THE ISSUE IN AUSTRALIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17285, 28 September 1916, Page 6

THE ISSUE IN AUSTRALIA.

One certain result of tho compulsion campaign will bo a large reconstruction of the Labour'Party, whoso leaders aro now boing “ expelled ” by unions or groups' of unions in a wholesale fashion. Mr Hughes, however, is bound to place as of insignificant importance the fato of his political party in comparison with the issue, of the war. -His manifesto, which wo print this morning, shows a lively imagination and a grave sbnso of Australia’s duty in the struggle for freedom. In our opinion,, tho principlo of national service,, of equal liability on the part of every individual towards tho State, is in perfect harmony with the canons of democracy, and we aro absolutely

certain that tho present conflict is a war of democracy against autocracy. It is a clash of arms between Right and Might, a clash that was sure to come when one of tho largest nations had for over forty years gradually made its country into an arsenal. Democracy means freedom, self-government, equality of political rights, which a German victory would put out of existence and out of > sight for generations at least. And rights may not be enjoyed without responsibilities; where they are attacked they must be defended. Voluntaryism having failed in Australia, there seems no choice left' to the people between compulsion and the repudiation of nationality. If ever there was a people’s war, the present war is such, and, as the working classes comprise

tho great hulk of the population, it is essentially their war. It is their future that is at stake. All the institutions and liberties that have boen dragged from the despots through the oenturies must vanish or Prussian militarism must be crushed. That is tho essence of Mr Hughes’s clarion call to tho. democracy of Australia, whose fate is as surely bound up in tho decisions on European battlefields as it would be if Sydney and Melbourne" wero now invaded. The taking of authority to eonscribo men for service, however, as has boen said many times in New Zealand, and is now repeated by tho Prime Minister of Australia, does not destroy

voluntaryism, but on the contrary stimulates it to a larger effort. Compulsion is merely a necessary alternative, in default of tho voluntary system, to national default. Thcro can bo hardly a shadow’ of doubt that the verdict of the Commonwealth next month will be overwhelmingly in support of the Government and of the League of Civilisation which is determined to crush tho infamous enemy. It is impossible at this distance to measure the strength of the. objectors, who probably aro fully .articulate, Tho Labour Party is clearly divided on the issue, for, while the cablegrams tell of anti-compulsion resolutions and decisions to “expel'" politicians from tho party, wo note

that at his meeting in the Sydney Town Hall to open the compulsory service campaign Mr Hughes had with him on the platform the -Labour Premier of New South Wales and a majority of lifs. colleagues, Mr J. C. Watson, the first. Labour Prime Minister in Aus-

tralia, a strong band of Sfate Labour members, the Assistant Minister of De.fence; tho editor of the “Worker” and other representatives of organised Labour. As for tho breach in the • party, the compulsion issue is no doubt bringing matters to a head, but there had for some time been agitating discontents, whose grievances wero prouably not quite unconnected with jealousy of the men in office, The fate of any political party, however, is too trifling a matter to be allowed to obstruct the prosacuii-- of the wax.

GERMANY EROM WITHIN.

Ax Englishwoman who was resident in Germany for seven years was lately allowed to leave tho country, and she has given a London journal her impressions of life in tho enemy country. ner story is rather naive, and the light it

throws on Germany’s ability to continue tho war is not very illuminative, hilt as an account of the conditions as they impressed a resident it is distinctly interesting. Tho mass of the Germans, she says, believed that tho war would end in a draw. They knew nothing of Britain’s immense preparations, and accepted as reliablo tho assertions of the newspapers that Lord Kitchener was trying in vain to get soldiers. But the blockado was beginning to be felt severely even by wealthy families. Of course, tho shortage of fats, the control of the bread supply and the shortage of petroleum had affected all classes, but tho rich had been able to buy substitutes. Latterly, however, the shortage was so pronounced that

supplies were unprocurable at any price. Copper had everywhere been confiscated. Tho coppor and nickel coins had been called in and iron pieces issued. Elastic was not to bo bought, and woollens and cotton goods wore at a premium. The fact that German parents are sending their children in great numbers to Holland has caused a good deal of comment of late, and according to a cable message to-day the “holiday” habit is causing the Dutch some embarrassment. v The movement was first remarked in June, and it became so pronounced in July that tlie Dutch authorities were compelled to take notice of it, the influx of young

immigrants causing a. temporary shortage of supplies in certain districts. From tho Gorman point of view it is obviously a wiso policy, hut tho Dutch regard it with mixed feelings, m which sympathy for tho unfortunate innocent victims of .the Prussian policy of aggression is perhaps dominant. It holps us to appreciate the reality of the suffering in Germany, and, since the sufferings of the German people are a factor

of importance in determining the duration of the war, wo can record the incident with satisfaction, even thougn the juvenile migration helps the enemy to endure. The increasing severity of tho conditions of life in Germany are the main theme of the Englishwoman’s article, and necessarily she had little opportunity to observe matters of military importance. Hut silo records the existence of friction between Germans

and Austrians, and mentions the belief that tho Hungarians were not fighting whole-heartedly with the Austrians, v/n the quality of the latest German levies she has an interesting observation. “ Tho German type of soldier has been gradually deteriorating,” she says, “and those now going to tho front are an inferior set. I know of men being

called up who wero sooffed at in the beginning as impossible soldiers. As I came through tho country on my way home, I noticed this to be tho case everywhere.” This is likely to be true enough, though tho levies of which she speaks aro reaching tho firing lino as yofc only in small numbers. Young boys

and old men, however, aro certainly in the training depots, and will have to be employed next year. The article W general is obviously moderate in tone, and its sincerity gives it nil added value, though, as wo have said, it may not help us greatly to an estimate of the enemy’s capacity to enduro