NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 102, 24 January 1930, Page 10

NOTES OF THE DAY

• That the King of England should have addressed the Naval Disarmament Conference in the attire of - an ordinary British citizen is an incident of the opening proceedings that impressed America. The York Times entitled its leading article referring.to this momentous occasion, “A Royal Democrat,” and laid stress on the simplicity of the King’s/‘citizen-like attitude.” This attitude has been His Majesty’s habitual and perfectly natural poise. Those who have been privileged to meet Mie King in his domestic environment will testify that he is in deportment and spirit no more and no less than an English country gentleman. It is as such that his subjects would prefer to have him presented to - the outside world. . > .

Mr. Ramsay MacDonald’s decision to. appoint an Economic Advisory Council is an excellent idea. It is open to the criticism, of course, that economists are by no means agreed among themselves as to doctrines or their application. For instance, is Mr. MacDonald going to be guided by disciples of Karl Marx or Adam Smith, of Henry George, Alfred Marshall or J. M. Keynes? It may,make a great deal of difference in the destiny of the nation, The same objection applies, however, to taking expert advice from anyone on any subject. And if we stay too long discussing whether we shall bring a surgeon or a physician to the bedside, it may happen that we shall finally have to summon the undertaker. It is better to call in the practitioner. .He may save a life and, at the least, prevent an inquest. Certainly economists are no guarantee agaiijst political inquests but their advice may assist in obviating necessity for so painful a process. .- k /'•/

Asvlong as the question of the German War Reparations remained undetermined, the door to European stabilisation was closed, Mr. Snowden, on his return from the* second Hague Conference on the question, has announced that all outstanding points have been settled. The first Hague Conference arrived, not without some difficulty, and a slight laceration of international vanity, at a tentative agreement on the principal questions at issue. The' amount due to Great Britain, hitherto an undecided and somewhat delicate matter, was determined. The total war indebtedness to be acknowledged by Germany was fixed. Other matters were the evacuation of the Rhineland, aild the date upon which the new plan, whatever it might be, would begin to operate —a vital matter from the interest point of view. Mr. Snowden’s statement means that the Young plan (the solution presented to the first Hague Conference by Mr. Owen Young, the United States representative), has been adopted in principle; the proposal that the War Debts Repayments shall be made through, and controlled by, an International Bank, has been approved; and the German Reparations Indemnity has been determined. In short, the nations of the world will now know exactly where they stand in regard to the war settlements. That is a prime consideration in the' resolving of stabilised conditions in the post-war world.

Who does not remember the “musical evening” which was a feature of our family life before the distractions of the kinema, the gramophone, and the radio disturbed the even tenor of our old-fashioned ways? In those days, the unfortunate who could not contribute something to the evening’s musical entertainment felt very much out of it. He or she would see this young lady and that young gentleman come forward to the piano, in most cases with a great display of modesty and reluctance, with feelings of envy. “I hope you have brought your music,” was the challenging greeting of one’s hostess/ and upon the answer thereto depended whether one would be. numbered with the sheep or the goats. Naturally, nearly every nice yoting person who desired to shine in his little community sought to become proficient in at least one department of drawing-room entertainment. To-day that incentive is gone. Hence, according to Dr. S. Phillips, one of the speakers at the Conference of the Society of Professional Musicians, the falling-off in the number of students, complained of by many music teachers. Dr. Phillips would have us revive the music party as one means of doing something “to help along music generally.” It may be very much doubted whether, after being well-seasoned in gramophone and radio music, the present generation would care to go back to the days of the old-time musical evening, when flourished the throaty contralto, the uncertain soprano, the husky elocutionist, the precocious piano thumper, and the perfectly appalling amateur fiddiet,