A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 301, 16 September 1936, Page 7

A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Old Bailey Customs For the trial of George Andrew McMahon at the Old Bailey, the UnderSheriff, picturesquely dressed in velvet jacket, knee breeches and lace Mils, and two aldermen in blue robes and carrying posies of flowers, preceded the crimson-robed judge. Tlfe Old Bailey or Central Criminal Court, is supposed to be the court of the Lord Mayor and Aidermen of London, and the bench is not properly constituted, and no prisoner ean be tried, unless the Lord Mayor Or one of the aidermen is present on the bench. But these dignitaries take no part in the proceeding's, which are conducted entirely by the Recorder Common Sergeant, assistant judge, or a judge of the King’s Bench Division, who comes down to try capi- ' tal offences and a few other serious cases. There is invariably placed on the bench in front of the judge a posy of sweet-smelling flowers, and his lordship always carries another posy. A few sprigs of scented, herbs are also scattered on the floor. This custom dates from the time when jail fever was very prevalent in Newgate Prison, and. to prevent the infection reaching their lordships a sort of floral barrier was Interposed between the dock and the bench. At the Old Bailey, too, the entrance of the judge into court is always announced by A loud knock with a mallet on the door. The scarlet and ermine robes, such as the judge presiding at this case is described as wearing, are derived from the robes of the prelates who were formerly the judges. Judge and Sheriff. Reference to the Under-Sheriff at McMahon’s trial draws attention to the part played by sheriffs in their attendance on the King’s judges. A judge is a great man at all times; but when he goes on circuit to hold assizes he becomes a still greater personage. He sits by virtue of a special commission under the Great Seal and is the King’s “other self”; so much so that to kill a judge of assize is high treason, and not plain murder or manslaughter. While he is holding assizes a judge takes precedence 'of all persons whomsoever. This is carried to such length that if he invites people to dine with him, as he very often does, he is served first at his town table, just as the King would be. AU the time he is in the county the High Sheriff must attend him in person, unless specially excused, must provide him with a carriage and an escort, and trumpeters to announce’ his. arrival at and departure from the' assize court Moreover, the 'Sheriff must be properly attired in the fullest dress he is entitled to wear. Mr. Justice Hawkins was once met at the railway station at Gloucester by the high sheriff dressed in cord breeches and gaiters just as he would be on his estate. His lordship said, “Do you think I am a rabbit? You are fined £5OO. Go home and return suitably attired.” Not only must the sheriff furnish" carriage equipment but also a chaplain who sits in the criminal court all day, attired in a black gown, and whose duty it is to say “Amen” when the judge pronounces sentence of death. Germany and Russia. Herr Hitler is reported to have said ■ that Germany would off no account sir at the same table as Russia in the Locarno Powers’ discussions, thus dismissing hope of an Eastern Pact, “We must not forget,” says Herr Hitler in his book “My Struggle,” “that the international Jew, who continues to dominate Russia, does not regard Germany as an ally but as a State destined to undergo a similar fate. The menace which Russia suffered under is one which perpetually hangs over Germany. Germany is the next great objective of Bolshevism. All the strength of a young missionary idea is needed to raise up our nation once more, rescue it from the embrace of the international python, and stem the corruption of its blood at home, so that the. forces of the nation, once set free, may be employed in preserving our nationality. If this is our aim, it is folly to be too intimate with a Power whose ideal might become the deadly enemy of our future.” An Eastern Pact. In 1929 the Soviet Union negotiated a treaty of non-aggression with her neighbours, the Baltic States, Poland and Rumania, as well as with Turkey and Persia. In 1933 the advent of Herr Hitler, with the openly-proclaiini ed Nazi policy of aggression in Central and Eastern Europe and territorial conquests at the expense of the Soviet Union, and the following GermanPolish Treaty in the beginning of 1934, made it clear that here was the burning point of the menace of war in Europe. In May, 1934, in view of the failure of the Disarmament Conference, M. Litvinoffi put forward the proposal that the Disarmament Conference should be reconstituted as a Permanent Peace Conference charged with the duty of preventing war and devising a workaJble system of guarantees. At the same time the project was developed of an Eastern Security Pact or “Eastern Locarno,” as it was called, which should include Germany, the Soviet Union, Poland, the Baltic States. Finland, and Czechoslovakia in a treaty a£ mutual guarantee against at\tack, and parallel mutual guarantees of France, Germany and the Soviet Union. From the outset Germany and Poland showed hostility to the conception of such a peace pact. Britain gave the idea a blessing, while disclaiming any commitments. But no “Eastern Locarno” could be effective without the inclusion of Germany and Poland, and as a counter to the hostility of these two countries the Franco-Russian Paet was made in May. 1935. The Moltke.

A paragraph in "25 Years Ago ’ in yesterday’s “Dominion” mentioned that the German dreadnought cruiser Moltke, 23,000 tons, did 29* knots—a dreadnought record. This ship was completed at Hamburg in 1911, and was the second battle-cruiser added to the German fleet, the first being the Von det Tann. She was 610 feet long. 96 feet in beam, and had engines of 70,000 horse-power, designed to give a speed of 27 knots. She .carried ten 11-inch, 12 5.9-inch, t and 12 smaller guns, and had a 11-inch thick armament belt amidships. She was among the ships of the German navy surrendered in November, 1918, and was sunk toy her German crew at Scapa on June 21, 1919. The Goeben was a sister ship.