NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15646, 27 June 1914, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

THE OCCUPATION OF VERA CRUZ.

It is safe to say that tho Mexican city of Vera Cruz has never been so well governed in its long history as after the Americans occupied it. To build a canal, eradicate yellow fever, and carry on town government-all come- within the field of duties for which the United States army is always under training. Within a few days the fears of those Mexicans who expected summary reprisals for the house-top firing on Americans were calmed, political prisoners were released, the abominable gaol was condemnedjas unfit, the hungry were fed from naval stores, the water supply was guarded, and American bands wore playing in the Plaza to tho delight of the music-loving Mexicans. Quiet, order, and security were assured by tho American flag, whereas under Mexican rule too often pillage under pretence of law, oppression, and tyranny had been experienced. In Admiral Fletcher's withdrawal order, after wcll-desorved but restrained praise of tho marines, bluejackets, and gun-handlers, he said:—"ln nine days' work tho city of Vera Cruz was occupied by the navy, lawlessness and disorder suppressed, 11,000 firearms taken possession of, and a line of defences established around the city against an army threatening to recapture it. Business was resumed and normal conditions restored."

OPIUM IN THE PHILIPPINES,

Opium reform in the Philippines began as far back as 1843. The- Spanish Government, alarmed by the- spread of the opium habit, began to farm out tho opium monopoly by restricting the use of opium to tho Chinese exclusively. Of course the temptation of the owner of the opium privilege was to sell all the opium he could, and, although its use was by law confined to the Chinese, an increasing number of natives contracted the habit. In 1898, directly after American occupation of tho islands, the opium "monopoly" was abolished as not being in line with American traditions. The Act of Congress of 1905 provided that after March 1, 1908, it should bo unlawful for any per«ons or corporations to import into the islands opium in any form. The Government is, however, permitted to import opium for medicinal purposes. A second measure was the passage of an Act by the Philippine Commission in 1908 by which only adult male persons not natives of the islands were permitted to use opium; and then only conditionally upon taking oat a certificate. At that time about twofifths of the number of opium-users had quite tho habit, and a largo percentage of the remainder had become moderate users. To-day the Insular Bureau of the War Department reports that the opium problem as a problem has practically been eliminated. The Chief of Police in Manila declares that every opium joint in tho city has been put out of business, and says that it is now harder to buy or use opium in Manila than in any city of tho United States having a considerable Chinese population.

DEPRESSION IN FRANCE.

The French Customs Department has issned the statistics of the export and import trade of France with her colonics and foieign State? for tho fin-' h-ir months of th' yea - , shc-v <?, as cor ■ -\ v 'Ji the corresponding penod of 19... an i.crease of ne:..-lv £3.000,000 in imports, hut a doermo of over £2,000,000 in exports. Tlio increase in imports is almost entirely in agricnlturel products and raw manufacturing material; owing to the bad harvest in France, whilst there is a slight deficit in the import of ready-made goods. Tho export of manufactured goods shows a docrease of £2,000,000, and foodstuffs dropped by ovor £1,600,000, which practically balanced the increased export of raw material. The most important feature, however, is the change for tho worse in April. March was bad enough in the export of manufactures—generally one of the best items of French exports—but April | was no better. The figures all round, as compared with 1913, show an increase of over £1,000,000 in the importation of raw industrial material, bat a deficit in tho import of manufactured goods and alimentary products, making the total import increase little more than £500,000. For exports, however, the only increase was a paltry £20,000 in raw material, while there was a decrease getting on for a million in manufactured articles, and one of £700,000 in foodstuffs—the total drop during April amounting to £1,600,000. In other words, French farmers have seen their exports dwindle by 22 per cent., which is a very serious outlook, especially when taken in conjunction with the deficit in the revenue from taxation during the same period. All points, indeed, to a real economic depression.

RUSSIA AND GERMANY. Russia, it is said, expects to be fully prepared for war in 1917, and the end of that year is the- earliest date at which the Russo-German commercial treaty can bo denounced by either Power. Germany has officially expressed her intention of lotting it run on ; but Russia is apprehensive of tho influx of German rye, stimulated by the German system of premiums on the export of grain, and has just attempted to check it by imposing an import duty; Russian industry, in spite of its rapid growth under the influence of French and Be I jia r . capital, is als>> still apr-i' 1 'ir't' *i Ci>xim competition; am l i,'uere aid .-."Tiours that the Russian Government contemplates a check on the supply of cheap labour to the eastern provinces of Prussia by raising the cost of pjisppw 3 lr 0° relish ham.<i»rx c, who-n tho agrarians of those ai&.rirts have come to depend. Tin Honey earned by these labour* rs, like that brought back from South America by returning Italian immigrants, is an appreciate element in the national income, but doubtless the Russian Protectionists would gladly lumper tho German grain-growers and keep their cheap labour at home. A tariff war, though not incompatible with pacific relations otherwise, has already—in the nineties of the last century—intensified friction of another kind between Germany and Russia, and may easily dp so again four years hence.