Evening star., 1932-02-28

IN AuSL1al1a, AIIlGTlCdIS IIluSI COEIl-
prehend, the states are sovereign and
the federal body has power only over
few definitely settled things-defense,
the post office. customs. foreign rela-
tions and so on. The fight since fed
Grafton has been to prevent the central
government from usurping more and
more power at the expense of the
states: Tasmania early repented that
it joined the federation but Premier
Lyons took the view that, having gone
in. it must stay in and pull with the
others. The high tariffs protected
everybody but the primary producer,
whose costs they raised without giving
him the slightest benefit. Tasmania
was a primary producing state. Aus
tralian seamen. bolstered up by fed
eral shipping acts, arbitration courts
and so on, took to striking annually.
In all their strikes Tasmania was a
heavy sufferer. The other states had
land communications to fall back upon:
Tasmania was surrounded by sea. and
when the ships stopped it was cut off
from the world.
These seamen's strikes became q
curse. They ruined the tourist busi-
ness, since the mainlanders, having ar
rived in Tasmania, were never sure
whether they would get away again
The government tried to run its own
line of steamers. and burned its fingers
badly. It wouldn't work Chambers of
commerce and chambers of manufac-
turerS and every kind Of public body
Waxed hot at meetings, protesting
against the iniquity of these annual
shipping hold-ups; but nothing was
done.
Invites Heads for Visit
Then Premier Lyons, always strong
for action rather than protests, took an
unusual step. The ffrebrands who
caused these strikes were domiciled in
Sydney, New South Wales; few of them
we're really Australians Lyons, a La
| Dor Premier, conceived the ideal of
bringing them down to Hobart, to see
the trouble their hold-ups caused. He
| invited the whole agitating outfit Of the
Seamen's Union. Tom Walsh led the
| delegation. He was married to one OF
Mrs. Pankhursts daughters and knew
all there was to know about dislocating
| transport.
The delegation and the government
met n the gilded executive chamber OF
| the Tasmanian public Offices. Mr.
Lyons brought along representatives OF
the chambers of commerce and OF
! manufacturers and all the other bodies
which had been hotly condemning
| Thomas Walsh and his kind. At a
round table they thrashed things out. 1t
was most unorthodox and most un-
usual, but the conference succeeded
where everything else had failed. Al
! close quarters Walsh was not such q
firebrand after all. He readily listened
to Tasmania's case, eloquently put by
| the persuasive Mr. Lyons; he did not
| listen so readily to the ENJOYS of the
| chamber of commerce, who did not
| seem sure whether they should speak
| to him or not. But he gave his word
Tasmania would have immunity. Ir
| future strikes the Tasmanian ships
would be kept running.
They we're. 1t was a great victory
| for Lyons. Not only that, but the
number Of strikes has steadily de.
creased ever since, until now a serious
strike is rarity.
At the same time Mr.. Lyons was en-
gagged in the stupendous task Of trying
to right Tasmanias position, of try.
ing to pull it from the moraSs of ap-
preaching bankruptcy. To do this he
had to convince an uninterested fed
eral legislature that help had to bt
given. Stanley Bruce was then prime
minister Of the commonwealth. Stirred
up and prodded constantly by the en-
ergetic and forceful Joseph Lyons, ht
sent a commission of one to Tasmania
to inquire and report upon the woe.
of that noisy island (That was what
he thought about it,
The commission came, and inquired
exhaustively. Premier Lyons backeC
by the chamber Of commerce and tht
entire State-Labor man though he was
managed to present SO telling a cas'
that even the commonwealth inuuisi
tor was convinced. Mr.. Bruce acqui
esced at last Tasmania's special dis.
abilities under the federation were
recognized and. to some extent, at any
rate, corrected financially by payments
from the commemorative Golfers
This, indeed, marked the end of 6
cycle in Australian progress; the state.
of Western Australia and South Aus
tralia we're similarly affected anc
sought even greater help. 1t looked
as il the federation were breaking
down.
Labor Is Defeated
His task done-this was in 1928
and his term up, Mr. Lyons faced the
/ electors once again. In him they hac
perfect confidence, and he was re-
7 JuIIleO dL The IlSdu VI JIle poll. Bul
there had been an unfortunate inquiry
into the conduct of the affairs of tht
public trust Office, under the contro
left a nasty taste in the mouths oi
thoughtful TaSmanians, and Labor was
defeated.
Lyons was not unduly perturbed. He
set about cooperating with his sue
cessor to carry on the fight for the
rehabilitation of Tasmania. But he
had been seriously and permanently in
| iured in a railroad accident that left
his energies impaired. The accident
killed Mick" O'Keefe and so seriously
injured Mr.. Lyons that he fingered al
deaths door for months. We had his
obituary in type in the newspaper Of
flee ready to slip into the press
! know wrote it. But he recovered
carrying with him heavy limp. He
fought against the inf1rmity and light
ly dismissed the seriousness of the &C
| cident although he knew that 1 hao
| written his obituary. He read it, ano
said it was too long. 1t was three
| columns.
For upward of year Mr.. Lyons, now
leader of the opposition, remained in
the State Parliament where he hao
served so long. Then, in 1929, came
! the call TO enter the FEDERAL field. He
! had been asked to join the federal
scene on many previous occasions, but
had always declined, feeling that he
must carry on the fight for Tasmania
| first That fight was won, so he at
| last turned his attention to the larger
field. He was elected at the head OF
the poll on his first standing.
This was in the general election OF
1929, when Labor gained a sweeping
victory-a victory which has now
Just as sweepingly been taken away
| from it. That is all recent history
with which Americans are familiar
they know how Mr.. Lyons became
postmaster general in the Scullin cab
| met. and then acting treasurer; how
he fought the caucus on finance and
won; how he upheld Australia's name
while Mr.. Scullin was abroad; how
Scullin, on his return, brought back
| Tho utilu Thnndnrn into thn nnLi.,a4.