LONDON TOPICS

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3833, 12 February 1929, Page 2

LONDON TOPICS

BRITAIN AND THE SOVIET

.December 20. Reports appearing in the Press forecasting a change of the Government's attitude toward Soviet Russia receive no substantiation from official sources at Westminster. It is pointed out that while nothing has been or will be done from this side to place obstacles in the way of trade relations between Russia and Britain, the nature of the diplomatic: rupture which occurred in 1927 was of such a character as to make it impossible for the Government to make the first gesture toward the re-estab-lishment of official relations. What might be the Government's attitude in the event of the Soviet coming forward with a guarantee to amend its behaviour is a different question. Obviously, having rejected Russia's diplomatic representations for the misuse of their privileges, it is absurd to suppose that the Government will invite them back again before they have indicated contrition for their misdeeds.

While the propriety of such an attitude is incontrovertible, it is by no means indicative that the Government is not fully aware of the many inconveniences caused by the continuance of the estrangement, and it may be taken with confidence that an honest gesture on the part of the Soviet would not be met with a rebuff from this side. That such a gesture, however, will be made for the next few mouths is extremely unlikely. The Commissars are followzng the" political situation in this country with the closest attention, and they are still encouraging themselves xvith the thought of a Socialist victory at the General Elections. Such an ovent would, of course, be a golden opportunity to the Soviet to regain lost ground, with the minimum loss of '/face" should they find themselves disappointed. I think it may be foreseen that they will be ready to approach the next Conservative Government in a more proper, spirit, and that the latter will not refuse to listen to them. CABINET AND MTNERS.

When Mr Baldwin announced the Cabinet's policy in the House of Commons regarding the terribly distressed mining conditions, he removed what some supporters have not failed to detect as a weakness in the Government's position. It is indisputable that the sufferings of the mining population are nuite exceptional, and call for no ordinary efforts, even though it may be true that failure to seize the opportunity of the Samuel Report has largely contributed to the existing deplorable impasse. What the Cabinet has decided upon is a substantial grant towards the Mansion House relief fund. This may be criticised by others beside the Labour members, but it is at all events better than the £25,000,000 subsidy thrown away just before the general strike. The failure to grapple with the fundamentals of our coal industry's evil plight is the worst blunder in the Government's record of office. KITCHENER AND CURZON.

Mr Churchill contributes a fascinating article to the current ' Nash's ' on the late Lord Curzon. That the great Indian Viceroy was far from being the pompous individual popularly supposed is tolerably well known to those who had any dealings with him. Behind his public dignity and scholarship was an almost naively boyish disposition that revelled in risque stories. But Mr Churchill does give a surprising analysis of Lord Curzon's historic duel with Lord Kitchener when "both were in India. Winston holds that Curzon was right in that dispute, but states: "In craft, in slow intrigue, in strength of personality, in doubtfuldangerous manoeuvres, the soldier beat the politician every time." Not many people suspected that phase of Kitchener's psychology. AMERICAN METHODS.

Strong comment is being made in shipping circles on the methods and findings of the American inquiry into the loss of the s.s. Vestris. While the whole trend of the inquiry seems to have been strained towards exonerating from all responsibility the United States officials whose duty it was to inspect the equipment of the liner, the whole blame has been thrown on the officers and crew. The history of British seamanship holds no parallel to this allegation of indiscipline and failure, and no judicial procedure in this country bears any resemblance to the extraordinary methods adopted by the American Court in conducting its investigations. Only sailors or shipping experts realise the difficulty of launching boats from a heavily-listed ship in bad weather, or a captain's responsibility in deciding whether an S.O.S. is or is not justified. CANADA'S NEW BANK.

The news that one of the "Big Five " banks is intending to incorporate a new banking house under the Canadian Bank Act is an additional indication of the growing importance of Canada as an investment centre. British and American money is constantly finding employment in new Canadian industries, especially in British Columbia, where investors from outside Canada have had a very fortunate experier.ee, and seen handsome returns on money so employed. Ihe new move will undoubtedly attract nmre English money to Canada, which will benefit both the dominion and the Empire, since it will provide the former with ready means of obtaining finance, and will at the same time reduce American financial competition. NEW ARMY HEADDRESS.

The rc-intro.duction of the shako for infantry officers and iho bushy for engineer and artillery officers will give an unwonted Victorian appearance to the next levees and full-dress ceremonials. That these will be popular a.s a headdress, replacing the spiked helmet which was so essentially Teutonic, would be perhaps too much to affirm, lor the tendency to-.day in the army is more than ever towards practicability, and every new foible of dress or equipment means cost to the wearer. The new shako will be surmounted by a silk ball, coloured according to the particular regiment's facings, with a shako plate in front bearing the insignia of the unit. This latter decoration lends itself to fine artistic effect, and it. is hoped that skilled experts will assist in evolving the various regimental badges. A regiment such as the Glouccsters, which has the unique honour of a black badge, will have a splendid opportunity of portraying it on their shako.

MUSSOLINI AND; FOX HUNTING. The opening of the Roman hunting season revives the main grievance which the wealthy Romans have against the present regime. Mussolini's fervent encouragement of all agricultural efforts has resulted in the Roman Campagna being dotted with small houses, each surrounded by a few acres of cultivated land, and, where the Roman used to hunt the fox over miles of open country, he now has to pick his way round these patches of cultivation. In a few years the Home hunt is likely to be abandoned altogether. The country on the other side of Rome is hunted over by Prince Tasso's private pack, but there, though the country at present remains untouched, the fox is scarce. This spoiling of the Campagna will come as a shock to the many English, who love the beauties of the Eternal City almost as well as the Romans do. Already hideous little jerry-built villas have crept close up to the Appian Way, and flaunt their red bricks within sight 01 its ancient cypresses. A SON OF ANAK.

That son of Anak, Colonel George Lane-Fox, whilom Minister of Mines, is fifty-eight this week, and will be celebrating the event in India, whither he went as a member of the Simon Commission. Mrs Lane-Fox accompanies him, for the visit enables her to see her brother, the Viceroy, Lord Irwin. George Lane-Fox. is notable for always presenting an unruffled ficnt to the world, nor did his anxieties as Minister of Mines effect any change in that characteristic. He is extremely popular, and was Viscount Lascelles' predecessor as M.F.H. Bramham Moor. He was also one of the godparents of Master George Lascelles. His late uncle, the late George LaneFox, forfeited the Bramham Park estates and succession when he embraced Roman Catholicism. But it never dimmed the ardour of his spirits, and until the last he was a mine of good stories—which stoo.d him in good * stead as Vice-Chancellor of the Primrose League. EVE AFLOAT.

Lord Inchcape tells us that the famous but conservative P. and 0. line does not include beauty parlours on its Eastward-hound liners. In case fanatical feminists begin denouncing another sex grievance, I may state that at least one great shipping company, the go-ahead, C.P., does not overlook the eternal feminine afloat. The newest C.P. boats of the Duchess class have, besides nurseries with up-to-date toyshops complete, an electrical slimming apparatus. This ocean novelty seems only logical. The ladies of American millionaire dollar kings, returning Westward Ho from a European trip, can keep that schoolgirl complexion easily by inhaling the Atlantic ozone on the promenade deck. But sea air and sea diet, combined with too much deck-chairing, tend to make one plump. It would he a tragedy if the latest Paris frocks proved a size too small on arrival home. To prevent the necessity of "letting out" these "creations,' ladies may now preserve their slim silhouette electrically even in midocean.