NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 234, 28 June 1920, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY

Tlw announcement by Mr. Lloyd George Hint Britain is prepared to pay her debto to Amarica without further favours than the postponement of Ihe payment of interest previously granted should put an end to the mischievous rumours lately in circulation in the American Press. Of I lie British external debt of 1278 millions sterling practically the whole is owing to the United States. Last year a total of 86 millions was paid off. and of this year's 534 millions allotted for debt induction a considerably increased amount will go to the United States. It has already been definitely announced that +t.e Anglo-French loan of 500 million dollars raised in America will be paid off in full on the duo date this autumn without further borrowing in tho United States. These figures show plainly tha 1 ; the United State need not bo fearful of financial loss through British failure to pay. How much of the burden of tho world war John Bull still carries on his broad back is indicated by the . approximate figures uf direct taxation per capita recently ;;iven by the Chancellor oil the ExchequersDirect taxes per capita. 1913. i9H. £s. d. £e. d. United Kingdom .... 15 3 1 1 It 0 Frwice 2 7 6 0 13 a Italy 2 3 3 0 12 6 United States 5 8 0 0 3 0 British character and grit aro to-day facing and slowly solving ,\ financial problem of a magnitude far «xceeding that of any other country.

The opening of the Turnbull Library to-day will make available to students what ia probably th« finest folleclion in the world of literature relating to the Pacific Ocean and the lauds and peoples in and bordering it. As the task of ci/aloguiug is not complete, it is only this portion of the library that can be thrown open at present for public reference. The late Mr. Turn)>ull|s gift is wio whose value will be more fully appreciated as time »oes on, and the whole of it* rich and varied contents have been indexed and systematically arranged. It is especially a storehouse of information concerning til aspects of life in past days in New Zealand that no historical student or writer can afford to neglect. We live in bread-and-butter days, and few indeed of our citizens are there with the means, knowledge, and inclination to make such a collection as Mr. Tiirnbull's, together with the public spirit to leuvo it ..•> a frco gift for the iwe of all who would know more of the history of tho land in which they live. Mr. Turnbull was a man who figured little in the public oye during his lifelime, but he has left a monument that should endure long after the names of many of his more noisily active contemporaries have passed to oblivion.

Although prohibition is now the law of the land in the United States, some observers predict that it will be an issue in national politics for at least ten jears to come. As matters are shaping, howover, it seems more likely to operate as a disturbing factor inside and outside the main parties than to promote a clear division. The prohibition law in itself is firmly established. The Volstead Act, providing for the enforcement of the Federal amendment which brought prohibition into operation, lias successfully withstood attack in Congress —a morion to repeal it was defeated in the House of Representatives not long ago by 254- votes .to 85—and its legality has been upheld also by the United States Supreme Court. Nevertheless prohibition constitutes a campaign issue over which warring factions aro sharply divided, and a recent cablegram mentioned that it promises to become an important feature of the Democratic Convention which meets to-day to elect a Presidential nominee. Some expectations are entertained that the/Republicans .as a party may espouse the prohibition cause, and the Democrats take the other 6ide, but the position meantime is somewhat nebulous. The minority in Congress which voted to repeal the Volstead Act included 41 Republicans and 44 Democrats. Apparently the Republicans at their recent convention took no decided stand us- a, party on the prohibition issue, but their selection nl Senator Harding as a Presidential <;>rididate so displeased the organised prohibitionists that, the latter are said to ,be thinking of running their own Presidential ticket. The prohibition issue is bound to be raised definitely at the Democratic Convention. The Democrats of New Jersey (Governor Edwards's State) and Now York have been actively organising an anti-prohibition campaign for months past. Tho failure of the Republicans to secure the approval of tho prohibitionists may, however, tempt the Democrats to bid for the antiliquor vote, and strengthen those elements in the party, led by Mr. W. J. Bryan, which favour prohibition.

The recent action- of the members of the Commonwealth Parliament in raisins their salaries from .£6OO to ,£IOOO a year continues to meet with the strongest public disapproval. The Labour machine in Australia is becoming increasingly suspicious of the Labour members of Parliament, and is bringing a heavy hand down on members who regard themselves as other than its delegates and mouthpieces. These feelings of distrust have not been lessened by the new financial basis on which the Federal members have proposed to place themselves and their households. In Victoria Labour M.P.'s have been ordered to pay half of the increase into the Victorian Labour ohest. The South Australian Labour League bus adopted a more thoroughgoing and Spartan, policy, and has ordered the South Australian Labour members of the Federal Parliament to pay back into the Treasury the whole of the increase. No other political organisation in Australia, though all aro cumbered with members voting for and participating in the salary grab, has yet dealt with it in this thorough manner. The politicians aro everywhere excusing them-

selves by offering percentages of tho increase to this and that charity. Public opinion has repudiated an unwarranted rise in pay of which no notice was given, and the South Australian Labour Party is to be congratulated on insisting on the return of the money to where it belongs. # * # * Tho enigmatical statement of Mr, Bainbridge Colby, bus new Secretary of State, will doubtless reopen discussion in America as to whether Mr. Wilson regards himself as a candidate for the Democratic nomination. Mr. Colby, as reported last week, says Mr. Wilson did not discuss with him the question of standing for a third term, but significantly added, "1 do not know anyone less inclined to dictate to his party than President Wilson." Mr. Wilson's silence at this late stage, and in view of tho frequently published references to his possible candidature, may be taken us indicating that he has not finally dismissed the idea of a third term from his mind. No President of the United States has held office for more than two terms. There is nothing in the Constitution, it is true, to prevent the same man from being re-elected, continuously throughout the term of his natural life. But tradition has made what has so far been an iron rule, Washington absolutely refused to accept a third term, urging the risk to Republican institutions of having tho same man too long in office. Mr. Wilson's temperamental defects have created a deep-seated antagonism to him in America, and the chief objection to his' rule is that it has been a one-man Government throughout, a thing widely resented by American republicanism. Hie chances of re-election—even should lie consent to stand—would lppoar to be negligible.