Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, MAY 1st., 1936. CONTROL WAVE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 May 1936, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, MAY 1st., 1936. CONTROL WAVE.

does not stand where * it did in the workers’ estimation, judging by the apathy displayed now to what was once an occasion for enthusiasm. Some foreign countries continue the demonstrations but even these are less wholehearted and tragic than formerly. Industrialists used MayDay to protest against the “chains” alleged to ,bind them, political extremists also seizing the opportunity to ventilate their strange doctrines. Industrial conditions have greatly improved in the last two decades, and the way things are shaping, the employers will soon have more cause to denounce their “slavery” than their employees.

Control in various forms is expanding in many directions. People accept passively to-day, regulations depriving them of personal liberty, to an extent that is not adequately realised. The list of what they must, or must not, do is ever expanding, and soon there will be little real liberty left. This control is claimed to be benevolent in aim, and for the common good, and, doubtless, some measure of it is desirable, but there must be limits. The present. Labour Government is apparently out to control more or less everything, completing in this direction what their Coalition predecessors overlooked. It has been said that all the people cannot be fooled all the time, but Governments appear to be scoring what seems to be an impossibly high average. The example set by Ministers is not being neglected. Trade unions have consistently favoured compulsory membership of all engaged in the industries concerned, and another drive is to be made in this direction. Not to be outdone, the Farmers’ Union is reported to be seriously considering a proposal that all farmers should be made to i join, on the familiar principle that|

at present all farmers are reaping benefit from the good work being

done as the result of the efforts of a section of the farming community. If this sort of compulsion develops, there may arise similar demands from social, sporting and other organisations, until individual choice of action will be but a tradition. Then perhaps a new May-Day will arise, witnessing annual organised protests against so much regulation. History may repeat itself, in the way of opposition to such demonstrations, by authorities, charges and arrests by t#e police, martyrs for the cause of greater freedom, their sufferings arousing more and more sympathy, until the day will return when Liberty can cease her shrieking, Britons and their descendants regaining lost freedom. There have been stranger cycles in the story of the nations, but, meanwhile, Control reigns almost supreme, ■with promise of harsher rule to come.