COAL CRISIS

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 June 1926, Page 5

COAL CRISIS

PLAIN WORDS ON RUSSIA.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association) LONDON, June 17. In the House of Lords, replying t> Lord Newton’s-enquiry respecting Ruf sian strike money, -Lord Balfour said the avowed object of the Soviet Government was to destroy our social system. The presumption was that the money was not contributed by the workers, 'but by the Soviet Government. He wa c not quite sure that we should have recognised the Soviet. That was an arguable point, but there was a great difference between breaking off relations and not entering into relations at al. The first would produce disturbances far beyond the confines of the two countries, and was the last.course that any responsible statesinan would like to take. It was one which, without an adequate object, would a new social disturbance to an over-disturbed world. What were ,we going to gain by breaking off relations? . „ “I am quite unable to see any gain,’ he added. “Until the situation develops in a manner in which I hope it will not, ‘I suggest that we go on diplomatically as now. Nothing is to be gained by formal gestures when we cordially disapprove of a Government whose action we can in no way control. I am in favour of things as they are, having quite explicitly explained that we are not the dupes of Russian policy. With public opinion behind us, we have nothing to fear from the contrivances and intrigues of any nation in the world.” A USTRALIAN RESUMPTION. SYDNEY, June 18. The Coal Conference arranged the final details providing for a general resumpion in all the mines on Tuesday. After being six weeks on strike, the engine drivers and firemen to-day resumed, in order to have the collieries ready for the general resumption.