A BELATED DISCOVERY.

Thames Star, Volume LXI, Issue 16277, 22 January 1927, Page 5

A BELATED DISCOVERY.

Last year, ere yet unemployment had settled on the Dominion like a virulent social plague, we were the first to call attention to the impending evil and to urge that measures should be prepared for dealing with it effectively against the hard days of winter when it was certain to pi’ess most heavily upon the workers. That warning was repeated hero again and again, hut for a long time it fell upon heedless or apathetic ears. Reform was in the throes of auto-intoxication over its astounding success at the polls, and was too busy blowing bubbles of hot air to give consideration to a matter it had rathex dodge tliali tackle at any time. Liberal ism was, as it unfortunately still is, in a Parliamentary sense, largely inarticulate. Socialism seemed to have lost its force and fire after the bursting of its ridiculously grandiose dreams of political dominance. This year we again urge, as we _ urged last year, that this problem he taken in hand forthwith, and that a few obvious re forms to be carried out. One is that until our own unemployed be absorbed into tli© ranks of labour, there should be an immediate and complete cessation of all assisted immigration to tlie Dominion. When we make this appeal this year it may be listened to with more resp ;ect, for the tragedy of the winter made such utter nonsense of the defence put up by the Government and its press organs last year that it is not likely to be heard of again. Mr. McLeod will not he heard denying its existence, and suggesting that political malice rather than unemployment causes the trouble. The press may for very shame’s sake cease repeating the silly and irrelevant dicta that there has been unemployment in other .years, and that .it is seasonal — as if these statements disposed of the difficulty; and the egregrious Mr. Nosvvorthy may be made to realise th. the evil has become too much even foi members of his own party. It is pleasing to see that even Reform is aniving to-day at conclusions reached by us a year ago. Let us hope the result be the tackling of this grave social ill in a manner creditable to the commonsense and honou rof the Dominion.