BRITISH AND FOREIGN NEWS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 66, 15 September 1906, Page 13

BRITISH AND FOREIGN NEWS.

SPECTATOR SUMMARY (For the week ending 21et July). BRITAIN AND RUSSIA. On Saturday last it was announced that the projected visit of the British fleet to Kronstadt had been postponed at the request of the Russian Government. It was considered that political partbs both in Britain and Russia would attempt to read into it a political motive, and that in Russia especially the visit might give rice to certain demonstrations on the part of tho revolutionaries which might endanger the- future relations between th« two Powers. We readily admit the danger, though wo think Sir Edward Grey did well tg refuse to take the initiative in cancelling tho visit. The Russian Government have behaved with great discretion and tact, and their example has been followed by the press, so that the postponement has had no effect on tho friendly feeling which is growing up between tho two countries. The reception by the Duma of the greeting from the 'British 'House of Commons cshows the cordial relations between the two Parliaments, and wo shall soon have an opportunity of welcoming the Russian representatives at an Inter-Par-liamentary Conference. THE DREYFUS "AFFAIR." ' In the French Chamber of Deputies on Friday week Bilk were voted by overwhelming majorities promoting Captain Dreyfus and Colonel Picquart to the respective ranks of Chef d'Eecadron and Brigadier-General. A Bill was also passed for removing the remains of >!.- Zola to the Pantheon. Major Dreyfus lias been raised to tho rank of Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, and has been appointed to command the 12th Artillery Regiment at Vincennes, while General Picquart will be given a command in tans. Tho news of the decision of the Court of Cassation and the consequent action of the French Government has, been received throughout the world with delight and satisfaction. France by confessing her blunder and nobly making amends has vastly increased her prastigo in the community of nations. THE FRENCH INCOME-TAX. On Friday week the French Chamber by 4-18 votes to 43 accepted tho statement made by M.'^oincare, the Minister of Finance, on the subject of the new Income-tax. Income will bo divided into three classes — tfyat 'derived from capital, that derived from labour, and" that de rived from a combination of the two The rate will vary in tho different classes, and ateo according to the total amount of income, dmall incomes boing exempt, and moderate ones paying on a low scale. Deductions wilPbo allowed according to the size of the taxpayer's family, so that the unmarried alone will bear the full burden. Revenues from labour will pay one-half and revenues from capital and labour combined ihreeiourtlia of the rate paid by revenues de rived irom capital alone. M. Poinearo concluded his statement with an appeal to the middle classes, who are chiefly concerned, to look at the proposals in a public-spirited way, and acospt the small sacrifices entailed by them. He described his scheme as the British system amended on the lines wnich Britain is likely soon to follow. EFFERVESCENCE IN CENTRAL AMERICA. Central America has been once moro the thoatps of a little war. Last week trouble broke out between Sar> Salvador und Guatemala, and the troops of tho former invaded the latter's territory. The invaders were defeated, their general wee killed, and the victorious Guatemalans pursued tho fugitives into Honduras. Honduras promptly declared war on Guatemala, whose President has succeeded m raising an army of forty thousand men. Later fighting was, however, not go favourable to tho Guatemalans, and tho United States Goyernmen. 1 -, f.?lt bound to interfere and insist upon a pacific settlement. Mexico a3eo gave her services, and it was announcod on Tuesday that the three Powers concerned had agreed upon .-in armistice- These small Republics of Csntral America will do much to keap the officials of the American Foreign Office from ennui, eince warj spring up suddenly between them like oiks of their tornadoes Where .else in the world could we find three States declaring war, fighting several battles, an-d concluding peace within a week? THE KING AND THE DOMINION. It was announced on Thursday that the King bad felt himself obliged to decline the invitation of both Houses of the Dominion Parliament to visit Canada. We are convinoed that his Majesty had good reasons for his refusal, and that he made it with sincere regret, a regret which is shared by the Canadian people. It would be difficult indeed for any monarch, overwhelmed -with ' Ihis many public duties, to be absent for any lenegth of time, and a visit to Canada would necessarily be protracted. At tho same time, we hope that at some futuro date his Majesty may see his way o visit a country which has always been pre-eminent in its loyalty to the Crown, and which in its actual achievement and in the snlondour of its destiny must do regarded as first among the allied nations which compose the Empire. EDUCATIONAL CONTROL IN WALES. On Tuesday evening a Parliamentary . storm took place over the proposal to establish a separato Welsh Council of Education. If, as is alleged, Wales is unanimous in desiring such a council, thero can of courso be no objection to its creation, but it seems to us in every Avay undesirable that the council should be represented by a special Minister and not by the Minister of Education. Tho council can surely be placed under tho Minister of Education without coming under tho English Education Office. Tho analogy drawn from Scotland is a mis loading one, unless— which is clearly not the qaee — tho Ministry intend to establish a separate Secretary for Wales who shall be responsible not merely for Welsh education, but for- Welsh Poor Law, local government, and so forth. That is a form of local autonomy which we are sure the country is^not prepared to grant to Wales. We aro bound to add that the way in which tho proposal to create a new Department of State waa casually dropped oy the Government in the course of tho debate was most maladroit. Such blunders in tho Parliamentary art arc, we suppose, one of tho results of overgrown majorities. JOHN BURNS AND THE UNEMPLOYED. In tho House of Commons on Thursday Mr. John Burns made a detailed statement on the administration of tho Unemployed Act, and explained the steps which the Government propose to take in regard td the problem nexi autumn and winter. Thoso responsible for tlie administration of tho Act reported that the men seeking aid were, us a class, more dependent and phj'sically less fit than those in the same position a few years ago ; — a result wliich we cannot regard as in any cense surprising, and one which well illustrates the demoralising effect of our recent policy, a policy in substance of manufacturing paupers. Mr. Burns also noted that with very few exceptions the .xien who ajcjjliod for .work did not bo-

long to sick clubs, friendly societies, or trade unions. We may add that th© notion that unemployment per 6© confers on a man a right to public aid and sympathy is not likely to alter this fact, or to mduce men to make lhe sacrifices required of members of benefit societies. With ono exception, .Mr. Burns had little to say in favour of farm colonies. In regard to relief works, wo are glad to note that Mr. Burns took a thoroughly sound line. He thought that they should be the last resource of any community, for they sapped self-reliance, and tended to check the movement and flow of labour. He had never ljked the Act passed last year, and many authorities thought it ought -not to be renewed. It was necessary, however, to meet the demauds that might arise next winter, and tho Government had therefore decided to grant £200,000 out of the Consolidated Fund, which money would be distributed among ike Distress- Committees according to the needs of their areas. With the money raised by voluntary contributions, there would bo £300.000, or possibly £400,000, available for the winJ«r. For the final solution of the problem the Government looked to legislation ameliorating the social condition of tho poor. The principle of the Irish Labourers Bill would bo adopted for this country, and rural housing would be improved, DOLES AND DEGENERACY. We cannot profess to feel anything but dissatisfaction at Mr. Burns's proposals, though we realise the difficulty in which ho and the Government are placed owing to the dangerous legislative principles so recklessly established in the Unemployed Act, and though wo believo that Mr. Burns has himeelf no small grasp upon tho principles which ought to regulate the action of the State 'in regard to poor relief. Wo hold that legislation like the Unemployed Act, and the measuies by which the present Government unhappily feel obliged to supplement it, mean the establishment of a vast manufactory of paupers. Tho only safe, and, in the true sense, the only philanthropic and humane, course, would be to retrace our steps and to declare that we vvili never go boyond a strictly and efficiently administered Poor Law in the relief of destitution. The comfortable classes'may make themsslves a little more comfortable by doles, but by doles we are ruining men who might otherwise be independent. We prate about freedom, but no man can ever b-s freo who depends upon charity, whether from the State or tbe individual, for his subsistence. The debate which followed Air. Burns's speech was unimportant, but wo note with pleasure a passage of plain-epeaking in Air. Burns's reply, in his judgment, higher wages more wisely spent was one of the best solutions of the unemployed problem. "We had penniless men because we had too many thirsty men. There wer« many men who could not make both ends meet merely because they were trying to make oneend drink." We entirely agree that higher wages is the true solution, but as the old Poor Law Commission noted seventy years ago, there is no greater enemy of high wages than State doles. The certain way of depressing the remuneration of labour is by lavisli Poor Law expenditure, no matter under what alias It is given. A BENEFICENT "TRUST." We note with great satisfaction the progress of the Hainpstead Garden Suburb Trust. A most promising beginning has been made in the provision of capital, and we sincerely hope that the balance will sooii be suljscribed. But grftat as will be the benefit of the actual work accomplishod < at Hampfitead, wo attach even more importance to tho example. If the trust can show — as we believe it will — that it is " good business " not to defile the land with hideous rows o* mean brick and slate houses, but to provide seemly cottages, garden embowered, on winding roada and flanked with open spaces, it will have conferred a boon of incalculable valuD upon tike country. Such an example is bound to be imitated by the speculative builder. THE LATE ALFRED BEIT. We regret to announce the death of Xli. Alfred Beit, which took place early on Monday at his country house in Hertfordshire. Ho had of late years resided mainly in England, where ho spent creat sums in wise and unobtrusive philanthropy. Besides large gifts to the Transvaal, h* founded a Piofeesorsbip of Colonial History at Oxford, and was mainly instrumental in starting tho new Technical University for London. As a financier he was probably among the first of the age , but while, influenced by tho Volcanic energy of Mr. Rhodes, he embarked upon high politics more than once, he never professed any aptitude for them, though lie shared in the Imperial dreams of his friend. Though we condemned, and must continue to condemn, the part Mr. Beit played in the Raid, and his endorsement of the falal blunder of admitting Chinese indentured labour into the Transvaal, we wish to (rive every credit to his good qualities. He is described by those who knew him best- as a man of singularly gontlo and modest disposition and as one whose Royalty to his associates was proverbial, and whose kindnces was extended to all who were in distress, whether friend or foe.