BRITISH AND FOREIGN NEWS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 47, 24 February 1906, Page 9

BRITISH AND FOREIGN NEWS.

.SPECTATOR SUMMARY. (For tho week ending Gtb January, 1906,) THE REVOLT IN RUSSIA. Lns.t week the issue of tho conflict in Moscow still hung in tho bnlnnco. Within a conplo of days Uio flnmo of rovolt was quenched in blood, tho Prcmiia quarter was occupied by tbo troops, and most of tbo revolutionaries surrendered or wore arrested. Tho sudden collapse of tho movement is attributable primnrily to tho discipline of tbo soldiers and tho effectivo use of artillery. But n good deal of light, is thrown on tho Biluation by tho interesting letterß of Mr. No\inson, tho correspondent of tho Dnily Chronicle, who has been in Moscow throughout tho fighting. From thono it appears thnt the workmen's dolegate8 i over-persuaded tbo revolutionary party into premature action, while nn lmmoiiso nmount of energy wns wasted on okbornlo but futilo barricades, not ono of which would stop a bullet, or, waß ovor Boriously defended. Mr. Novimon notes that, most, of tbo pooplo Killed in tho early stages of the fight woro casual sightseers, struck down by casual firing on tho part of the wldiora •—tho first two ho saw hit being girls. At tbo name time, tho soldiers generally respected tho wounded nnd nil ambulance work. Tho final stago of tho fightlnß,l n B , B ? cms io lmVo hcon marked by terrible brutality on tho part of tho troops, Aiw penally terriblo Toprisals on tho part of tho revolutionaries, tho St. Pctorsburg papers containing caricatures of Admiral Dubnuoff (tho Governor) navigat. ing a vossol ma, boh of blood. Whatever tho ultimate upshot, for tho mouent the Central Government hns triumphod. > \ ESTIMATING THE RUIN. Though tho Moscow revolt Is over, it must not bo supposed thnt the revolution is in nny scnuo 'crushed. From every quarter comes nw» of disorder and unreal. Tho St. Peters' ** ur Jf w^ondetit of tho Daily Mail, telegraphing to Friday's paper, estimates that "tho revolution is activo in twelve provinces." Ho calculates that during tho last month tho internal losses Imyo boon £150,000,000,. But tremendous ns is this total, it m%st not bo supposed thnt this, or oven ton times Una loss would actually ruin tho Empire. Men thought similar losses had destroyed Franco in tho last years of tho eighteenth century, but they wore mistakon. Wordsworth in a fnmous sonnet tolls us how ho had imagined that'"natural miseries had blasted France," but how to his astonishment ho found llttlo apparont .change 5 men still ploughed tho land and bought and sold almost as if nothing had happened. THE KAISER ON RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION. The lessons of tho Russian trouble In Poland havo not been lost upon tho Emperor William, nnd ho is obviously concerned for the behaviour of tho members pf that race who are under hia rulo, He has accordingly addressed a letter to tho Roman Catholic Archbishop 0! Posen,' Dr. yon Stablqwski, on tho subject of a recent pastoral lotior of that prolate dealing with religious instruction in tho diocesan schools. Religious instruction, according to tho Emporor, embraces tho "oxltflrtation to a faithful performance of dutios towards Church and State," and Christianity is interpreted an loyalty to Berlin. "My Government will gladly DUpport your efforts *o counteract the propagation of tho idea 6f revolution by propagating tho principles of tho Chris. tian taith. and deepening thoir foundations in tho honrts ot tho young, "1 ThewholO tone of the loUer is sharp and mandatory, and that tho jimperor Bhould Imvo thought such nn epistlo nocossary to a prolate of a Church with winch ho js on the best of terms shows iho anxioty which ho fools about events on tho East cm border, As wo argued Iftfit week, Germany is the Power wliloh has most to fear from a wholesale tovofution in Russia , GERMANY AND FRANCE. Tho relations, botwoen Germnny and Franco are still fnr from sntisfactory in view of tho noar nppronch of tho Algociras Conforonco. Two views are held as to the attitude of tho Emperor William, Count yon Tattonbneh's declaration that his master's attitudo was wholly conciliatory, that ho is heartily sick of Moroccan affairs, and dcslros only to see tho end of the ombroglio, is accepted In spmo quarters as a truo stntemont of tho position, It is snid that he was misled by Pnnco Bulow, that ho sees that tho acccptnnco by Germany of the AngloFronch entente is Inovitable, nnd flint ■ 10 is disillusioned for tho moment with his Chancellor's crude Biamarcklan mothods. It is further stated that he does not wibli to spoil his silver wedding, which is doso at hand' by niiy belu« coso attitude towards lus neighbours, and that tho ghastly soquol of Russia's /forward" policy has not been without its offoct on his mind, Wo sincerely trust thnt this viow is corroct, for wo ! have novor disguised from ourselves that tho coming Conforonco offered a fatally easy ehanco for any of tho parties to ft who wished to mnko war, A Conference is hko tho diplomatic preliminaries to a' quarrel, and tfivoa a dozen pretexts for a rupture which mny disguise tho real issuo to tho world, , FRANCE a"nB*"OERMANY. The other view Is put with great ability by M, Clemoncenu in the Aurore on ruosday. Ho argues that it is idle to "bmig on the lips of the German Emperor to know if on lifts or that day ho is in good humour." Gorman policy Ims always consisted of nlternnlions of kindly nnd threatening utterances, nnd the ono menus just ns much as tho oilier. Germany will carry thinftß ns far against J ranee ns sho is permitted, nnd it is 111 1 ranee b business to sco that such permission is wnnting. Ho imticipalcß as tUo Tosult of iho Conforonco an unsatisfactory patchctl-np peaco, obtained by a compromise after Oormnny Ims gone ns fnr ns she dnres in threatening war, and ho urnos his countrymen to show n stiff back from tho stnrt. Other writers in the French press point, to the efforts of the Gorman Colonial Party to cnliot the co-operation of German business men in urging their claims, nnd tho nttompt in tho Gorman press to rniso a enmpnign against, M. lJihonrd, the French Am bnsandor, similar to tlint raised, ngninst M. aJelcnsse, ns instances of tho spirit 111 Germany which is behind the V,mpcror. On tho whole, however, Ibo onions Room to be on the Hide of pence. Gotmnny is impressed with the solidarity of hor_ neighbour, nnd the strength of thn national spirit, which she lins evoked, nnd, if courngeomly met by tho Frencli representatives, mny show her self nmfnnblo to lcnmn, TURKEY ANiTa'cHMET FRTSSI. The Times of Thursday published a valunblo nrticln from n correspondent nil tlio present condition of tho \cineii. Tho insurrection seems to have been n runonhly fortuitous event, occasioned pnrtly by famine nnd pnrtly by tho ambitions lof certniiv advisers of tlin Imam. The I In* tor mndo an attempt to secure pence, but before his letter arrived the Sultan s General,, Achnirl Fcizi, lmd come, nnd the opportunity linrl passed, Of this man a most interesting ncconnt is Rivon,, Ho hns fnllv reeilnblmherl Turkish authority, nnd lins a y.nm\ ihnnco of aiming to bis master* dominions, All old man of seventy, ho is of tho modern, school of war, 'and has made a practice

of grant ing a froo nmnosty to nil who Burromlored, in dofiuuep of tho former military trarfilionn of tho Tink. Tho writer is of opinion (bat no foreign infinance, was behind tlio revolt, nna that tho rouiHry i» lo all intents now quiet. Its dislnneo from Const mil inoplo lins given a chnnco to tho strong man on tlio spot, and if tho Yemen \h only nllowed to bo govofned from tho Yemen thoro is n'-ery proopcel of an eiulnriiifl pence. On tbo whole, ho in in favour of the Turk's rule, over tbo A rub, nnd bo is enthnrsift&tic about tbo heroism of tho Turkish soldier. At Uio siego of Wnnan the gnrrison was ten thousand men, nnd of these moro than right thousand perished, mainly of famine «ncl disease,. "No nation but tho Turks would hnvo succeedoct in hiding thoir herpitmi, or tried lo do »0." THE DUKE OF DKVONSHIRB ON POLITICS. The Dnko of Devonshire, in acknowledging tho resolution recently passed by tho Unionist Freetraders and forwarded to him by Mr. Arthur Klliol, ha* made nn important pronouncement on tho two groat question,* of homo polillcn. Dealing with llomo Rule, which, ho obHorvos, has boon "somowbat, nnoxpocledly rovived by tho Primo Minister," tho Duke, of Dovonshiro remnrkß that tho Irish policy of tho now Oovornment will bo carofully wntchoil, nnd probnbly criticised, by Unionists,, in Mid out of Parliament, But in view of Iho unchanged attitudo of tho electorate, nnd tho do> claratioiiß of leading mombors of Iho Government, ho rogardß it as in Iho highest degree improvable that thoy will incur the risks of introducing nnolhrr monsnro for tho ostnblishmont of an Irish Legislature in tho next ParHamclvl, "If thoro is stilt danger lo tho Union," continuos tho Duke, "it Hob in a moro remote futuro, nnd would consist in tbo possibility of its defeiidera boing identifind with an unsound nntl unpopular policy on uonio other great national question," PREETRADIi v. PROTECTION. Tho question of lfrootrado, tho Duko continues, occupies n wholly different position, Under cover of Mr, lklfour'a nppoftl to gftnclion porno undefined departure from tho existing fiscal system, tho Tariff Reform League, whoso pro* 1 posnls are indißtinguislmblo from puro Protoction, are conducting b vigorous agitation, nnd liavo lnrgoly enptured tho party organisations, But in view of Mr. Balfdur't) declarations that ho belongs to the l^reotrade wing of his party, nnd— as regards preference-- thnt no offer has boon made by our colonies, tho Duko boos no reason why the most loyal foi» lower of Mr. Balfour should abstain from rendering 'iia own tfreelrndo con* vietlons effective, or from offering tho strongest opposition to proposals which Imvo never boon nccepled Hy his louder, conclusion, the Dnlto of Dovmisliiro nnticipntos thnt mi Attempt will bo mndo to thrnst tlio fiscal issue into the linckground, and to divert attention lo othersj but "aftor tho controversies nntl diueußirions of tho liwl two years this is no longer possible, nnd tho issuo of FreetTado or Protection must bo the pnra» mount fnttor in the coming oleeuon." Honco ho hoWp thnt wbero Unionist Frootradors may bo unable to secure direct 'representation. It will none tho loss be their duly to f 'nmUo their influenco foil, a,nd to tnko such action as may provo that tho Unionist Party as a whole, wholhoi in power or In opposition, is still uncommitted to a relrogr&do fiscal policy, lw whomsoover It winy bo propoßod," Tliatj is ndmlrtvblo' good senfeo Rdmirably expressed, and shown ' that the babble of the political auction room has not affected In tho least tho Duko's saws and wl«i temper of mind, nor tho clearness of his statesmanship. SIR EDWARD GREY'S OPINION. Sir Edward Grey, speaking at Bel* ford on Friday weelt, defined tho Issno with his habitual frankness and moderation. Tariff reformers, he observed, had appnrontly .realised that they were getting the worst of tho argument, because ihoy had now begun to ,tallt of other things, liko Homo ltulo ami tho Empire, raising them ns scarecrows to obscure the politico! view. On tlio other hand,, tho Liberals woro fighting tho election, Ort Freotrado, and if thoy wanted to bring up another Home Hulo Bill thoy would havo to get another nnd a special mandate from tho country. Ho hold that ovory ono who voted for l?reetrado was onlitlod loias> that his vote should' not bo used to revert to ,tbo position of 1885, and ho hm) no hesitation in neiwr« l ing thorn tiinl tlio votes given for Frootrade would not bo used to introduce a Home Rulo Bill, it would lako a whole session to*pn*B it, and thon tlio House ©f Lords would Ihrow it out. ,Slr Kdward Grey's assurnncos on tho subject of Homo ftulo could not bo moro explicit, as 'they are nrillior moro nor loss tiinn a formulnlion of tho conditions on which his retention o! office depends! , SHOULD DE GIVEN A HBAMNcI. NVo note with great regret that on Thursday night Mr. Chamberlain, wlio was Bpeaklng at J)erby, was so much interrupted by a gnnc of roughs thnt ho was praeltcnlry unaolo to obtain- a henr« ing, The oxcitsos that havo been mndo — namoly, that Mr. Chomberialn has brought «o much acrimony into tho controversy that he must oxneot lo be paid bacK It) his own com, and that you cannot propose lo tax tho lood of tho people without, the people resenting it-»aro no excuses M nil, nnd do not deserve a momont's consideration, Mr. Chamberlain is a distinguished statosman, nnd in iho pnst has dono good sorvico to tho State, nnd howovor misled and however nggres* sive nnd passionate may bo his present attitude, lie ought lo be nceordetl a pnlicnt nnd a respectful hcarinj], MR. fiIRRKUi ON EDUCATION, On Tuesdny Mr, August ino Birrcll, while nddroßsing n mceling nt Bristol, dealt with the education question^ Ono thine was plain— nnd ho bad two bishops on his side— ami Ihnt, was that there must, bo popular control in Stnte-mip-ported schools, including the appointment of the tenohcrs. Perhaps it Would bo .wise to sny no morn,, but personally, and entirely on his own responsibility, ho would like to refer to tho religious difficulty. "The only parents whoso wishes "nopd be consulted were tlio parents of children who went to public element nry schools, Ho lmd no doubt wbnt Iho wishes of tlio great majority of those parents were with regard to a relipious education. They would like their children to bo tnntfht tho simple clementnry religious trntbs, tbo Fnthorhood of Ood, tbe responsibilities of man, nnd the existence of n future state. It waa nntrno lo «ny tltoxe simple truths were a kind of sectarianism, nnd ho hoped they would never see Rimpln elementary religion banished from Bchobls. llo 'hoped it would be found thai 'children whose parents drsirod definite rellnlons teaching should receive it, not imteod'ns pnrt of the publio school curriculum, but nevertheless on Rchotil promisw, if need be, though out of school hours." Till w*- sco moro of Mr, Birroll's proposals ill rlffml it Would not bo wise to give nny decision in retard to them, but ns far ns wo can judge, (ho principles bo Inyn down nre not inconsistent with Iho obtaining of n. reasonable nnd sound set(lenient. It, has been objected, but as we think most unfairly, that Mr, Birroll's Words point to the Stale teaching only Deism, and not Christianity. We no not for n moment belicvo that to have been bis intention. Ho wns, we im<sump, only sketching in tbo roughest outline proposals for n rompromisr, and not, in nny way attempting lo deflim the kind of funtlnmontnl (eligious instruction which the State should undcrtako*