BRITISH AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1438, 13 May 1912, Page 8

BRITISH AFFAIRS.

GERMANY'S EXAMPLE, WHY NOT FOLLOW IT AND THRIVE? Mr. Harold Bcauchamp gave a Dominion interviewer his views of British politics as seen and studied by him during Ms recent sojourn in England. "Xo tloiilil," lie said, "British politics are at present, in a deplorable position, mviuß lo the three-parly ty s tein, and great anxiety is exhibited as to the future trend. II seems unfortunate that tile tail, in. the shape of the Irish party, should be able to wag the dor;. Vnionists have boon a Bond deal heartened Iv the appointment of Mr. Uonar Law as leader ol their parly, but I question whether he possesses siillicienl magnetism to ensure perl'oi't loyally annus tho parly. TVie man of lli-o hour, so !nr as the Unionists .•iri) concerned, is still Mr. Balfour, but physically ho is incapable of re-enteriujr ihe political arena as their chief. '"! ho ouhluwlinf! politician among the Liberals is still Mr. Lloyd-George, but undoubtedly hi.-, niana has been a fleeter! by I hu National Insurance Act, which has Ix'on so sharply criticised by so nicny classes "f the community. Still, his resourcefulness and acumen are so great that j. .should nut bo surprised to see him live, down tho unpopularity 'hat. lias been created through the passing of that Act. There are already indications to that effect. When I was in England it was frequently suggested that Sir. Asriuith was about to retire from the leadership, and much speculation was indulged in as to who would bo bis successor. Tho chief aspirants would, I think, bo Mr. Lloyd-George and Sir. Winston Churchill, but I fancy tho man che-son would bo Sir Edward Grey, who is regarded as a much more solid politician than either of them. With Sir Edward Grey as leader, and some slight alterations in the poisomici of tho Ministry, 1 believe they would be able to keep in power for a considerable time yet. "Tho movement for fiscal reform does not make much progress in the United Kingdom, despite the fact that many leading politicians continue to urge that unless an alteration bo made vn'thin the near future, English commercial power will 1>? seriously challenged by other countries. Already Germany has succeeded in crushing several British industries by using many countries as the dumping grounds for her surplus products. 1 cannot help thinking that there must be something really wrong with the fiscal policy of tho Oil! Country, when one sees thousands of. I able-bodied men and women emigrat- | ing from her shores, and many in- | dustries languishing. On the other "hand, I in Germany, where I spent several weeks, II found industries expanding in a most marvellous way, and there were practically no unemployed. Ir. point of fact, il is necessary, in order to man the industries and carry out many public works, for Germany to draw labour from other Continental countries, notably from Italy, In travelling through Gormany, I wis much struck by the better appearance of tho working classes there in health, , physique, dress, and happiness, as com- | pared with the same classes in hnglarid. It is probably not realised by most people that to-day the immigration to ''ferm.iny about equals the emigration from that country. "In England, I believe there are a million men out of work. With an altaiation in the fiscal system, it is only ruiiiimablo to suppose that many of these would fco earning a good living and thus relieving tho taxpayers of a gigantic burden. I also think tho physique " the people would ho improved by some farm cf m'litary training, and this "')'ifl nlso r.is>hO them more amenable to discipline, a quality in which they are undoubtedly lacking as compared with the Germans. Instead of looking at the German.? as probaWo foes, wo'could with advantage adopt many of their methods."