NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2017, 26 March 1914, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY

The excitomcii.f in the United Kingdf.m rOfiU'ding tlio military movements in Itclaiul and t'lm resi.giiation of Army oJfeoers co'ttti.HUes itftabated. The Uovornment ig being assailed on both sides, ami tlio general ouiiiioii scefitS to be tliat a serious blunder has beer, made, Tho Unionists declare that the reinforcement of the Ulster garrisons at the present juncture is an unnecessarily provocative step; whilo' -a section of the Itadirnls express the opinion flint the Government lia-s allowed the ofjiccrs to bceoipG masters of the situation and to dictate to Parliament. The documents bearing mi the .matter have been 'demanded in both Houses, and their production is being awaited with' inter-, si Tlie sitnatiwi is critical, and it is rumoured that Coi.oxr.l, Seem, flic Secretary for War, offered to resign, but his resignation was not accepted. ■ Tlve Army has now become the centre of controversy, and the other aspccts of the fionie Rule proljkm have for tho present been quite overshadowed by this unexpected development. The Government is in an extremely awlcwai?d fix,, anil its efforts to extricate itself ate causing its supporters much anxiety. The visit of the Minister of Marino to Mastertoii last evening would Bcem to haw stirred up tilings politically iii the inland town. . His addres* atiracled a record, attendance, .and despite the, noisy attentions of what is described as a "lied .Fed" element the, mei ting was most, en'tlMissiastfe ami in every way sttcces&fnL It is an encouraging .sign that the public are showing a proper resentment of the attempts which are being made by small but noisy. bands to disturb meeting,s addressed by Ministers and so prevent full aiid free expression of opinion. Such conduct is not likely to do Ministers or anyone else who may be interrupted in this way any barm: rathe)- tho reverse. It is more likely to'win thorn sympathy. But.it may lead to serious disorder owing to those who object to such unfair tactics retaliating in kind. In -such circumstances words frequently lead to bl&w-s and there is risk of row-.lir.ess developing

into scettcs of violence... The people of Mastei'ton Minister stick a splendid rcoeptioa last evening that perhaps it may help to entry conviction to those who practise the objectionable ftiothodis referred to, of the unwisdom of their conduct.

A political crisis has occurred ixi Japan resulting in the resignation of the Cabinet and the prorogation of Parliament, Early in February a sensation was caused by a navy scandal, and apart from this incident a fading- of dissatisfaction lias existed for some time past- regarding the growth of expenditure oil the. na,v.y. The Budget Committed reduced tlie Kstii:ntes a few weeks ago, and the- renewal of the attack has now caused the Ministry to re-sign. The Londoii Times recently stated that there is some, uncertainty about the actual Japanese naval pre gramme, According to a Ministerial statement last year the. navy -was to he regarded as capable of meeting a "certain imaginary foe" possessed j of 21 battleships and armoured criiis-1 <ers. The programme, which;-was to ha co!ii[)letcd by 191(5-17, was to cast! £51,C00,000, but this amount was subsequently reduced to £:.!r>.,GOO,t)no, while the latest version provides for the construction of three new battleships at a cost of £-9,;<00,000, For some time oast public feeling in Japan has been running very high, and great mass have been held. A vote -of want ef confidence in the. Government whs moved on February 10, and when its rejection was announced to the vast gathering of 2;>,f100 people which was Waiting outside Parliament violent scenes ■took place, and tlie trouble became so, serious that tlie troops had to be called out to suppress the rioting. The crisis will have an indirect heading cm. the relations between America ajid Japan. When the United States Navy Estimates were being diseussed I!KA!i-Amnr.,u, Vkeelakd urged that w«i - Dreadnoughts should be laid down instead -of two in view of the growth- of the Japanese fleet. Ho declared that Japan would be able tq capture the Panama Canal, take the Philippines and Ijawai-i, afid; hole! -the Califortiian Ooiigfc at its mercy. The- latest developments in Japan will result in a lessening of the strain, because the. Naval Estimates will lift reduce:! by £0.800,000 as the- previous Budpet now becomes onerative automatically.