PUBLIC OPINION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9214, 18 April 1908, Page 7

PUBLIC OPINION.

FROM THURSDAY'S NEWSPAPERS. (By Telegraph.) THE AMERICAN NAVY. Tlie failure of the Hague Conference has shown that disarmament is just now a sentimental draw. The on© thing certain, about the world's naval policy to-day is that the Powers intend to go on building larger and yet larger fleets. America is bounded by two oceans, which means that she has to defend two naval frontiers at the same time. With all tlie Powers intent on rivalling each other in naval strength the United States cannot afford to fall behind; but even more for the sake of securing her prestige and dignity against insult than in the hope of enhancing her power and extending her empire, America must accept in its fullest and most liberal meaning the classical maxim of national defence which all history corroborates and endorses:— "li you wish for peace make ready for war."— "Auckland Star." THE TWO DOMINIONS. We have no doubt, that Mr Larke's ideas have a great future before them, a future of practical and prosperous working, and if tiie present generation does not fully seize the opportunity, the next will be more alert. It will greatly help the cause of closer commercial relationship between the two dominions if the Government take care that NewZealand is strongly represented at the "Ontario Tri-Century celebrations in July next. We understand that Ministers have it in mind to send over a distinguished ex-Governor of the dominion. If so, he should be accompanied by a representative entitled to speak in the name of, and to express the sentiments of, the. commercial and industrial sections of the dominion. — Dunedin "Star." A MATTER OF VOTES. If we multiply labour by votes and add a general election, it is possible we shall get an approximate answer to the problem of why the Government does not give the Arbitration Court the support to which it is entitled and by which alone the authority of the statute can be maintained. If we multiply votes by a general election and deduct labour, it seems likely that the answer to the problem why the Government deals so gingerly with strikes and refuses obstinately to set the law in motion against strike abettors will also be written down. It appears that the Government has faced the situation, and has decided that the thing essential is to return to office with an overwhelming majority after the general election. To do that the Liberal and Labour party must remain for electoral purposes intact. To secure that, iabour must not be converted into an antagonist of the Government, but must continue to yield votes as cheprfully as a strawberry Hereford yields milk. — " Evening Post."