THE IRONY OF IT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 195, 16 August 1918, Page 4

THE IRONY OF IT.

Lenin's declaration of war against the Allies has little or no practical importance. He represents tbe Bolsheviks, and not Russia, and to all intents and purposes the Allies have been at war with the Bolsheviks from ihe moment they decided to give, practical help to the Bo'sheviks' enemies, the Czechoslovak armies in Russia and Siberia. Tbe Allies did not, and do not, want to light tho Bolsheviks; they naturally do not want to fight anybody in Russia except the Germans. Ther daferTed intervention __•» long as they possibly could, but eventa compelled them to take action. The Bolsheviks were ruining Russia, and the Germans, by erstendinj their power and influence, were threatening to consolidate gains there that would outwoigh their defeats elsewhere, and be a perpetual menace to.the world's peace. Tho Bolshevik leaders were prepared to cede territory with the unconcarn of a man distributing leaflet* to a crowd. They professed to oppose the spirit of German autocracy, but they cowered before its instruments, and showed no desire to help the nations that sought, for the peace of the. world, to wrest these instruments from the autocracy's hands.

What has happened in Russia in the last eighteen months is one of the great ironies of history. Riisia under the old Imperial tyranny was an ally of demoerarv in the great p.-. struggle in which civilisation has ever heen involved. That tyranny was overturned in the name of liberty, fraternity an.l equality, but under the new regime power fell into the bands of men .vho, professing to be friend- of liberty and regeneraten, surrendered to the forces of autocracy and militarism, and now actually seek, in the name of Russia, to turn the nation's arms against the allied democracy of the world. Rut tho truth is that Bolshevism is the very opposite of democeracy. "To my astonishment." said Kerenflky, in a recent speech in London, " some very serious European political men consider Bolshevism as democratic, althouub it has aholishcd freedom of speech, made human life the easy prey of every Red Guardsman, and an end of all institutions of self-government.'' We fear Kerensky will find tbe illusion very difficult to dispel in certain quarters. Dr. Harold Williams, one of the foremost authorities on Russia, nnd a sincere friend of Russian freedom, says that Russia was, in tho early months nf the Revolution, the most democratic eountrv on earth, but that now Russia is "stifled, gagged and buffeted by a power that tramples on the idea of democracy, in the name, not of a monarchical despotism, but of tbe dictatorship of the. proletariat." Tbe promise of those early months "broke down in demoralisation, humiliation and disaster," and "the Germans are grnd"ally establishing tbeir domination on tbe rnins of tbo»e great hopes." Tt is to prevent tbe Germans establishing this rlorainntion pcrmancntl. thnt tho Allies bav P gone to Russia. and we mar be 6iire that they will be welcomed by tbe ma«s of tbe Russian pormlo. The nity of this declaration of Lenin _ is that be. who has done so much to ruin Russia and help Cermanv, should he in a. position to presume to sneak for this tor-Tm-ed nation blindly groping towards tbe light.

Tbe Weather Bureau forecast for 24 hours from 9 a.m. this day is as follows: "Indications are for moderate southeasterly winds. There is a prospect of fine weather, days bright and nights cold. Tbe barometer has a rising tendency. Seas moderate. Tides good." A count of the votes in Westfleld and Otahuhu Bed Cross Queen Carnival this week showed that tho. Wostfield, Pa.nmure, and Howick queen (Miss Frost.) bad polled 31,916 votes (representing £1.0*23 2/3) against the Otahuhu queen (Miss Lippiatt), who polled 6fi,000 votes (representing £820). At, Morewell, in Australia, there are extensive deposits of brown coal, from which it is claimed that motor spirit, benzine, illuminating oil and paraffin could ho profitably extracted. The seams aro stated to run from 1..0 to 200 feet in thickness. Owimr to the difficulty in securing supplies of motor spirit attention ir, now being paid to these deposits, which may result in the development, of an important industry.

j A welcome was tendered last evening !by the Rechabitcs of Auckland at the Orange Hall, Karangahape Road, to the Hon. S. Maugher, tlie Australian temperance advocate, formerly PostmasterGeneral, also to Mr. W. O. Fortune, a Canadian temperance worker. The latter recounted the progress of tho prohibition movement in Canada, and the Hon. Maugher referred to tho need for tbe New Zealand Government to define a comprehensive policy for finding employment for returned soldiers. He mentioned that in Australia the Government had erected boot factories and established tailors' shops, where discharged soldiers were taught these, trades. At present the articles manufactured were used for the Australian Forces. Referring to the prohibition question, Mr. Maugher said the compensalion proposed in New Zealand for closing hotels was excessive as compared with what was paid in Victoria, where one thousand hotels had been shut.

Mr. T. M. Cullen, Collector of Customs at Dunedin, will retire at the end of tbe present month, having completed bis 4xl years' service with the Department (telegraphs our Dunedin correspondent). Mr. Cullen entered the. Postal Department in 1878 at Onehunga as a cadet, and a year later joined the Customs Department at Auckland under the late Mr. T. Hill, then Collector of Customs at Auckland. Tn 1882 Mr. Cullen was transferred to Napier as clerk, and after remainimr there for over five years waa transferred back to Auckland. In 181)1 he was promoted to Vio position of second and shipping clerk at Wollincrton. and during that year he was transferred again to Auckland as examining officer. Ho remained in Auckland until 1806, when bo was sent to Dunedin as an examining officer. In ISO 7 Mr. Cullen was promoted to the position of senior examining officer at Wellinarton. and remained there until 131. , when ho was appointed Collector of Customs at. Oamaru. Tie. filled this position with

! every satisfaction until .Tune, 1007. when he went to Nelson oa Collector. In 1012 .ho mm appointed to a position as Collec- . tor of Customs at Dunedin. Mr. Ciillen was born at Auckland in tbe year 1861, and was educated at several private schools, and subsequently finished his | education at the Auckland Grammar School. A statement waa made at tbe Appeal Board yesterday that while, a member of tbe Seamen's Union could get exemption sino die, a qualified borne trader who did not belong to the union was left to the. i-apriec of the. Board. Tbe accuracy of this is denied by the secretary of the Seamen's Union, who points out. that the statement carries tho inference that any member of tbe union can get exemption sine die. This is not so. A seaman can only got exemption if satisfactory proof [is produved that he is a bona fide seaman, land, further, that he has a certain period of continuous service, to his credit. Any appeal on behalf of a seaman is lodged by one of the isecretaries of the three branches of the union, and appeals are only lodged on _ibalf of men whom they know beyond all doubt to he _ma fide seamen with the requisite length of ser-

Papers to hand show the wonderfully increased production that has taken place in Great Britain through every capable person doing what ia to be done in the way o£ cultivating every available piece of vacant land. Tbe idea seems to be for Mich district to supply its own needs aa far as possible to save freight and middlemen profits. Tbe public schoolboys have been doing great work at intensive cultivation, and in one case they made a clear profit of about £50 out of an area "f a little over an acre by growing potatoes and selling them in the local market. The amount of manure used was simply enormous, for besides about 25 loads of farmyard manure per acre about 6cwt of . tronp a-rtificia.l fertilisers were used. Tbe boys handed their profits to a hospital In help to provide extra comforts for wounded soldiers. Great Britain is more self-contained to-day in regard to foodstuffs than slip lias hern for many ions, and it may come as a hit of a shock to people in the overseas Dominions to havn it brought bom" to them that at, a pinch the Motherland can do very nearly without our products. thoutrh to-day's rabies state that the

world food shorlajc is bound to continue for some years after the war.

There was general satisfaction in Ohura township last week when news was re reived from Mr. W. T. Jennings. M.P.. thai the Minister of Public Works find authorised a further link in the construction of tl. Stratford■( ikahuknra railway line, and the '"Gazette" notice authorises tbe work past Ohura township. As a great deal of formation work has been finished right into Matiere. the connection with Ohura, about eight miles, will soon be accomplished, as there are no engineering difficulties in the wav of tnnnellinir. Tho tunnel works at Okahnkura and Matiere are now well under way. and if no unforeseen difficulties crop up the isolation of the settlers is close at an end. Tbe weather during the past four weeks has been very dry. which i* somewhat unusual for this time of the

Something worth while in the way of football is promised in the exhibition to he given on the Domain to-morrow afternoon, when the Auckland-Wellington representative match will be plavcd, preceded by the college championship crame Grammar School v. Sacred Heart. College, and the country representative game Whangarei v. Kins Country. A feature of interest will 'be that those games will be played under modifications of the old rulr., which are being urged by Xcw Zealand controlling bodies on tbe English Rugby Union as tending to eliminate rough and obstructive tactics in favour of greater speed, cleverness, and combination, which make for the action and excitement beloved of spectator-.

The "New York Sun." in an article on "Who Started the War?" sarcastically writes: "Tlie Entente started tbe war, Germany says. Their plan was, wo presume, for Serbia to conquer AustriaHungary, while Belgium devastated Germany. England, especially, showed her hand when she burled an enormous army of 100,000 men against only two or three millions of Germans, and those Germans, taken completely by surprise, utaggered forward into France. They got nearly a.s far as Paris, we believe, before they recovered from their astonishment."

The advertisement in last- evenings issue calling for tenders for 3,000 cases of motor spirit, salvaged from tbe fire in Boaeli Road, gave the date for return as Sa.turdav. 24th. whereas it should have re.id 17th.

Tlie Victoria League has decided to throw in its lot with tho French Committee and to have its "DaiFodil Day" on the same day as that set aside for the French fete. It has asXfd the Bed Cros . and St. John Joint Com_iit_c to assist and they have agreed to de* so. A recent ea'ble item stated that the Jewish Correspondence Bureau at> The Hague announces that £40,000 baa been collected from all parts of the world, even in Galicia and Poland, to purchase ground in Palestine as the inalienable property of the Jewish people. Rabbi Katz informs us that there must be some error in tbe .rt_sa.ge, as in 1011 the Jewish Nationa . Fund totalled £-20,000. A Friend Indeed for cough, cold, bronchitis, and sore-throat sufferers is Baxter's Lung Preserver. Only 2/ large bottle. Order to-day.— (Ad-) \ Exquisite designs, magnetic in their I attraction. See Tonson Garlick's big window display of Armstrong's printed linoleums and lino. rugs. First appearance in Auckland.—(Ad.) It should be realised that although the National Efficiency Board's proposal calls for the abolition of the Liquor Traffic. —tbe proposal will provide for the exemption of alcohol for medicinal purposes. Liquor will still be available whore, necessary in cases of illness. Other important exemptions are those of wine for sacramental purposes and alcohol for | scientific and industrial use.— (Ad.)

Of all the beautiful effects yet produced in shadow warp cretonnes for loose covers, Tonson Garlick's new season's showing holds first place.— (Ad.) Secure some of our shirts, which are sure to suit, because of the patterns and prices.—Geo. Fowlds, Ltd.— (Ad.) A grand opportunity to buy footwear is offered by T. Clark's sale.. Every pair reduced.—Three Lamps, Ponsonby, and Victoria Street, City. — (Ad.) The cretonne and curtain house—Tonson Garlick's. New season's goods now showing. Suggestions, estimates, and advice without cost. — (Ad_) One of Auckland's popular 6hops for the purchase of reliable clothing at reasonable prices is Geo. Fowlds, Ltd. (Ad.) Footwear for the children and for grown-ups now being offered at reduced prices.—T. Clark's Sale.—Three Lamps, Ponsonby, and Victoria Street, City.—Ad. Newest productions in shadow warp cretonnes, tbe most favoured materials for loose covers, now showing at Tonson Garlick's.—(Ad.)

If you are wearied out by overwork or worry, it is wonderful how a draught of Hancock's "Nu-Beer" will liven you up. Sold everywhere, at all times. —(Ad.)

Footballers and housewives study that "Golden Rule" world-lifting design, drawn about with honse nnd cart, as you approach Domain football to-morrow. — (Ad.)

Spring Sea*on.—Tonson Garlick Co. now showing newest creations in the immensely popular shadow cretonnes for curtain- and loose covers. 31in,from 4/6; oOin, from 6/11 yd.—(Ad.)