasse" remains unchanged. ''The root of the antagonism between Germany and Great Britain," states Dr. 'Dillon, "is this : we want to keep what we have, and, therefore, we favour the maintenance of the status quo; whereas our Continental cousins crave for what they have not got. and are minded to wrest it from the hands of those who possess it. That is the fountain head of the streams of bitterness which have been flowing between us of late years, ,and which went far towards causing' a catastrophe last summer. Our policy is and must be to hold with the weaker Continental Powers without wavering in our friendship for the stronger." The task of the peacemakers — including Lord Haldan© — now is to demonstrate convincingly that the world is big enough for both Britain and Germany. At the end of the second day's play in the Fourth Test Cricket match now in progress Extraordinary, in Melbourne the Englishmen, had strengthened their grip on the urn containing the "ashes. Hobbs, the Surrey champion, and at present one of the most reliable batsmen now playing the game, with the sturdy Rhodes, established a record for Test match-aa by this first-wicket stand, and the visitors took up the tale again to-day with a lead of nearly 200 runs and nine wickets to go. Once again the Australian attack has proved innocuous, and .so far as colonial wickets are- concerned, the Englishmen seem to have solved the Hordern "googlie." Cotter's bowling has depreci* ated as his batting has improved — which so often happens when a bowler suddenly develops an "eye." Trumper was, perhaps, one of the exceptions. If. as appears almost inevitable, the Englishmen get away- with the honours, it "will be another feather in Warner's cap, for it was a previous side led by 'this good sportsman that surprised tho colonials several years ago with a team that was generally considered to be inferior to their opponents. Apparently history us to repeat itself. Though Warner has been himself incapacitated, one can read between the lines, and detect hie leadership from the pavilion. An excellent judge of the game, and especially of the men who are representing Australia at the present time, Warner's advice to Douglas is no doubt responsible to a material extent for the challengers' success to dato. The English papers are, naturally, jubilant at the side's brilliant victories. The JElomo critics gave the team every chance. Few of the judges this side of the line agreed with them. On paper the 1911-12 English Eleven was inferior, but in actual performance the men from the North have confounded followers of form, aiid swept the oppo-- | sition before them. It will not be such I a bad thing for Australian cricket should the "ashee be removed. On the top of Australia's troubles comes the news that Hill has been turned down by the Board of Control. After his conduct of the last few days this is not unexpected. It may act as a warning to' several more malcontents who seem inclined to be more mercenary than sportsmanlike.