NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 136, 5 March 1929, Page 10

NOTES OF THE DAY

It is to be hoped that the. recent power breakdown is .not. to be accepted as an inevitable periodical affair likely to descend iippn us at a moment’s notice. Thanks to local generators in Wellington the City itself has not suffered much interruption, but those further .out in the country districts have no such plant upon which to fall back. It is little use going to the trouble of linking up all the power stations of the North Island ,if it is afterwards discovered that the power lines themselves,.the veins of the system, are in reality the weakest link. Clearly means .must be found to make breakdowns from this source extremely rempte; Before very long Europe will become, a vast ..radio telephone exchange capable of ringing up practically anywhere . in the whole world. Since the inception .p.f .' a workable radio telephone system between Britain . and the United. States a year or two ago this service has proved surprisingly popular in spite ■' of apparently prohibitive charges. Already there are three distinct channels of communication with talk of a fourth. ■ Germany is in touch with South America direct, and by linking up with the short wave telephone system at Rugby many parts of the Continent are able to use the existing connections to America. It would-be well for the present-Government of the Dominion to keep an eye on this progress, for lit cannot now be long before similar opportunities will become available in Australia and New Zealand. A telephone talk with the Homeland, whether business or otherwise, could not but be considered as yet another important link in the chain that binds the Empire. #

A nation-wide disrespect for the law is one of the vital notes of concern sounded by President Hoover in his inaugural speech, reported to-day. After reviewing the evidence of this, he announced that he intended to appoint a special commission for “a searching investigation of the whole structure of the Federal system of jurisprudence, to include a method of enforcing the 'Eighteenth Amendment and the causes of abuse under it.” The President does not believe that the abuses of the 'Prohibition laws are at the root ot the general disregard for law, but, as he says himself, disregard for some law destroys respect for all law, and what is wanted is a sharpening-up of the public conscience in this respect. The new President’s decision is long overdue. The process of the Law in the United States is so encumbered with technicalities that it is not difficult for resourceful lawyers to multiply delays 'and ip many cases defeat the ends of justice. There-is a cable message to-day to the effect that in Chicago’ last year there were no fewer than 498 murders. Out of every 79 persons, statistics show, one is killed by violence. There is nothing comparable with this state of affairs in any -other country of the .world. Much of the crime in America is directly due to open contempt of the law. and its officers, due in some measure to graft and corruption of police and officials. Swift reprisal is the essence of effective justice, and certain punishment its strongest guarantee. Neither of these factors can be said to obtain at present in the United States. .

In his speech accepting the Republican nomination for the American Presidential election Mr. Hoover made it clear that his foreign policy would be largely dictated by the interests of world peace. This declaration is reiterated in the report of his Inauguration Speech on his installation as President, but is amplified by a candid preference for.the procedure of. the World Court of International Justice as an instrument for the adjustment of differences between nations,' especially the differences between America and other countries. An old difficulty is thus brought well into the limelight. America is billing to come into the World Court on certain conditions set out. in a series of reservations which have been frequently mentioned in these columns. Mr. Hoover is anxious that his country’s insistence on these reservations should not be misinterpreted, He need not have any apprehensions on that score. The real opposition to United States opinion in this connection is based upon the reservation which entitles the American Senate to approve by ratification the form of any question concerning the interests of the United States which it may be proposed to refer to the World Court The Advisory Committee of the Court may prepare the question, but it is to be open to the Senate to reject it. Other countries are prepared to accept the procedure of the Court as it now stands, and do not see why America should not do. likewise. President Hoover now believes that a way out can be found. The quest, however/will aot be easx.