THE KAISER AND HIS PEOPLE.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 79, 30 September 1905, Page 9

THE KAISER AND HIS PEOPLE.

The Berlin correspondent of' The Time 3, a very cool observer, speaks strongly of the discontent which begins to be manifested in Germany with the Emperor's Wetpolitik. The people are dissatisfied -with the progress of affairs in South-West Africa — whither, it is 1 said, five thousand fresh fcroops have been despatched without -any provision in Parliament for tin expense — and with the negative Tesult of recent attempts to separate Great Britain and Franco. Many now contend that rapid increases of the fleet only arouse watchfulness in London, and believe that the interests of Germany might be better served by a policy of conciliation. This country, admits the correspondent, k disliked by Germans, but they see no use in quarrelling while the British fleet is so strong. ThJ3 view of present opinion in tha Empire is rather confirmed by th© reports that the Kais-ST, who die! not appTove the proposed selection of the Baltic for -the autumn manoeuvres of a. British squadron, has now signified that the fleet is to bo received in all ports with honour and cordiality. That is all people on this side of -the water ask, for they well know that the nervousn S3 recently displayed in Germany has no foundation. Englishmen fully acknowledge the Tight of the Hoheaizollera to have the laTgest fleet they can build or pay for. GERMAN POLAND. The relation of the German' Government to its Polish subjects is curiously illustrated by a speech delivered by the Emperor at Gnesen, in Posen, on the 9th- August. William 11. assured tha Poles among -whom ho .spoke that they should have complete protection for tfneir creed, -and mentioned that Leo XIII. had blcesed him and promised that Catiho'lies should bs faithful 'to their Emperor ; but he fdded : " Any German in the Bast who without reason disposes of his property sins against his duty to his Fatherland." In other words, the system of substituting German foT Polish proprietors of the soil is not to be abandoned. Hitherto that method of "pacific penetration " has not been successful, the Poles, who often 6ncce:d greatly in associated industry, constancy buying out German landlords, though the la.ter can purchase estates with money borrowed at cheap rates from -the Treasury. Of the 'three Governments which shared in the partition, the one which is Last disliked is that of Austria, and even the Hapsburgs, though their comparative lenity ' has secured order, have failed to develop loyalty. In Russian Poland two peoples axe 6' pa rated not only by creed, language, and race, but by two distinct social ideals. THE PARTITION OF BENGAL. Bengal now contains eighty millions of people, and successive Lieutenant-Gov-ernors have protested that the administrative work made necessary by so awful a multitude cannot be properly performed by a single head of the Executive, who during his five years' term of office cannot even visit all the districts under his control. The Government of India has therefore resolved to create a new Lieutenant-GovernoTship, to be called that of " Eastern Bengal," with a Legislative Council, holding jurisdiction over thirty-eight npllions of peoplo, including the Assamese. Dacca is to bo made its capital. Tho' expense will not be gTeat, while the speed and efficiency of all administrative work will, it is argued, bo indefinitely increased. Tho political natives of the old Presidency are, however, greatly displeased. They dread further taxation, and a Teduction in tne importance of Calcutta, while t-hoy are annoyed by a change which they think will lower .their own importance and that of a " country" of whose area and wealth they are very proud. A discussion in tho House- of Commons was therefore threatened on Wednesday; but, through the intervention of Sir Hs. Fowler, it was T-esolved to await the appearanco of a Blue-book on the subject, and to postpone a debate which might have -led to a party division. We can not tee any solid reason against a change, which will undoubtedly improve administration. THE TWO HOUSES. On Monday in tho House of Lorda, Lord James of Hereford called attention to a- point -which vitally concerns the working of our legislative machinery. The House of Lords during tho session had initiated and passed sixteen Bills, useful arid uncontroveraial measures, on which so far the House of Commons had not taken a single step beyond putting them on the notice-paper. He also complained that Bills passed by the House of Commons were not sent to the House of Lords till the fag-end of itho session, when it was impossible to examine them properly. The result was that the legislative functions of the House of Lords were becoming a nullity. Lord Spencer and Lord Lansdowne agreed with Lord James's protest, but no solution was suggested. It is part of tho inevitable, congestion of o.ur legislative machinory, the final remedy for which can only bo eomo form of devolution. At the eamo time, bwe do nt>t 6es why th© two Houses

should jot come to some understanding on the firet grievance. Surely a. day might bo appointed for the consideration in the Commons of non-political measures originated in tlie Lords, with the understanding that time was Jiot to be wasted in. re-examining points which had already been adequately considered. Tho growing impotence of the Upper House will as certainly bring our Parliamentary system into discredit as any restrictions on the diberty of the Commons.