LONDON CHAT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12963, 16 November 1907, Page 4

LONDON CHAT.

(feom our own- cobresfowdext.) LONDON, October 4. Socialism is the excitement of tho hour. It has recently been tho subject of somo remarkable utterances. An extraordinary e-x-wh on Socialism was medo by the Bishop of Stepney last night while addressing a crowded meeting in connection with tho Church Congress, at Vermouth. "Wβ see," said the Bishop, "the tide of a great movement, which, whether wo Tike it or not, is going to bo the master current of the'life\of tho people of England in the 20th century. There is abundance of lnxury, but there is appalling abundance of poverty. The 19th century forgot that it is not enough to produce wealth levishly, it is important how it is distributed. A reaction was bound to come, and some of us welcome it. . «• . The 19th century was tho period of individualism and competition. The 20th century will toko ite place as the era of .Socialism and co-operation. "What is to bo the attitude of the Church?" he tusked. "It cennot be ono of mere opposition. Tho question is not whether we can arrest it,, but whether tho influence of Christ can lead and guido it; whether it can be made c movement which will como gradually and fruitfully, or suddenly and dangerously; whether it will bo a movement of peflco or of violence, of justice or injustice." Tho Church, added tho Bishop, could belong to no party. They might sympathise with tho Labour movement, but they must remind it that I>iboilr has ite duties as well ac its rights. The' .Social Democratic Federation Jir.s issued a list of "immediate reforms" demanded. The amazing programme includes—Abolition of the .Monarchy : repudiation of tho National Debt, abolition of all indirect taxation, institution of cumulative tax on ell income* jiiiii' inheritances exefeding L'.'}l!o, free maintenance for all attending .State schools, public ownership of food ami coal supply, nationalisation of tho trust**, establishment of State pawnshops, establishment of State restaurants, public ownership of "the drink traffic, free State insurance against sickness and accident; abolition of standing ormiee. abolition of courts-martial. The .Social Democratic Federation admit they are proclaiming and preaching the class war, and urg© it to tho utmost. They appeal to working mon to carry on the war "by making themselves masters of their own country, and of all its resources, political and material."' They openly advocate trusts and similar monopolies, and claim that when industries reach tho trust form they aro ripe for socialisation. Dealing with the Army, they admit that they are the foes of all forms of patriotism and Imperialism, and allege that standing armies aro simply instruments of oppression an<l aggression in tho hinds of tho dominant class. They hope to raise tho obligatory school attendance, ago to 16, and up to thie age the children aro to be maintained—fed, housed, and clothed—by the State. Any parent who cares to do so may throw off all duties he owes to 'hie children, leaving their welfare entirely to tho State. Further,, the Socialists intend to regulate the religion of the country by reducing it to blank atheism. Their well-known writer, "Nunquam," says in the "Clarion"—the organ of tho party—"l do not believe that Christianity, or Buddhism, or Judaism, or Mahometanism is true. I do not believe that any one of these religions is necessary. I do not believe that a.ny one of thorn affords a perfect rule of life. I deny tho existence of a heavenly Fafchei'. I deny "tlhcl efficacy of' prayer. I deny the Providence of God. I deny the truth of ; the Old Testament and tho New Testiiuient. I deny tho trii'th of tho Gospels. I do not believe that any miracle ever was perforated I do not believe that Chriet was Divine. I do not believe that Ho died for man. I do not- believe that Ho ever rose from the dead. I am strongly inclined to believe that Ho never existed at all." And another shining light, Mr Leatham, writes: '"Personally, I feel called upon to attack Christianity as I would any other harmful delusion."' While ac to morringo under Socialism, Mrs Ethel Snoivdch explains tdiat it would be merely "Free Love. ,, She says: "Under Socialism the marriage service will probably be a simple declaration on the part of tho contracting parties before tho Civil representatives of the State. Free as the wind, the Socialist wife will be bound only by her natural love for husband and children." So now at least we know where wo arc, and it will bo our own fault a« a nation if, being tlhus "forewarned" we aro not also "forearmed against this uncompromising attack u.ix'm all which the people of this country hold most dear. THE SCIENCE OF TREE-REMOV-ING. Some people spem to find comfort in the. fact that fcomo few things still remain which aro not "made, in Germany." Among them, as one writer points out, is the science of removing full-grown trees, in which Britain continues to reign supreme. During toe past summer tho directors ot 'he Botanical Gardens at Frankfort Ymre been compelled to transfer their grounds to tho new Palm Garden, a distance of two miles. They wished to take with them an ancient yew-tree, which was planted when the Botanic .Society waehrst formed, three centuries ago, and for tho removal, prefer ret! to employ an English finn/ Messrs Barron and Son. of Derby. The old tree, which was ooft high, with a girth of Bft, and a spread of more than 40ft, w.-:s moved under the instructions of Mr William flarron, an English foreman superintending the removal. I hear tint the onrration was completely successful, and that tho patriarchal yew h thriving admirably in its new location. MUSIC. Music has not yet got into its customary full autumn swing in London, although tho splendid promenade con-

w Henry Wood and hie ' certe given by /\lJJ^ oe eii'e Hall are "merne men"a the Vjuee ■ epoch-making. Laf night g^ o^ either the very excellent English opera season of the Moody-Manners Company of several others of h«h nentThJe four season* have been Poetically "grand opera." Tho first wae the memorable German ono at the begin r.ing of last spring, which terminated so tragically by the drowning ot c large number of tho splendid company in tho disastrous wreck of the 8.8. l*-.r-lin on the Hook of Holland. Then in tlw later spring camo tho second, uerman opera season under Heir *"cnt<>r at Covcnt Garden, which preceded tho regular normal and official grand opera season in tlvat preat London theatre ivhen French. Italian, German and Russian operae were given in turn, and English opera alone, was absent. Now the autumn Italian season is on us, and it was inaugurated last evening by the newest of Italian operas, tho one which i« the rago of the moment, and which eroryono is supposed to have seen and heard, Pm> cmi's "Madame Butterfly. ,1 Honestly, I cannot shore the prevalent enthusiasm for this undoubtedly clever and attractive work, any more than for "La Hohemo ,, anil other operas by the same popular composer. That it possesses much charm I do not- deny, but 1 cannot help thinking that tho composer in his desire to sit upon two stools—thouch, as h.-> js an Italian. I suppose I ought lo say to steer between iScvlla and Charybdis— has in some degree slipi>e<l I>etweon tho stools or sustained damago from both the rock and tho whirlpool. In plain language, ho has tried to combine the dramatic effects of Wagner with the lyrical charm of the old Italian school, and, to my mind, enrh has suffered in tho process of mixing. THE CHURCH CONGRESS. Just now the annual Church Congrees is sitting—and talking—at Greet Vermouth, rendered famous by Dickens in "David Coppernold 1 ' and revered by Anglicans as possessing a magnificent church, which is claimed to be the 'argest parish church in tng-K-.al. The proceedings co far have been remarkable chiefly (1) for the very able- and withal statesmanlike eermon delivered by the Archbishop of Canterbury at tho •inaugural service, and, secondly, by a distinctly remarkable speech delivered by the Bishop of Norwich, in whose diocese tho Congress is being held, and thirdly for some exceedingly just nnd useful criticisms by Sir Squire Bancroft, tho famous actor, upon the reading and elocution of clergymen in general. Tho Archbishop's sermon conies in for nothing but jraise nil round, but tho Bishop's "speech is keenly criticised as injudicious, alike in its occasion ond ie its method; for, taking as hie subject the proposal to disestablish tho Church of England, he began by adducing such a strenuous and apparently overwhelming array of conclusive arguments in favour of that course that by the time he reached his real point—its grave inadvisableness — he had practically converted hie hearers into a- oonvictio.n of its wisdom, which conviction was' hordly shaken by what seemed the relatively mild argnments which he then brought forth to establish his real thesis. "The Times" remarks that "the prospoct of disestablishment is remote, unless it be precipitated from within, and it seems a pity to invite the adversary to attempt what, without your aid, he is not very likely To accomplish." "Tho Times" also censures the Bishop for implying that the epithet "free and democratio" cannot fairly be applied to the constitution- of the Anglican Church, for, aske "The Times,' r "is it not rather the fact that the Church at homo is as free end as democratic for moet practical purposes, as the clergy choose to make it?" It is difficult to underetaijd the Bishop's purpose in offering so many handles to the ene-mv

A DISTINGUISHED SOLMER. General Sir John Ardagh has juet passed away at the ago of 67. Almost from the first he was employed on what proved to be his life-work, the Intelligence Branch of Kis service/ and diplomacy. By the year 1876 his special knowledge of frontier and boundary questions <was so well recognised that hn was appointed on Lord Salisbury's staff at the (Constantinople Conference, and, two years later ho was present at tSe Berlin Congress, -where he earned his 0.8. In 1887 Sir John Ardagh -was recalled to the War Office, where, under Lord Wolseley's directions, ho organised a mobilisation division in close connection with the Intelligence Branch, and it will be remembered that one of the few satisfactory features at the beginning of tho South African War •was that the mobilisation of the troops was accomplished without a .hitch. For this the good foundation 'laid by .Sir John in 1887 was mainly responsible. From the first he realised that ono of his most important duties "was to prepare all the information that would bo neceasarv in case of war with tho Boer Republics, and. in spite of tho miserably inadequate *teff and money it his disposal, he ivas able to produce- the now famous "Military Notes on tho Dutch Republics in South Africa" before tho war broke out. Those, "Notes" subsequently proved to have been extraordinarily accurate in their recital ot {facts. 'Moreover, it was no secret to his private friends that in August, 1899, two months before Krugers ultimatum, Sir John took a true, view ot the situation, and advised the Army Board that 200,000 men would bo required for the task before them. My New Zealand readers may remember that I had the privilege of a personal interview with him on his return to F.ngland, which enabled mo to affirm very positively tho above facts, whioh tvere brazenly* denied in Parliament by certain members of the lato Government, the untruthfulness of these denials being indisputably proved by the subsequent report of the War Commission.