TOPICS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 79, 3 April 1926, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY

Government by Order-in-Council has been condemned as one of the evil products of the War period; but the condemnation is not wholly justified. Governments long before the War used this method, and Oppositions condemned it; It does appear, however, that the extensive use Of regulations during the War encouraged this way of doing things, and the Chamber of Commerce is well advised to protest against the extension. There are two main objections to the Order-in-Council method: (1) That it places authority in the hands of Ministers and officials which should be exercised directly by Parliament; (2) that public discussion of proposed regulations is possible only by courtesy, and, even "'so, is restricted.There is a further objection that Or-ders-in-Council are, to the layman, less familiar than the Acts of Parliament, and they are not so readily accessible for reference. Against these objections there is an advantage in the Order-in-Council as a means of legislating upon details, once principles have been established. Regulations can be more readily amended, and, of course, Parliament is not ail ideal body'for settling details. To put aft absolute ban upon regulations woiiltl be foolish, but it is desirable that the Order-in-Council should be used sparingly. Parliament has the remedy in its own hands, for the Government cannot make Orders-in-Council without statutory authority.

In forbidding a famous American modern dance band to play in public in London, the British Ministry of Labour has established ail important precedent. The cables of to-day Suggest that the reason for this action, instigated by.the Musicians' Union, was tho protection of .the local musician and recognition of his work as a bona fide industry. If it is only the making of rhythmic jaza noises and the general rattling up 6t the brassware of a modern dance bands that are required, no doubt English musicians can do as well as American. The sensitive tastes of the dancers should hot be seriously violated. But the ousting of 32 musicians whose daily bread may be jeopardised by foreigners is a seribUs matter. This kind of preference, however, can be carried too far, and even result in retaliation. Invitations to foreign musicians, singly and in companies, are very general, and are as gofld for the musical education of the country extending them as they are gratifying to that represented by its talented nationals. It would be lamentable for any one country if it could not "import" musical talent. But musicians performing regularly in a theatre are in the position of <SrAftsmen. It is easy to imagine the resentment, if nothing more, of tho plumbers and bricklayers of New York at cdhorts of competitors from London displacing them in their jobs. Evidently that is the view taken by tho British Ministry Of Labour in prohibiting performance Of an American danco band in a London theatre, and it seems a reasonable view too.

Broadcast music will certainly exert a powerful influence in. the formatidn of the musical taste of the future. Already some inquiry is being made as to th« test meant of directing this influ-

once, so that it may be good, or at least | not wholly bad. Our London correspondent this week furnished an interesting summary of the evidence upon this subject given to the Earl of Crawford's committee by Sir Hugh Allen, Director of tho Royal College of Music and Professor of Music at Oxford University. Though he holds a high position in the musical world, Sir Hugh Allen is evidently not a man of narrow views, for he does not rule out everything except tho classical. Some dance music, he states, is first-rate and some jazz music most extraordinarily clever. Such he would admit to the broadcast programmes. The way appears t. lie in a middle course which will ensure tho presentation of programmes including something for everybody—something classical, something light, and some jazz. An all-classical series of programmes would be as bad as all-jazz. Tho musically unlearned would profit as little from the former as from the latter, because they would refuse to listen. Already tho gramophone has achieved remarkable results in popularising the great operas. As much, and even more, may be done through the wireless if tho musicians will only remember that they can broadcast what they wish, but they cannot compel people to listen.

Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, Borne three thousand lof them in an English city, has come wisdom to which their elders may hearken.. The Press cablegrams state that a -plebiscite was taken on the question of "The most wicked things anyone can do?" The answers varied from drinking to bobbed hair,\ kissing boys to owning slum property. . Selling quack medicines and wearing reducing corsets were indexed as "wicked." Whether children really do think about these things for themselves or merely reflect the tabletalk of their homelife is a moot point; but the answers certainly show a sense, of wrong in the young mind that is helpful to cultivating a sense of right. Perhaps a referendum on the question of what are the "best things anyone can do". would give even better results. There is one fact, however, that the inquiry has revealed, a fact sometimes not fully' apprehended by parents, and that is the active mental workings of the child and the need for giving it moro credit for using its wits than it generally receives.