VOICE OF THE NATIONS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 193, 10 May 1924, Page 13

VOICE OF THE NATIONS

SAYINGS AND WRITINGS :: :: OF THE TIMES :: s

Tho Task for Conservatism. “The real task of Conservatism is not to work up a mere anti-Socialist crusade, but to satisfy the nation that political manipulation is no solution of the industrial problem’. It is to convince both employers and employed that they will solve their difficulties far more quickly and more successfully by talking them over together, with all the facts on the table, possibly through some specially constituted industrial machinery, than by fighting or by invoking the dangerous inter vention of the State.” —The London “Times.” Policy v. Pockets.

The question which lies before us is whether this recovery of the franc is to be a real turning point in European policy or a mere breathing space before another and worse catastrophe. By using the gold reserves of the Bank of France the French Government can undoubtedly get sufficient foreign credit to stabilise their exchange at or near its present level, pending measures which they alone can take to set their financial house in order. But if these measures are not taken, stabilisation will end when the gold is exhausted. Now, since it ia highly improbable that foreign bankers would wish to be in a position in which their only remedy would be to drain France of gold at some moment when it would seem imperative to her to keep it, it is a fair presumption that the bankers who have come to the aid of the franc have obtained some assurances about French policy. I sav French ‘policy’ rather than French finance, since no radical reform of French finance is possible without a change of policy.”—Mr. J. A. Spender. The New Mood in Franco.

“It must be appreciated that w* are no longer in the period when Pom care could flout Lloyd George, Bonai Law, or Stanley Baldwin. France »» in no mood for a great game of isolu tionist politics; she is really, m my judgment, in no state of mind favoui able to playing a great role in tho world at the expense of her homo peace. France, as I see her at th'-, moment, is desperately sick of the responsibilities of the Great Power game and not in the least willing to keep that form of show up beyond the minimum of necessity. - I rank Simonds, in tho “Sunday Times. A Word for the Present. “Whatever aspect of life we turn to for comparison it is undeniable that in those humanities which aio the real test, not of civilisation only, but of practical Christianity, tho present time is incredibly in advance of any period in the world’s history. there is more justice, more kindliness, a deeper sense of social relationship, in the highest meaning of the word, more true religion than ever before. As Dr. Clifford once said—when, having declared that the world was growing better, he, was challenged from the audience with the statement that it was growing worse — But I know that it is growing better. I know that when I was a boy. of eight I was called at five o’clock m the morning to go and work in a mill for twelve hours a day,, and I know that tomorrow morning not a child of eight in all this land will suffer that wrong? »»—“A.G.G.”, in the London “Star.” A Hint to tha Broadcasters. “At present the newspaper element of broadcasting is represented by brief summaries of news, weather reports and so forth; but why should brief original composition, specially designed for this end, not be added to the utterance of broadcasting r A little five-minute essay, spoken in his own voice by a well-known author, would have a charm and fascination for people that has evidently not yet been realised. There is no reason, moreover, why leading articles—which are after all only brief essays in the expression of definite opinions—should not form part of the wireless repertoire; and given a good delivery, which can easily be cultivated, there is no reason why the expression of opinion, a s represented by the oldfashioned leading article, should not take a new lease of life and exert a renewed influence ” —l'ilson Young, in the “New York Times Book Review. Bookseller and Public. “What appears to me above, all serious and important is the position of responsibility of the bookseller towards his clients. which renders it more than an interesting and honourable business, a profession noble above others. . . . The sale of niearms is. or is about to be, suoject to regulations; the sale of poisonn is subject to precise and severe control. I am always astonished that one may freely poison the mind and destroy the 'soul of the public. No doubt a regulation of tho bookselling trade similar to that which governs the sale of arms and drugs would be inconvenient, and, above, all, contrary to those famous principles of freedom of thought at the same time absurd and magnificent; magnificent because there is nothing finer and .more legitimate than to claim the right of free expression of thought in all. its fulness and force, in full light without restraint; qbsurd, because they allow anyone to appropriate the same thought, and on the Pretext dom to exhibit .in the face of the world hi s low and improper appetites his ignominy a-? vices.’’-Franc Nohain, in the ‘‘Echo do Pans. A Portentlous Election. “It is unfortunately true that the German , polls wild almost certainly show a considerable diminution in the strength of the bourgeois parties and the Social Democrats, and a corresponding expansion of the Nationalists on one extreme and the Communists on the other. The German elections are therefore fraught with issues or critical importance for Britain and for Europe. Their results will cither make easy a courageous and definite iten towards a lasting peace, or they will undo aIL or nearly all. that has been so painfully accomplished towards converting Allied option outside Britain to moderation. The. tragedy of it if reaction were to triumph in Germany just as reason , seems to be coming to its own on this side of the Rhine!”—“Glasgow Herald.”

Why Is Coal so Dear? It is no doubt not an undesigned coincidence that while the coalminers are demanding from the coalowners a living wage for their arduous and perilous occupation, the Mines Department is calling for a conference of London coal merchants to consider the inferior quality and the high price of the coal that reaches the London consumer. None of the old Governments would have been so impolite as to synchronise those two inquiriesIt is fascinating to imagine the reply of Mr. Gladstone or the late Lord Salisbury to a London householder who had informed him that an undue proportion of the contents of his coalcellar are not coal at all. . For our part we welcome this intrusion of the Central Government into the province where mystery has long held sway, and hope that it may succeed in detecting the game of ‘hunt the slipper” which constantly proceeds on this matter.”—London “Star.” Simple Dress. “I wonder when we shall see a great simplification in the matter of dress. What number of people devote the greater part of their waking thoughts to the consideration of what to wear? The other day a woman engaged in social work and exasperated in her failure to waken any interest in her work in the breasts of some of her friends declared that there were many women of the upper middle classes who, if they did not talk and think of dress, would have nothing with which to occupy their minds.”—“Artifex,” in the“ Manchester Guardian.” A Fact for the Socialist. “The fact is, indeed, that any Government in office, whether it is socialistic or the reverse in its aspirations, is bound to be careful of the susceptibilities and interests of capital. If it is in any way confiscatory in .legislation, if it taxes savings too highly, if its tendency is. to discourage private enterprise, if it neglects the effects of its policy on our whole system of credit and finance, it will rapidly see the result of its work in falling exchanges, in the loss by England of its credit in the world, anp in general financial and economic disorder.” —“The Round Table.” Is tha World "Really So Bad? “Many people are convinced nowadays that civilisation is drawing near to extinction, and that after the present generation the world will perish. There are believers in the millennium as the early Christian Saints ; but they are moderate, un-to-date believers. . It mav be a sort of consolation to thin* that the world will not outlive us. For my part I see no sign of decline in humanity. It is in vain that I hear decadence spoken of. Ido not believe it. I believe that the evolution or humanity is extremely slow, and that the changes occurring m our customs from one century to another aro > B carefully examined, less important than is imasined. But tbev ar© distinctly apparent to us. Whereas we pass unnoticed, the innumerable resemblances we share with our parents. The progress of the world is slow. .The genius of imitation is strong in .man. He invents very little.. There is, in psychologv as in phvsics. a law or uravity that attaches us to the old soil.”—Anatole France, in “ Les Annales.” A Thorn to Spain. “Since his amazing; exploits in 1921 —when the obscure deserter from the Spanish administrative service at Ceuta, Abd-el-Krim, led a handful of Berber mountaineers to victory against a European army of some 15,000 men equipped with all the latest appliances or modem warfare —Abd-el-Krim has acquired a prestige among the Muslimin of North Africa unequalled since tbe days of Abd-el-Kader. The chosen autocrat of 400,000 people who., in the immemorial history of their indomitable race, have never before submitted themselves to one man’s leadership, his rescripts are obeyed and his taxes paid ungrudgingly; though he has, like a Berber Cromwell, dissolved the old Jotnaa, or Council of Elders, -and disciplined the unruly tribal bands into a trained and formidable militia. By purchase and capture he is in possession of adequate modern artillery, as is proved by the recent shelling of the Spanish cruiser Cataluna and the considerable casualties thereby effected. —Lt.-Col. C. P. Hawkes, in the “Daily Mail.” Big popgun propaganda. “Nowadays there would be no difficulty whatever about constructing guns which would send enormously destructive shells to Paris. That we have not made them justifies us- in a mild wonder (let not the French call it uneasiness) at the statement in a Paris newspaper that with a range'of about 90 miles are in position at two points oh the French coast where they are able to command important British towns.’ Fancy that, now! And quite recently M. Poincare has reassured us that France’s warlike preparations are calculated only on the German enemy, and are a precaution only against the German revenge. Why, then, put these big popguns on tbe coast? Perfect as they may be, they cannot fire across all the breadth of France at a German enemv. If the intention is a psychological effect M. Poincare’s psychology is at fault. England is as little to bo intimidated by Big Berthas as by big battalions or great fleets of aeroplanes. —London “Star.” Tho Public Sugar. “If the main object of a Chancellor in these times is to diminish unemployment and foster trade expansion he will probably attack the sugar duties, for cheap sugar would assist every housewife as well as biscuit makers, jam manufacturers, and confectioners. I am told that the majority of Labour members would prefer this even to a scheme for extending pensions, because it would benefit all working-class budgets. I remember that in tho old days of the timber duties Mr. Gladstone thought it better to . reduce them rather than the tea duties, because timber is an important raw material. The same is true of sugar. A reduction of tho sugar duties would stimulate trade directly and indirectly, and it would operate everywhere, benefiting nil classes of the connunity.”—F. W. Hirst, in the “Manchester Guardian.”