Current Topics.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XXXVI, Issue 5485, 11 August 1919, Page 2

Current Topics.

What is Needed. The Prime Minister, Mr Massey, has echoed our remarks in a recent issue as to the necessity for a policy of progress. Speaking at Auckland he said ; —To carry out a vigorous policy of reconstruction and development in a lime like the present there must be a strung Government. There must be a Government that will place the interests of the country before party and every other consideration. What is wanted is a solid combination of patriotic, progressive, and practical members of Parliament, conscientiously representing the people in a desire for

national progress —a combination of earnest men whose democratic instincts, honesty and ability can bo relied on.

A Timely Warning The serious shortage of coal is likely to be brought home in a practical if unpleasant fashion, to Woodville gas consumers if there is not an early improvement. The Hon A. Myers, Minister in charge of coal distribution, has requested the local authorities to take steps to restrict the consumption of gas. If strict economy is not manifested, the Borough Council will be compelled to brimr into operation its powers under the lighting regulations to restrict consumption.

Sane Labor Talk Mr John Storey, leader of the Now South Wales State Labor Party, speaking in support of the selected Labor candidate for the Paddington by-election, strongly denounced revolutionary Socialism (says the Sydney Morning Herald.) Mr Storey said that if the policy of the revolutionists were endorsed immediately, it could not be carried into effect in fact, even the revolutionaries were so law-abiding that they were afraid of the War Precautions Act and its regulations, and obeyed it. Yet they wanted people to believe in their doctrine of upsetting society. “ I am, ”he continued an evolutionary Socialist, but if I find you trying to shoot up Australia I will shoot you. I say to men who come from other parts of the world and preach revolution, ‘ If you don’t like Australia get out. I respect you, I welcome you, but if you talk about spilling the blood of my children and my wife and relations then, by heavens I will have a shot at you.” There was no actual revolutionary Socialism iu Australia ; there were only a few people who did nothing when the pinch came, They, however, misled others, mostly young people, into wrong ways of thinking. “I’ll have none of them,” Mr Storey concluded, “ and the Labor movement will have none of them ; wo are evolutionists, not revolutionists.”