TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12989, 17 December 1907, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Very little news of Iceland Iceland, reaches England, and still less comes to us here. The isolated, island is poo r bnt ron " tended. A few cows, some more sheep, and small-sized and hiirofootod ponies form tho livestock of the peasants. No grain is cultivated, and garden fruits and vegetables are said to be out of the question, but good grass is fairly abundant in certain parts. Wool, butter, fish and eider-down arc tho chief j export*. The Icelanders, mindful of its storied past, are intensely proud of their country, and lovo liberty so much that, although they are very poor, they want to carry their own burdens, end furnish their own protection. They resent the Danish "yoke,"' and demand that Icelandic laws bo sutwnitted to tho King of Denmark alone, and not to the Cabinet, that tho King bo represented on tho island by a Governor "holding power equal to that vested in tho Governors of tho most independent of the Knglibh colonies, " that tho King include Iceland in his official title, that tlio island be referred to in official (iwuments by a title other than "inalionablo part of tho realm," and that the island have a special flag. Tho extromist party go«i further, and aims at complete separation and the establishment, of a republic. Tbeso people contend that tho Icelanders lire a separate nation, and as such should have a separate existence. Tho King of Denmark visited tho island the other day, and i:; said to havo returned to Denmark full of wonder at tho people. Many of his subjects failed to ealuto him in the streets, and as ho rode through tho island, pensanits and their families would stand stiflly at their doors and gazo quietly at tho procession. A stiff kick seems to bo a char actoristio of tho Icelander, and it was noticed that when the King camo, backs stiffened moro than usual. "When tho King met tho Icelandic leaders, some of whom doted their ancestry back many centuries, ho had to listen to tho following:—"This is tho ancient sacred mooting place of our 1 forefather*. So mighty and noblo it is, that only God and fire and no other power wrought such* a. (masterpiece. Tho floor of (ho haJl is formed by streams of hardened Java; snow-cap-ped mountain peaks form its columns; its ceiling is tho blue donio of tho sky. High it is and lofty, and tho air in it is wholesome. Hero Icelandic mounttain winds breatho on every cheek, and hero the Icelanders havo learned again and again to keep their backs straight. Hero tho laws wero made- and affirmed which mado our forefathers a freo and far-famed peoplo. Hero grew tho lifeflowers of tho Icelandic people." Iceland would seem to tho foreigner unable to inspire any feeling but dread, but it can boast a splendid devotion on tho part of its children. Tho Johannesburg corresWhito pondent of tho " Age" take® or «i gloomy view of tho white Blaok? v. black problem in South Africa. In after-dinner speeches the politician talks of a Groat Whito Nation south of tho /..ambesi, but every steamer going away from South Africa is packed, and tho tendency in South Africa is to rely moro and more on the coloured mon. It is the eamo in all tho colonies. For instance, in two years tho coloured employees on the Natal railways havo increased by 463, and tho whito employees have decreased by 66. On the railways of the Transvaal and the Orango River Colony six whito men were employed in 1903 to every mile of track, but to-day thero are less than fchreo white men to ©very mile. In 1891 the ratio in several industries in Capo Colony was one whito to ono block; to-day it is one wfhite to two three, and even four blacks. Tho Transvaal Government is reported to ' bo about to do something to check tho evil, but tho correspondent doubts whether anything short of racial segregation will do any good. Such a policy ns foreshadowed by Sir Harry Johnston and others would create whito Basutolande in South Africa, setting asrido reserves for tho whites just as reserves havo been set atido for the blacks. Cape Colony and the whole of the High Veldt would bo marked off for whito settlers, and tho natives would bo confined to tho lower country or persuaded to go north of tho Zambesi. Such a scheme was proposed years ago in Natal, but it fell through, and now Natal has nearly a million coloured people. Tho correspondent does not think such a policy would bo offensive to the natives, who havo a growing desiro to bo left alone by the whites. Employers would then bo forced to employ whito men. If such a policy is not carried out, South Africa will inevitably become a black man's country, resembling India moro than Australia, m> present tho cry is always for coloured labour, never for whito labour. Jietween 0000 and 10,000 people havo left South Africa in the last three years, and unless this cun bo changed, »South Africa will he "so overwhelmingly black that selfgovernment will bo a farce, and Imperial troops will bo needed to protect tho white inhabitants." An article by a French Tho doctor in a French reDangerous viow. r.ceusing doctors of Doctor. of being tho moat dangerous carriers of infection in modern life, has attracted considerable attention in Europe, and comment is made on tho feet that no ono has been struck before by this danger. Surgeons take tho utmost precautions against germs, says tho French doctor, but the sight of a family doctor going from scarlatina, and diphtheria cases to others without doing more than wash his hands causes no alarm. The careleesnefis of tho average family doctor is said "to bo amazing. Several cases of illness have b«ou> traced to visits from doctors called in to prescribe for a trifling indisposition. The consulting room of tho average doctor, often in hi? own homo, hung with curtains, covered with carpets, and provided with magazines which patients handio whilo waiting, is declared to often swarm with germs. "Tho man beside you in tho street-car may be a doctor on his way from a ecarlet fevej case to a case of measles, from whos»clothes you may bo receiving fatai gorms which you will take homo to yom delicato child." The French doctor suggests certain precautions. 7\q doctor

should onter a room in whkh there is infectious disease without taking off his ptreet clothes and putting on a suit kept in the house, ma do of a stuff that will wnsh easily. Tho doctor's hair should be kopt very short, and he should never wear a beard. A moustacho is allowable, becauso it can he easily disinfected. Before leaving the houso he ahouM thoroughly disinfect his head, neck, and hands. His con-6ulting-room should never be in. his house, and ought to bo constructed so that it can be kept as scientifically clean as an operating-room. This reformer thinks that if a few doctors would begin this reform, all practitioners would be forced to follow their example. "Nobody now laughs at tho exaggerated cleanliness of operatingrooms and hospitals, cud in a very short time similar care on the part of tho over-preeont general practitioner would meet with intelligent and very grateful appreciation."