TOPICS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 120, 16 November 1929, Page 8

TOPICS OF THE DAY

"They h^ve been informed," was the reply of the First Lord of the AdrniraJty .when ask^d if the Dominions had been consulted on the British' Government's decision to slow down work at Singapore. We may leave for the moment the important question whether the substitution of information.,for, consultation, will strengthen Empire unity, or'achieve tjiat solidarity which is essential in a British world policy. More urgently demanding consideration is: What action can be taken by the Dominions vitftlly affected by the decision pf the British Government? So far as New Zealand is concerned, we strongly urge ,that the decision should not be allowed to stand without protest. This Dominion was late in supporting its advocacy of the Base by a contribution to the cost. Even now the contribution is not so great (especially if considered as part of the whole cost of Naval Defence) that we should presume to magnify our. partnership. But the fact remains that New Zealand has undertaken1 to contribute £1,000,000, and that undertaking was given after full consultation with the Admiralty. Mr. Coates", as Prime Minister, was advised that such assistance would be the form of naval help most acceptable to Britain. If, then, as the "Morning Post" Singapore is to be treated as a bargaining counter, we sre entitled to particulars of the bargain contemplated; New Zealand's views, as we stated yesterday, have been communicated to the British Government; but that was done before the Anglo-American conversations were begun. We do not know what understanding,was reached in those conversations, except that Mr. and President Hoover both deemed it satisfactory. There is a general idea that a reduc.tion of cruiser strength will be one result, If that is so, then it is all the more necessary that security in the Pacific should not be further diminished by abandonment of, a vital base. At present abandonment is not mentioned., but the First-Lord's statement may be viewed in two ways. It may be considered a preparation for abandonment, or an indication' that Britain, while proceeding with the work, is anxious not to give offence by its action, and therefore has chosen to hasten slowly. , Whatever may be the motive, the New Zealand viewpoint should again be emphasised. New Zealand menaces nobody, though some of'our ardent pacifists talk as if our defence measures, were blocking disarmament; but we are vitally concerned in the safety of our trade routes. We cannot view complacently the possibility of a bargain destroying that security.

_ One of the'first acts of the Australian Labour Government has been to suspend, compulsory military training. The suspension is announced as for a year, but "The Post's" Sydney correspondent states that "those m close touch with the Labour movement are convinced that only a change of Government will sequre the lifting of the suspension orders," Various arguments are quoted by our correspondent as submitted against the^system.-'that it is expensive, that it is unpopular with city trainees, and that the eajnp associations are not always salutary. But these arguments did not weigh with'the people when they voted.Mr. Bruce out and Mr. Scullin'in; Labour was elected ,to retain the Federal Arbitration

Court, not to end the Federal defence system. The lesson should not be lost on New Zealand. Here a Labour Government, elected for any other reason, would at once abolish compulsory training, and would put in its place no one knows, not even the Labour Party. New Zealand Labour in this issue seeks to be all things to all men—provided they are against the Defence Act. It would salve the consciences of conscientious objectors; it agrees with people who voice fears as to moral influences; it is a hundred per cent, with those who would make a^grand moral gesture for international disarmament (with a menacing territorial force <of which Geneva has probably, never heard); it grows indignant (with employers and apprentices) at the interruption of studies by camps and parades; and it rejoices to find that here at least is one thing on' which it can call for economy with- those who demand economy at any price. We have shown on many occasions how the many-sided Labour arguments reveal Labour's insincerity on this point. How can we accept, for example, the condemnation of the system as inefficient, when Labour, strongly antimilitarist, does not desire the efficient training of soldiers? But the clearest revelation of all is that Labour has never said what it would substitute to assure equal results at less cost, with less disturbance to industry and less offence to pacifists. We are ready to admit that our training system, having been carried on at the lowest cost, may be in need of remodelling; but that remodelling should be undertaken by men who are seized of the need for efficient defence. The task should not be entrusted to the party which lias no plan for reconstruction, only a dozen different reasons for getting at the system to smash it.

In the last few months New Zealanders have been treated to exhibitions novel to them, though familiar in larger countries for some years —displays of commercial radio equipment. These shows have proved intensely interesting and correspondingly successful—the curiosity of the child about what makes the wheels j go round persists encouragingly in the normal adult. To-day we have in Wellington a display of electrical apparatus of wide'range; and the event serves to remind us- of a historical stage through which we and our immediate parents have passed, painlessly in spite pf its colossal and revolutionary effect. It is still two years under a century since Michael Faraday announced his" discovery of electromagnetic induction—an event which will be duly celebrated in 1931. Prior'to that, public knowledge of electrical science was practically non-existent. Almosr at that moment there was born a.new science, a new art, a world-embracing fabric of new industries and new activities; and to-day human activities are shaped and empowered by electricity. Every civilised man is under its direct influence, and has his ways smoothed or speeded by electrical means. In our own time we have seen the greater part of this stupendous change. Not only in the practical range has electricity remade the conditions of existence; scientists have discovered, through their inquiries into its nature, a great deal about tlie hidden constitution of all matter, Their conclusions, indeed, boil down to the belief that all things which we feel^ are' material and more or less isternal are themselves nothing but electricity. '

"Training and assistance by agrees ments with the Dominions for those who wish to try their fortunes in new lands." This is an item in the British Labour Party's programme for dealing"with unemployment. Since that programme was-announced and Labour won its way to omce, a leading spokesman of the party has questioned the wisdom of associating migration with unemployment remedies. The association is certainly liable to give rise to misunderstandings and misrepresentations-— to suggestions, for example, that "surplus labour is being dumped"; but there is, in fact, a close association between [production, prosperity, and redistribution of population. It will be inferesting to observe how a Labour Government in Great Britain and a Labour Government in Australia will work out this association in practical plans. Mr. Scullin's Government has already decided to suspend assisted immigration, as it has been suspended in New Zealand. Nevertheless, Mr. Arthur Ponsonby is satisfied that "all parts of the British Empire overseas are sympathetic to migration," Unless that sympathy can be demonstrated, however, by the preparation of practical schemes, it will achieve nothing. Labour leadership o.n both sides should at least remove suspicion, but will.it prove capable of devising something better than the plans which Labour in Opposition has so strongly criticised, or will it merely give lip-service to the theory of population redistribution.