TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13378, 20 March 1909, Page 8

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Tho strike of the postal French employees calls new attenPostal ..tion to what has been eleAffairs. scribed as the most unpopu-

lar and best abused of ail French Government departments. Only a short time back, M. Noulens, in pre-

senting a report to the Chamber of Deputies, attacked the whole system with a remarkable fervour and freedom. He pictured' the poslol service of Franco as a thing weighted anel fettered by routine; and declared that the department made quite insufficient provision for tho public- needs, neglected to train its staff, and, in general, stood distinguished only by determined economy, and an aversion to any sort of financial risks. Germany has a post office to every 1152 inhabitants, Great Britain one for 1542, but Franco contents itself with one for 31-32 people. If all the employees under the British Postmaster-General went out on strike, he- would be confronted by a rebellious crowd of 154,351 male and 41,081 female subordinates; but the French department works along at the best of times with a staff of only 100,508, including 5342 women. A magazine essayist lately mentioned any post office of Paris at fivo o'clock in the afternoon as affording "a fine field for the study of human patience and resignation," so slowly can tho public demands bo served. But M. Noulens attributes tho lack of celerity not so much to under-staffing as to the want of specialisation. The principle is that any post office servant is competent to rule in any branch. A clerk who luis spout ten years sorting letters, is promoted, to find himself chief clerk in a telegraph or telephone office, and superintending a staff of operators on instruments which ho knows nothing whatever about. A fifteen years spell of checking savings bank figures may lead suddenly to an appointment as clerk of tho works, to overlook the erection of telegraph and telephone poles. "A young telegraph messenger is promoted to inspect wires carried over roofs and report on defects. Instead of risking his neck by climbing on housetops, ho waits till one of tho workmen on tho electrical staff is available. Tho subscriber whoso telephone is out of order also waits, but he is accustomed to it" Economy also prevails in salaries. Clerks receive from sixty to a hunelrod anel twenty pounds a year; women clerks from forty-four pounds to eighty-eight; and provincial director"*, c_oh with entire charge of postal affairs in ono of the eighty-six departments in France, receive only from £240 to £400. Perhaps some further reductions loomed amongst those "oppressive and tyrannical regulations" said to have provoked the strike

"It needed only the fierce Small light of a great disaster, But such as the earthquake in Able. Calabria and Sicily provided,

to bring homo to tho world at large tho position which the young King of Italy has won for himself in the minds and hearts of his people." So writes "Diplomaticus" iv a very interesting sketch .of the career and character of tho King, contributed to tho '-World's Work." From tho boginning, ho soys, Fate was unkind to tho little Crown Princo of Italy. For many years tho House of Savoy ruled over Italy by tolerance alone. Physically he was everything that a future Sovereign should not bo. As a little boy he was too weak to walk upstairs, and no ono supposed that ho would reach manhood. As a remedy it was decided to put him under what was called "the English system." His lifo was regulated by Spartan rules. Ho was put under a military tutor; slept in a cold room; took a cold bath every morning, whether ill or well; if late for his very early breakfast, went without; began lessons at half-past seven ; and afterwards went for a ride, wet or fine. Often ho returned to tho palaco soaked through, but tho programme was never relaxed. The result was that the puny boy tleveloped into a strong, hardy man, with great strength of character, and an unusual capacity for work. His diminutive size caused the Princesses of Europe to turn up their noses at him, until he mot Helena of Montenegro, who became his wife. It wa§ a love-match, and from all accounts is an ideal union. Tho King is popular with his people in general, but not very popular with Roman society, which finds him very bourgeois, because ho leads a lifo of domestic happiness, entertains little, anel finels his chief pleasure in outdoor pursuits. His people think that they havo no sounder statesman than their little King. His political views arc strongly liberal, and he is said to contemplate with a certain degree of equanimity the possibility of Italians ono day preferring a President to a King. Ho onco told a leading Republican that ho intended to educate his son so that, if Italy bocamo a Republic, he woulel bo fit to become its President.

Queen Helena, whoso lieroAn ism at Messina was the Heroic admiration of Iho world, Queen, comes of a race noted for its strength anel its courage. It is said that the King's father pondered long before giving his consent to tho marriage, his Prime Minister urging on him tho necessity of allying tho house of Savoy with some more, powerful dynasty. "My son has chosen a princess belonging to a bravo and noblo race, who have fought for tbeir liberty and independence," was the King's verdict. "The house of Savoy can hope for no more desirable allianco than that which is based upon the possession of such virtues." Could ho have foreseen how sho would behave in tho scenes of horror in Calabria and Sicily, he would not have ponelered a moment. "All will be well when your Majesties reach the stricken district," said an obsequious politician to tho King and Queen as they were leaving for "the front." "I wish jou would not talk nonsense," snapped the King, with natural annoyance. However, there was a germ of truth in the other's remark, for we are told by an American magazine that the appearance of their Majesties among the ruins and victims had much the same effect as the sight of Napoleon had on his army. Queen Helena was brought up in a country that is as poor-*_s it is proud. Nicholas of Montenegro has to scrape along on £5000 a year, a mere pittance for a ruling prince. His six daughters wero therefore brought up in the strictest economy. "'Among theCourts of Europe the palace at Cettinje was like the simple parsonage house in a parish <;f millionaires. It was a palace of plain living and high thinking, tho home of purity, honour, truthfulness, and patriotism. A

woman can walk alone from ono end of the principality to the other, day or night, without being molested."' Princess Helena was fond of an outdoor life, and could handle a rifle, or track a bear, as well a.s her brothers. Her

education was not neglected. Montenegro is poor, but has rich racial relalations. and Alexaneier of Russia saw that the daughters of Nicholas wero educated in the most aristocratic school in St. Petersburg. Queen Helena is now considered one of the most accomplished of European Queens.