NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2216, 31 July 1914, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The keen desire of the Opposition Party to suppress facts which it finds inconvenient or unpalatable is becoming increasingly noticeable. It has of late pursued its passion for tho suppression of facts with an industry which, to use a hackneyed phrase, is worthy of ft better cause. yesfcorda-y.it added fco the list of its achievements in this direct-ion by talking'out the motion to print tho report for the year of the Lands and Survey Department, and so^ definitely delaying the circulation of that important 'document. That this is uot the first occasion on which the Opposition has given, way this session to its passion for concealment anyone

may see for himsolf who looks at the Order Paper of the Houso of Representatives. Within the last few weeks two other important papers have been held up by the Opposition just as the Lands Report was yesterday. One was the annual report of tho Stats Fire Insurance Department, and the other a return showing tho amount of money derived f\'om the sale of Crown lands, which was paid into the Consolidated Fund as revenue during the term of the Continuous Ministry, and improperly used to inflate the surpluses of those days. _It is true that steps were taken in each caso to make the information contained in these papers public, but the Opposition did what they could to prevent it. It is no doubt very annoying to Sir Joseph Ward and his supporters to see papers brought clown which help to expose the failures and shortcomings of .their own past administration, and demonstrate the better work of their political opponents, but they should recognise that the people of tho country are entitled to the information, which public papers convey. '

If the last Balkan War demonstrated" anything, _ it was that the Great Powers desired nothing more fervently than to avoid a general conflagration such as now seems-almost inevitable. The .prolonged tension of 1912 and 1913 has had a sobering effect 911 European diplomacy, and it is significant that the newspaper files to hand should contain much discussion of possible future changes in international relations. Baron d'Estournelles de Constant, ' who helped materially to bring about the Entente C'ordiale in -1903, has been busily engaged -in persuading his countrymen that the time has now arrived when France should hold out the hand of friendship to Germany, and the Manchester .Guardian asserts that the party in France whichfavours a Triple Entente, with Germany as the third party instead of Russia,' is much more powerful than is generally supposed. France is feeling the burden of militarism, and tho crises over the army law have revealed a strong disinclination to pile on expenditure mainly to suit tho policy of the other partner in the Franco-Russian Alliance. In Germany the value of the combination with Austria-Hungary and Italy has not remained unquestioned. There is no fear of Austrian fidelity, but much doubt as to her value as an ally. All the responsibility, it is declared, is on one side, and all the helplessness on the-other. Germany must gave Austria from dissolution, and this State which she must save is her _prin'6ipal partner in a defensive alliance i Italy is a weak reed t-o lean upon, and an uneasy ■' feeling is stirring in the Fatherland that in the hour of. future trial Germany may stand alone. ' ■ '

The disquiet in Germany at the weakness of Austria-Hungary has not been _ lessened'by the realisation' of Russia's growing strength. Military and political circles in Berlin, Tye are told by a writer in the Fortnightly Review, havo modified the disparaging views which they held of Russia's strength five or six years ago. Even 'three years back Russia played. ,a small part in the. forecasts of the c'omiiig Armageddon." The decisive struggle was to be in the , west, and with Franco quickly disposed of, Austria-Hungary would be aided, in-the relatively easy task of finishing off Russia. The old idea of a slow Russian army lumbering towards the frontier is stated to have given place to a 1 feeling that it is in the east that Germany must in future concentrate tho bulk of her forces. This painful necessity' will .not obliterate the fact that the danger from France is! not one whit abated. The situation is not one calculated to put German statesmen in a happy mood, nor can there be much pleasure in answering the call to pull still more ohestnuts out of the fire for Austria-Hungary.

It is unnecessary to follow Me. W. A. Yeitch, M.PI, through the fancy ■flights on the subject of proportional representation in which he indulged last evening, but there was a saving touch of common sense in his remarks about tho esteem in which Parliament and politicians arc held' by tho general public. It is probably true, 'as he said, that Parliament commanded more respect twenty years, or even ten years, ago than it does to-day. To the broad fact, however, Me. Yeitch attachedprobably too much importance, for the irreverence of the present age extends to many other institutions than Parliament, and politicians are not the only class of people who have suffered a diminution in public respect. Nevertheless thero is an clement of truth in the explanation put forward by the member for nui as accounting for the lessened respect in which politicians are held at the presonfc day. Tho opposed parties,_ he said, bend their efforts upon discrediting ono another, and the public believo both. The remedy obviously lies in the hands of politicians themselves, It is to be found not so much in fancy schemes for recasting the political system as in a substitution of honest debate for idle bickering. What is wanted is that measures rather than men should be selected as the themes of discussion. The principal obstacle to this desirable reform is the tendency of weak men to imagine that they are personally attacked when their proposals and methods are subjected to criticism. There is room for a great deal of improvement in debate and in the conduct of business, but the Reform Party certainly deserves' credit for the fact that it is being, impressed upon members of Parliament, and indirectly upon the genpublic, that Parliament is primarily a place for useful work.