LONDON TOPICS

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3968, 30 September 1930, Page 7

LONDON TOPICS

PARLIAMENT AND THE PUBLIC

August 7. Mr Sandham and his I.L.P. friends must be well content with the result of their encounter with the Committee of Privileges. At the cost of a mere vote of censure, on which their supporters will place their own interpretation, and without producing one jot or tittle of evidence, they have not only made, but actually reiterated, the most damning charges of bribery and corruption against the House of Commons. And there apparently the matter is to be allowed to rest. Naturally, all sorts of uninformed outsiders, who have not even read the remarkable report of the proceedings before the Privileges Committee, are saying to-day, “There must be something in it.” The more so since it is pretty obvious that it would have been quite easy to compel Mr Sandham to produce his facts. The House of Commons of a decade ago would at least have committed such an offender to the Clock Tower until he consented to answer questions. LOBBY CHATTER. Politicians left Westminster for their holidays, after one of the most wearisome and least productive sessions within recollection, amid a whirlpool of rumour. This ranged from suggestions of a coming Freetrade coalition to hints that Mr Arthur Henderson might depose Mr Ramsay Mac Donald, and that Mr Neville Chamberlain had joined up with the wicked uncles of I leet street agaii st Mr Baldwin. . There is not the faintest .truth in any of these interesting reports. Least of all, I am told, is there any foundation for the talk about Mr Neville Chamberlain’s defection. Mr Neville Chamberlain s lunch at the Garrick Club with Lord Rothermere and Lord Beaver brook, of which Mr Baldwin was fully apprised, was no more than an attempt by the new chairman of the Conservative organisation to discover some via media to preserve unity in the ranks against election possibilities in the autumn. It failed completely. LAMBETH ACCEPTS. There is a general feeling that the deliberations of the Lambeth Conference or the South India Scheme of Reunion between the Anglican churches and the chief Protestant bodies in South India will result in the conference giving the scheme its benediction, with certain provisos safeguarding the historic position of the English Church. At the same time some sacrifices will be made by the Anglicans, and agreed to by the conference, that are sure to arouse trenchant opposition in the ranks of the Anglo-Catholics, notably on the problem of Holy Orders. The conference has, I understand, already agreed to the scheme m principle, for it is well aware that, whether or not the conference gives it the strong support of its moral sanction, the Bishops in South India are determined to carry on with it. After all, the number of Evangelical Bishops at Lambeth outnumber those who are definitely High Church and therefore more than less opposed to the scheme. ECONOMIC MISSION TO FAR EAST The personnel of the economic mission to the Far East, as announced by Mr Gillett, secretary to the Overseas Trade Department, gives cause to presume that cotton is the matter to receive paramount consideration during the tour. At any rate, the cotton industry is preponderantly represented in the body of able business men whom the Government has secured for the task The terms of reference for the main mission are to inquire into the present conditions of British trade with China and Japan, and to report what action should be taken to develop and Increase that trade. That is general, hut the terms of reference of the sub-commis-sion specify that its inquiries are to relate to cotton goods only. Altogether, to those who know the I' ar East, this is not reassuring, for it had been hoped that other Hues of explore tion might be indicated. The mission is to visit Japan first and China later, but so far as the cotton investigations are concerned their findings might well be written in advance by any “ old China-hand ” or British resident in the “ Land of the Rising Sun.” The British cotton industry has little chance of extending its trade against the competition of the Japanese and Chinese cotton mills until the lolig hours and low wages of those countries are brought up to the level of our own. SHANGHAI AGAIN. There is a general impression in military circles—and in political, too—that another outbreak of anti-foreign hatred is about to occur in Shanghai. As tar as we are concerned, our military strength there is at a minimum. At one time we had fourteen line battalions, not counting marines and sailors, artillery, engineers, Air Force, and some tanks. To-day we have but two line battalions, the 2nd Green Howards and the Ist Worcester, in the city, with absolutely no ancillary forces of artillery and Air Force. In the event of trouble their only reinforcement for some time would be from the ships ol the navy, sailors and marines, and the immediate sending to Shanghai of two line battalions from Hongkong. But it would take at least twelve battalions to protect the large perimeter of Shanghai if the “Reds” there really rose and endeavoured to attack the British settlement. CANADA’S NEW PREMIER. However the recent Canadian elections may affect current tariff controversies. the new dominion Premier will be an able recruit to the Imperial Conference. A graduate ot Nova Scotia University, born in the East of Canada. but settled in the west, Mr Rich ard Bennett is member for Calgary. He is a lawyer with a large practice at the Bar and a man of considerable means. He is 60 years of age, a tremendous student of books as well as men, and Conservatism may be said to be in his blood. He is descended from one of the old patrician loyalist families that migrated to Canada in the days when the American Revolution cut the Imperial painter. He is no stranger to London, but is not the sort of politician who travels with a megaphone and a spotlight, and, though a strong Imperialist, believes that charity begins at home. AN OLD SEA DOG. Admiral Sir Charles Madden, who this week relinquishes his post in Whitehall as First Sea Lord to Admiral Sir Frederick Field, took a distinguished part in the naval side of the war. He

is Admiral Ear! Jellicoe’s brother-in-law, and during the most dramaticperiod of the North Sea liveliness acted as his chief of staff. He was in command ot the Atlantic Fleet during the worbt ot the Irish trouble, and figured m some strenuous unrecorded incidents arising therefrom. When a shore party from a destrover. who landed to play cricket, was badlv manhandled by Sinn Feiners Sir Charles put a few hundred handy men ashore at that spot, and averages were more than adjusted, ft is pretty certain he will receive a peer a> r e in recognition ot his war services, not the least of which was organisation. His successor. Admiral Field, is a distinguished officer who, had necessity arisen, might have made his name as a professional conjuror. TO HANG OR NOT TO HANG? The announcement in the official Socialist organ that the death penalty is to he abolished is a half-truth. the Select Committee is, as might be expected, strongly divided on the subject. But the abolitionists, confident that . the sentiment of the present House of Commons will support them, are endeavouring to secure a majority recommendation in favour of teiupoiary suspension of the death penalty. Tliev represent that its deterrent value could thus be tested, but their belief is that, once the death penalty had been oven temporarily suspended, it would be almost impossible to get it reinstated. It is an astute view, largely based on the new feminine influence in politics, and the strategy will probably succeed.’ if it does the hangman’s disappearance will curiously ensue on a marked increase in crimes of violence. NEW ATLANTIC RECORD. The performance ot the RIOO in making the Atlantic crossing under fortyseven hours, is a notable one, creating a new record, and vindicating the potentialities of even heavier- than-air craft under not exceptionally favourable conditions. The human tone;: supplied by the crew’s relief nt reaching their journey’s end because they were “ dying foi a smoke.” It is exactly eleven years since another British' airship, R34, made + hc first Atlantic airship flight, taking 108 hours out and seventy-three home. During the war the German Zeppcdins on one occasion set out to bomb New York, but encountered disaster much nearer home. Later a peace-time Zeppelin crossed in eighty-one hours, but the Graf Zeppelin’s time two years ago was 111 hours. The record flight of the RIOO included eighty miles an hour through dense fog banks. Her engine power, I believe, is about 4,000 horsepower, compared with the 150,000 of an Atlantic liner that takes more than twice the time on the journey. AMY AND HER SMILE. Among the many women who have plaved romantic roles in history Miss Amy Johnson’s case must be unique. Twelve weeks ago nobody had heard of her, and she was just the typical city typist one meets scrambling for a bus at the rush hour. To-day she is probably the most famous woman in the world, known by her Christian name to millions who never heard of much more important people, and rich beyond the dreams of middle-class suburban avarice. She got a tremendous welcome back to London from multitudes of Bank Holiday Cockneys. She showed no trace of nervous strain, though that undoubtedly explained her final crash. Somewhat plumper than before her great adventure, and charmingly sunburnt, she was in high spirit as she stepped out of the Airways plane at Croydon. One _ tiling she shares with the Prince of M ales. Amy s smile is irresistible and delightful. But to hefty good looks she adds a very level bead and remarkable savoir faire. ATLANTIC LIVELINESS. Shipping experts are undismayed by the airship’s challenge to the ocean liner. Right on top of RIOO’s record Atlantic flight a new era is about to develop in sea transport. In American and British shipyards gigantic new Atlantic liners are being laid down, the object being to challenge existing German supremacy on the western ocean and recapture the record recently wrested by Germany’s wonderful new boats from the Cunarder Mauretania. While American banks are financing the U.S.A. vessels the British Government is guaranteeing the insurance ( n the two new Cunarders, each of which will cost £6,000.000. These will be the hugest ships afloat, with the possible exception of the now American liners, and will be over a thousand feet long, with 75,000 tonnage. They will be bigger than battleships and not much slower than destroyers. OLD HINDENBURG. The latest recruit to Europe’s imposing group of post-war Dictators, at the age of eighty-two, is President Hindenburg. He has solved the Reichstag's Budget impasse by levying taxes on his fiat. The famous German field marshal is an even more remarkable man than Italy’s Mussolini. In 1914 he was on the shelf, a retired army veteran unknown outside Prussian military society. He became Germany’s' generalissimo of “ Der Tag,” and to-day, as the honoured President of the new Republic, is the most popular figure in Germany. In one respect lie stands unique. Of all the surviving big features of the Great M r ar, old Hindenburg alone stands forth with added lustre. Total eclipse has overwhelmed the rest. The veteran’s only hobby is hunting chamois. It is stated that'he intends to visit England, and wants to shoot grouse. UNIVERSITY SUBURB. Bloomsbury has suffered more even than Balhani or Chelsea from the libels of literary caricaturists. It has been noised abroad as a dowdy region of peroxided passe ladies and long-haired I eccentrics. Even R.L.S. did not spare ! Bloomsbury But a great revenge j awaits the maligned suburb. At a cost of about £1,500,000 Bloomsbury is to become London’s university centre. | When this vast scheme is completed ! and magnificent new university buildj ings arise near the British Museum, . Bloomsbury will lie able to “cut ” even ( West Kensington. The London sub- ; urb that contains, within a stone’s i throw, both London University and the i British Museum reading room can af- ! ford to give itself airs even to highbrow tourists from Boston, Mass. Yet 1 Bloomsbury, through the Rockefeller j Foundation, will be indebted to Amc- ' rican dollars. ‘ SHENANDOAH.’ j Most of us have heard Mr John j Goss and the Westminster Quartette, ' either on the platform or on the gramaphone record, give their enchanting rendering of the famous sea shanty, ‘ Shenandoah. ’ And everybody wonders what the words mean, and how on