Notes and Comments.

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 3293, 16 July 1917, Page 2

Notes and Comments.

It Makes a Difference

It is something new to fiud the Otago Daily Times, head and front ol the old Conservative interests in politic:', defending Sir Joseph Warn against an ex-Dunedinite of whom the O.D.T. used to be very proud. "Civis," in his semi-editorial weekly notes, takes Sir John Findlay to task for electing to play the part of the freelance in Parliament, and ends up his comment Avith the following drop of acid: "The ox knowoth his owner and tho ass his master's crib, but Sir John recognises no obligation to Sir Joseph, who made him a knight and firt admitted him to the sweets of office." It.pleases "Civis" to forget that both knights won their spurs in politics, that there is no gratitude in politicians, and that W. P. Reeves choso the way of a free-lanee —and succeeded.

Will the Kaiser Abdicate?

It would be foolishness to be sceptical over anything these days, when the unexpected has become the commonplace and the seemingly impossible is ■frequently achieved. But it will be contrary to all the traits i.n Kaiser Wilbelm's nature if he retired in- favou." of his Crown Prince —and such an act would have .to be looked upon with the gravest suspicion by the Allies. It would not be an act of eelf-abnega-tion on the part of Wilhelm, but only another of his tricks to get a point on the Allies —probably a prelude to -jetting easier peace terms. But a change of ruler from Wilhelm to his son would not advantage either Germany or the aims of,the Allies. His son is as great a Junker as Wilhelm—indeed, there is an assurance from his intimates that the Crown Prince did even more than the Kaiser in bringing war upon the world in 1914.

A Change That's No Change

It is the destruction of the ruling House of Hohenzoliern and its handmaiden, Prussian militarism that is now the principal aim of the Allies — America is emphatic upon this point. And if Russia has protested against t'rj substitution of his son for Constantine on the throne of Greece, instead of the institution of a republic, how much more will Russia refuse to deal with Wilbelm's sou instead ot with the democracy of Germany? Wilhelm envied his own father the throne, and was not happy until he got upon it himself; and it is notorious that the growing popularity of his own eldest son has been as gall and wormwood to this degenerate who misrules the Fatherland. It will be intrigue and policy rather than paternal affection and a love of country that would induce Wilhelm to abdicate—and then it would be under a picmise or a hope that he would be jailed to rule again.