NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 275, 16 August 1932, Page 8

NOTES OF THE DAY

Affairs in the Irish Free State appear to be drifting dangerously hear to a situation in which violent clashes between opposing sections may be unavoidable. Mr. de Valera refuses to disarm the Irish Republican Army in accordance with an earlier pledge. To combat acts of terrorism by this irreconcilable organisation Mr. Cosgrave’s supporters are forming another force. The means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done. With two armed bodies hostile to each other and on the alert for provocative acts the atmosphere is apt to become highly inflammable. To cap this state of affairs, and calculated further to intensify the prevailing bitterness, is the "general financial, uncertainty, political uneasiness, commercial stagnation, agricultural depression and the flight of capital,” caused by Mr, de Valera’s wrecking policy. It is indeed pathetic to survey the ruin already wrought by this political fanatic, whose every argument in defence of his actions demonstrates how utterly he fails to comprehend the realities of his country’s situation. ' « • * * *

Fifteen members of the British Independent Labour Party have been expelled for refusing to' sever their association with 4 the main Parliamentary Labour group in accordance with their party’s decision. As the expulsions were made effective at the behest of the Scottish Executive-it looks as if the Clydeside extremists are now on the boxseat, and that the party will be committed definitely to a policy of revolutionary Socialism. The incident shows how hopelessly divided arc the ranks of British Labour. It contains within it elements that have nothing in common with each other. Hence it is not difficult to understand how the Labour-Socialist Party in Britain was unequal to the task of dealing with the recent momentous national crisis in a truly national spirit. Some of its leaders showed that they could think nationally. The others could not see beyond the frontiers of their class.

When opening recently the new laboratories of the British Cast Iron Research Association at Birmingham Lord Rutherford took occasion to refer to an aspect of tariff protection which it is necessary should be kept in mind. It has been one 'of the arguments against protection that it tends to weaken enterprise and the incentive to increasing efficiency. “On one point I am quite clear,” said Lord Rutherford. “The public will expect that any industry that is protected by a tariff should be thoroughly aware of the need of organisation and of scientific research.” The same point has frequently been emphasised in every home of sheltered industries. Protection has been given to enable these to become established. In some cases this has been, regarded as a permanent benefit, even to be increased when trade is bad. Thus protection as a principle loses part of its virtue. Lord Rutherford was on sound ground in warning those whom he addressed of the danger of "loafing” on protection instead of taking advantage of the opportunity it afforded of making real progress.

A news item yesterday recorded the first promotion of a nativeborn J ower "deck seaman to commissioned rank in the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy. Such promotions in the Navy in the past were impossible, and in later years extremely rare. Promotion from the lower-deck is now a recognised principle of the Service. It is unfortunately the case, however, that no appreciable extension of it in practice will be possible for some considerable time to come. Speaking to this point when introducing the Navy Estimates in the House of Commons in March last, the First Lord of the Admiralty said it was his desire to see first consideration given to the promotion of leading seamen and petty officers according to their powers of leadership and command. There was, however, an increasing block in the promotions of commissioned officers due to the surplus left over from the War, and to the steady shrinkage in the number of fighting ships with the consequent reduction of personnel. He instanced the fact that while Lord Nelson became a captain when under 21, Lord Beatty at under 30, and Lord Jellicoe at 37, the average age of promotion from commander to captain was now 42L It might be necessary, he added, to stop all promotions from the rank of commander for a year in order to ease_ the block further up. Our young New Zealander who has just gained promotion may therefore consider himself fortunate.