NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2109, 28 March 1914, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

'fill; latest development of the British Army crisis is the resignation of the Chief of the Imperial General Staff (Sir John Fuexcu). The position has become so. serious-, that Mr. Amvnn has had ail interview with the King, and has promised to make an early statement on the matter which is sure to be awaited with the keenest in to rest. The, ciiffi. r.ultws of the Govcrurao.nfc appear to be increasing every day, and if its troubles continue to mount up at

the present rate it must sos-a be 1 overwhelmed. In summing a.p the position the London Timet remarks that Ministers have sunk deeper into; the bog, which must soon close over' their heads. When the Home Jink Bill reaches its second reacting stage next week a very bitter, de-bate may be expected. Mr. AsqwiTii will then give, full details of his proposed concessions, but the concentration of troops in the neighbourhood of Ulster, and the rumours of A coup d'ctal, have stirred up feelings of such passionate resentment that the Government's peaee proposals are not likely to get a very sympathetic reception from the unionists. If the Government comes with a sword in one hand anil concessions in the other it is useless to expect much progress towards a settlement by consent. It remains to he-- seen whether Ma. ASQurTHwill so modify, ■his proposals regarding the exclusion of Ulster as make theirs acceptable to the ether side, and the second reading debate should make it clear whether arty agreement is possible. If the Government's proposals- are rejected what will Sappen? Will Mi?, AsQKira agree to a referendum or a general election, or will the order bo "full speed ahead" f Decisive action cannot be ■delayed much longer.

The fact that' Mr. D. J. Nathan is credited with being one of the little- inner circle which plays an important part in shaping t'uo for' ■ tunes of_ the "Liberal" part}; may account in a measure for the astonishing views concerning 'the strike which he has been presenting to the Australian public through the : medium of a Press interviewer. A<> ■ cording to a cable message which we publish this morning, Mr. | Nathan stated thiat "the; whole business wa:s a piece of political engineering for party, purposes, stage-: managed with a sort of Jlarfiiavellian finesse." The "whole business", presumably means that the.; Government- prompted the trouble among the shipwrights; that it inspired them to place their affairs in J the hands pf the watersiders; that it. induced the watersiders to break! their agreement .by holding the memorable stop-work meeting; that; it persuaded the watersidcrs to hand; oyer the control of the strike' to the 1 Bed Federation., and so on to the end ■! of the chapter. • To attempt to; saddle the Govern.tfte&t with the re-' sp&nsibility for the strike is really too ludicrous even for the .most ex-, treme type of Wardist or lied Federationist in this country, but apparently oar Australian neighbours are regarded as capable of swallowing anything put before them, It ' may be, of course, that MB. Natjiaj; has been misroported, but if such is not the case, then the passage .across the Tasraan Sea has stimulated his imagination in a quits amazing degree. We. shall await with a good- deal of interest the arrival _of the Sydney newspapers containing the full report of Mit. ' Nathan's views. No one can object to ■ Mr. Nathan showing his dislike ' of the Government by criticising its adieus, but if ho is correctly rc- . ported, he has seriously overstepped | the boundary of lair criticism, and misrepresented the position to aft ' extent which ho will find, it difficult to explain awav.- In Wellington, :ho doubt,... be .15.., sufficiently ' well known to ensure that on such .& subject his opinions Would be given the exact weight they deserve; tint in Australia it- -is possible that they may bo taken more seriously.