NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15629, 8 June 1914, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

THE ARMY CRISIS.

The most detailed statement furnished by any member of the British Government on the recent army crisis was given by Colonel Seely, ex-Minister for War, in an address to. his constituents. He said "It came to my knowledge as Secretary of State for War that there was a real risk that hotheaded persons not under any kind of 'discipline or order might attempt to rush certain places in Ireland where there were large stores of arms and ammunition. We nil agreed that the proper plan was to send small detachments to assist tho police in guarding the stores. As the result of instructions given, telegrams came from tho commander of the forces implying clearly that there had been several breaches of discipline, not amongst the troops ordered to move, but amongst others. Those who were supposed to be the guilty parties were sent for. When they had been interviewed it became at once apparent that they had been suffering under the most complete delusion. They believed that they had been put a hypothetical question, which is tho one thing you may never put to » soldier. I saw 'General Gough for fiie minutes, and told him tho substance of what I have now tola you. I told him the army was bound to obey all lawful orders, and that as they had got it into their heads that we were contemplating unlawful action, I told him in good set terms that that was not so. He then said he would obey all lawful commands, and that was tho end of the interview, I saw my colleagues at the Cabinet for a moment, and I then went to report the matter to my Sovereign. And here let me say that all the wild stories about the King having interfered are absolutely untrue, and, as for the document itself, he never knew there was such a thing till next day. When I came back my colleagues had dispersed, except tho Prime Minister and Lord Morley. They had been considering the substance of what should be given to these officers for them to speak from in addressing the others. It was quite clear that it was impossible for my colleagues to write a document representing ( what I had said. The document itself was not complete, and I proceeded without a moment's hesitation, and without tho remotest idei. that I was dealing unfaithfully with my colleagues, to put into the document what I had actually said. Thanks to 1 the Conservative press, the view that the document was a trophy extracted from us against our will went right through the army. In these circumstances, what was my duty ? Plainly I saw that these tromendons misapprehensions had occurred, and I took into account my having made the mistake of not having gathered my colleagues together again, though there was little time. Clearly my usefulness in this crisis to the Government was gone for tho moment, and, therefore, I pressed tho Prime Minister to accept my resignation."

AUSTRALIAN RUDENESS. An interesting survey of the- people of Australia is made by the Rev. F. C. Spurr, of- Melbourne, who is now returning to England. Writing in the Christian World, ho says :—" A people materially prosperous in a new land are liable to forget the higher things. Wealth tends to make them vulgar, and to limit their horizon. Australia has not escaped this danger. There are very many refined people—especially'in connection with the churches—who keep themselves abreast of current thought; peoplo who live in tasteful houses, who are models of courtesy, and who generally understand the art of savoir vivre. The children of many wealthy people proceed to the university. There are hundreds of young women in Melbourne who have graduated in art*, science, or law, not in order to obtain a livelihood, but solely for the culture which the study brings. But the rank and filo of the people— obtain good wages—have little intellectual ambition beyond the football or the cricket fields, or the prize ring at the Stadium. Tho manners of 'ho rank and file leave much to bo desired. The doctrine that 'Jack is as good as his mastor,' aa practised in Australia, too often results, not in the elevation of Jack to (ho rank of his master, but in the coarsening of Jack. The Chief Justice has recently been lecturing our .youth upon its rudeness. The rebuke is deserved. Rudeness is the characteristic of tho average young man out here. It is a pity, and it need not be. Nothing is more necessary for this young country than the inculcation of tho spirit of respect.' 1

CANAL TOLLS. Tho debate in the American Senate on the repeal of tho tolls clause in the Panama Canal Act was opened with a powerful speech by Senator Lodge, who, as a Republican member of the Committeo on Foreign Relations, Became the spokesman of Republicans in tne Senate in supporting the attitude of the Democratic President. Senator Lodge's speech is considered the most important delivered during tho progress of the debate. He declared that Mr. Henry White, late Charge d'Affaires in Mexico, the ex-Ambassador in London, Mr. Choate, and the late Secretary of State, Mr. Hay, are all agreed that in abrogating the ClaytonBulwer treaty it was understood that the tolls should bo levied equally on all vessels without exception. In the face of the declaration by these three, who alone conducted the negotiations for America, there could not bo any doubt in his own mind as to the attitude which America now should assume. "I am satisfied that other nations will hesitate long before they will enter upon treaties with a country which insists on deciding all disputed points in treaties in its own favour by a majority vote of Congress. I am not blind to the political temptations which the situation at this moment presents. lam a strong party man. I shall, to the best of my ability, oppose Mr. Wilson if he is a candidate for re-election. The allurements of political advantage appeal as strongly to mo as they can to any man, but when the relations of my country with other nations are involved I cannot yield to them. My politics have always stopped at the water's edge."