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Press, Volume L, Issue 15121, 10 November 1914, Page 6

There are gleams of humour in the furious boycott in Germany of everything English. At first it was'proposed that Shakespeare should come under the ban, and the idea, was apparently acceptable. But we learn- that at one house, at least, the Doutsches Theatre in Berlin, Shakespearean plays are being produced uudpr the direction of Max Reinhardt. Playgoers were consulted, and thoso who declared for the play seem to have inclined to the opinion that Shakespeare was really a German author! But this i s what one might expect from German conceit. Wo should liavo thought that "Henry V." would at this juncture be the most unsuitable of all the plays, for production in Germany, but Herr yon Beth-mann-Hbllweg is reported to have said: ''Play 'Henry V..' whose royal words, 'Then to Calais, from there to England's soil,' will find an echo in German, hearts." Did the Chancellor forget the words of the chorus in "Henry V.," so appropriate to England's mood to-day?

Now all the youth of England aro on fire, And eiiker dalliance in tho wardrobe lice; Now thrive tho armourers, and honour's thought Rcigne soldy in Iho breast of every man. Wβ'do not suppose »"Henry V. , ' is being played in Berlin, but if ifc is, we are quit© certain that these lines are not spoken.

Tho Senussi, who are reported to be marching on Egypt, are a sect about whom a good deal has been written of recent years. They are fanatical Mohammedans, and are to be found in tho northern part of the great African desert, from near the frontier of Egypt to Morocco. Their headquarters aro in tho oasis of Ktifra, in the Libyan desert, south of Tripoli. Kufra is one jof the most inaccessible places in the world. Only one European has ever penetrated to it, and that was a good many years ago. Ambitions promising groafc peril to tho European nations who hold African territory have been attributed to the Soimssi. The adherents of the Order, which resembles a secret society in its methods, number a mitlion, and their militant fanaticism would make them formidable foes. It is known that they do a great deal of proselytising work among non-Moslem tribes in more southerly parts of the continent. No doubt the danger from the Senussi has been exaggerated. Sufficient account has not been taken of lack of organisation, modern arms, and military training, which would

hamper any attempt made by tho Seaussi to drivo the British, French, or Italians out of Northern Africa. Still, with the Turks on the eastern frontier, an irruption of Senusei in the west would be exceedingly awkward for

the British in Egypt. This would, however, compel Italy to take a hand in tho widening war. Italy could not allow her newly-acquired colony to be threatened by Senussi success.

We referred the other day to a rebuke administered to Mr JBcrnard Shaw

lin "Blackwood's." Mr Shaw, after I ridiculing British defences in peace, when -war broke out immediately became an advocate of hard-bitting. "Our immediate business,' , he said, '•is to fight as hard as we can." , Mr Shaw's immediate business, commented the "Blackwood" -writer, wa s to hold his tongue. It is still his business, and tho appeal ho has made to President Wilson makes us wish more than ever that ho would cultivate silence. .Mr | Shaw wants neutral countries to in- ' duco tho French, British, and Germans to clear out of J3ohjiuiu, and fight in their own countries. As to how [ the combatants arc to disengage, and j whero tho fighting is to be resumctS. i Mr Shaw cannot have tho vaguest no- j tion. It is tlie most tuprouioly silly i suggestion of tho war. Mr .Shaw is \ regarded by some of his admirers as a i great thinker. "Tho -worst of great thinkers," .said Bright, "is that they so often think wrong." ]

I Most Canterbury people are familiar J nowadays with tho liberties the Opposition newspaper takes with official figures, and, accordingly., they are inclined to pay little attention to Opposition statistics. This is ;t pity, because frequently our contemporary quotes figures correctly. To bo sure, it .select's its figures very carefully; the Opposition are very s-eusitive on tho point, and do not hesitate to ignore- tho figures which will not Indiavo nicely. Yesterday it- picked out n low figures from tho Abstract of Statistics,for October, but it failed to quote the really interesting onos. It would not hare helped the '"Liberal -, argument that Mr Massey has borrowed enormously, perhaps, but it would have helped that argument to be understood, to quoto these figures:— Riso in public indebt-erine** per head in lasf two years of Ward Administration .. .574 Rise in first two years of Reform Administration .. .. \ 9 0 If -we continue this sort of comparison, and apply it to taxation, we have this result: — £ c. d. J Rice in taxation per head in last I tyro years of AVard Adminiatra- ! tion .. .. .. 018 4 ~Ri&e in first two years of Reform Administration .. .. 0 G 2 There aro -other -ways, too, of looking at tho movements of revenue and expenditure than through the Opposition window. Mr Massey is blamed because, between the y-ears 1911-12 and 19KM1 tho expenditure increased by £1,'00,----4xMj, as against an increase of £1,163,-500 in revenue. But let «s take the central period of tho Ward Administration —when, Aye suppose, Waxdism was at its prime:—

1907-8. 1909-10. Increase. £. £ £ Revenue •.. 9,063,939 9,238,917 174,028 Expenditure, .. 8,213,965 8,990,922 776,957 If Mr Massey "went to the bad" by £316,996 in two years, Sir J. G. Ward went to the bad in the two years mentioned to the extent of £602,029.

If these statistics are considered to have very little human interest, let us turn to pensions—a subject which tho Opposition really ought not to avoid so pointedly. Tho following statistics are worth quoting: — Last two First two years years In"Ward Reform creaso Govern- Govern- under ment. inent. Reform. ■£ £ £ Old age pensions 819,550 .860,173 40.R23 Widowe' pensions 14.563 54,088 80,225 Military pensions Nil 63,606 C3.G66 Total increase ■.. .. £143,51-1 The amount actually paid in respect of pensions in 1913-li was over £G5,000 more than in the last year of the Ward Government.