Grey River Argus and Blackball News THURSDAY, APRIL 13,1916.

Grey River Argus, 13 April 1916, Page 4

Grey River Argus and Blackball News THURSDAY, APRIL 13,1916.

Mr. Asquith's ; invitation to the Hon. W. M Hughes, -the Prinie 4linister of Australia, to. be a rep

resentativie of the Imperial Government and; the th,e Press Confer once must fre taken not only as a compliment to the Commonwealth but also to Mr: Hughes, whose outspoken views have _won for him the cordial esteem of the Brk tish people. His candid criticism oI: the way. matters are conducted in many quarters. And his drastic proposals .to cripple German trade once for all have stirred Englishmen from their usual met hod of laissez faire. Mr. Hughes magnetic personality has attracted everyone to him, and he is undoubtedly the man of the hour. His every speech is recorded in the "papers and his views eagerly sought, The British public,, is tined of the mediocrities that form the greater part of the British Parliament, and they class Mr. Hughes with their other idol Lloyd George. There is no doubt that Wales has come into her own, <for the two most proniin e,nt men in British public life at the present time are Mr. Lloyd George and Mr. Hughes, and both ajie Welshmen. A group of little Englanders like Mr. Philip Snowdon, with that petty jealousy which is the characteristic of their class arc .doing their best to belittle Mr. Hughes and his work. In tbe first place they are trying to influence the British .workers against him by stating that he has not the support of the democratic party in Australia. If they mean by the Democratic Party that class who are known to us as the "Red Feds" then decidedly Mr. Hughes do.es not represent the democratic parry in Australia, and we are quite confident that ho has no desire to do so. Mr Jlughes is a genuine Labour mem ber, a representative of the workers, using the word "worker^ in the correct sense of the word as one who is willing to give a fair day 's work for a fair, day 's .wages He belongs to the same -class of Labour member as Mr. W. A. Veitch, the member for Wangamii who has nothing in common with the Feds. Men such as these will receive the support of all sections of the community, except of. course the Syndicalists. Tbe people of New Zealand are democrats and nine out of every ten have to 'work for theiz ; living and work hard.. Tbe v.cry fact, however, that they work hard is a bar to their admission to the ranks of the fted Feds whose, creed is to "beat the boss." We are confi- j dent that Mr. Hughes will bear himself with degnity at the confer ence and that his speeches will be amongst the most valuable that will* be made. The Allies must consider the question of taking drastic measures to cripple German trade after the war. If they do not do this Germany will rise again into a world Power, and the whole war have to be fought over again. It was our crazLe for cheapnpss that allowed the Germans to get a footing. in. the Empire, and prior to the Avar the motto "Made in Germany" was^ found, on nearly every article purchased in the shops. Mr. Lloyd George utters a word of warning and says that the Allies cannot afford to ignore Germany all together in their future trade relations.. Germany, he says, is a vast Empire and we must not try to shut off all trade with it.. Such a course, he believes, would be suicidal. This dif ficulty could be easily obviated" by dismembering Germany and duriding the greater part of it .among France, Belgium, Holland and Denmark and reinstating Pol and as an independent Power. The Kaiser, of course, must be deposed, and,. if justice is done, sent to a mental hospital .where a course | of German f rightfulness should be | adopted by the v attendants who could give the Kaiser the time of his life. A plentiful supply of Iron "Crosses should be allowed him to distribute among the other patients. •