Greymouth Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 1947. Progress In Indonesia

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 April 1947, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 1947. Progress In Indonesia

SIGNATURE of the Cheribon Agreement by accredited representatives of the Netherlands and Indonesian Governments has ended 19 months of uncertainty as to the future of Holland’s oldest colonial possessions. It has also ended the disastrous stalemate which paralysed Indonesia, and has opened a new era in relations between Holland and her former rich colonies. The Dutch have'wisely .recognised, as have Britain and France, the futility of trying to swim against the. rising tide of nationalism in the East, while the Indonesians, fop their part, have realised that it is in their own best interests to maintain close relations with the Power so long identified, with their country’s development.

The Cheribon Agreement provides for the creation of a “sovereign democratic” United States of Indonesia, linked with the Netherlands in union under the Crown. It provides also for co-operation in matters of foreign relations, defence and finance. By this agreement, a stable Administration should be assured. The people of these rich and teeming lands, far as yet from political, maturity, will need for some considerable time the guidance and support of the Dutch. Particularly will this be of benefit in the immediate future, for the long delay in reaching a final settlement has had serious consequences for the East Indies, especially Java, since no plans for rehabilitation after the Japanese occupation could be put into effect while conflict and uncertainty continued.

The signing of the agreement has also upset the plans of the Indonesian extremists for wresting control from the moderate Government of Dr. Soekarno and Dr. Sjahrir and trying, like their Communist “fellow travellers” in Vietnam, to settle the issue by force of arms. The defeat of this threat and the establishment of a stable Administration are matters of prime importance to both Australia and New Zealand. Had the extremists been allowed to obtain their objective, an inherent threat to the future peace and security of the whole of South-east Asia would have been created.

Strikes And Mutinies “THE distinction between a strike and a mutiny was made clear in New Zealand recently. The miners at Huntly and Kaitangata went on strike and about the same time 200 naval ratings at the Devonport base refused duty. Ihe ratings complained of long delays in the adjustment of their pay and also expressed dissatisfaction with service conditions. Their commander declared them guilty of mutiny. • • The miners returned to duty and suffered no penalty except loss of pay. fhe naval ratings were granted none of their requests and were given the option of suffering the penalty of service discipline or accepting their discharge. The majority chose to take their discharge, which also involved the loss of 10 per cent, of deferred pay of £3OO to £4OO. When the rules against mutiny were first enacted, the law applied only to Hie army and navy as only in those services were to be found State servants directly concerned in. war. But in these days of totalitarian methods, vast numbers of industrial workers are also essential to the war effort and also there has been a stupendous increase in employees of the State. No one would attempt to excuse mutiny, but the contrast between the treatment accorded by the Government to two sections of its employees is rathei striking. It is apparent that the advocates of nationalisation and socialisation are not always aware of the basic issues involved. The right to strike against a private employer is one thing, but there are different considerations when such action is taken against the Government, or, in other words, against the whole community. Experience in Russia and other totalitarian countries has proved that in the complete Socialist State the right to strike disappears. The claim to strike is there treated as a claim to mutiny and is dealt with accordingly.