NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22400, 22 April 1936, Page 12

NOTES AND COMMENTS

"SETTLE OR FIGHT" What Herr Hitler has dared and done in reocc'upying the Rhineland shows tho extent of recovered power that Germany already has attained, writes Mr. J. L. Garvin in the London Observer. Night and day, at desperate economic strain, the Nazi Reich is working up to a more formidable climax of armaments. Germany is the only Power that might strike Britain to the heart. I'or this reason, above all others, Britain is compelled, as she values her life, to rearm with might and main, and she has left it late. The colonial question will touch the vitals of the Empire if, when the time conies, Britain is not strong enough both in'herself and in her diplomatic connections. The effect of this latter question is already vibrating through the whole of British policy. In a word, the coming and nearing question for the British and the German peoples is, "Settle or Fight." AMERICAN ISOLATIONISM Germany's military occupation of tho Rhineland has left the United States relatively calm and detached, notes the New York correspondent of the London Observer. On two previous war scares the fear of entanglement developed almost to fever pitch. They were Germany's withdrawal from the Disarmament Conference and Signor Mussolini's march into Ethopia. One explanation of the relative lack of excitement on this occasion is that many Americans feel that in the recent Neutrality Statute the United States has run up the necessary barriers against entanglement. This is particularly noticeable in the Middle West. "The right side for the United States to take," says the St. Louis Star-Times, comfortably, "has already been taken —namely, the outside." One finds the same sentiment repeated in private conversation. It is expressed in New England as in Cilifornia. Isolationism is one policy at least over which there are no sectional differences, except in degree. DECLINING POPULATIONS A serious warning as to the possible effects of the steady decline of the population of Britain was uttered by Professor R. Kuczynski (formerly Director of the Statistical Office, Berlin-Schon-berg) in the last of his series of lectures on " Recent Population Trends at University College, London. Professor Kuczynski declared that few people realised how serious the present situation really was. Until the . War most of the leading nations viewed a largelyincreased population as a great asset. The rise in the standard of living was attributed to the large increase in the number of consumers, and the economic advantages of an expanding outlet for production. Since the War, however, most nations took an exactly opposite view and considered a large population an economic burden, productive of unemployment, poverty and many other evils. It was assumed that without overpopulation everyone would get a share of the social product. " This radical change of view has occurred without a fundamental change in the economic system," Professor Kuczynski added. " If fertility and mortality remain constant we shall soon see in England and other countries a steady decrease of population. At the same time, every branch of industry is being carried on on the assumption that the population will continue to increase."

USE OF ALCOHOL Advice on when it was dangerous, and when desirable, to give alcdtlol to a person in distress was given by Professor Edward Mellanby, secretary of the Medical Research Council, when he lectured before the Royal Institution. The danger of alcohol, from the point of view of rescue parties, he stated, lay in the fact that while it brought warmth to the person rescued, it did nothing to stimulate the working of his body. The result was that the body's "heat loss" was increased, but there was no corresponding increase in the production of heat, such as would result from a beef steak or any other form of food. Therefore, if alcohol was given when a rescue party was a long way from any plaCo of refuge, death from exposure might be accelerated, although, for the time being, the man might be made more comfortable. "Similarly," Professor Mellanby stated, "it is bad to take alcohol during hardship when there is no prospect of immediate rescue." If, og tho other hand, the time of hardship was nearly over, or the rescue party nearly homo, then alcohol might be valuable. Other points which he made were that tho rate at which the body can use alcohol is dependent on the amount of alcohol in the blood; that there is more energy in alcohol, weight for weight, than in any form of food except fat; but that it does not provide energy for muscular contraction.

POLITICAL JARGON In the course of an editorial article headed "Political Jargon" the Morning Post says:—A conspicuous example of political jargon is the phrase about "exploring every avenue" —a phrase which was invented by the Marquess of Lansdowne, when he was 1' oreign Secretary at the beginning of tho century. For some reason, it exercised a mortal fascination over politicians especially pacifists; and it has done menial duty for them ever since. The exploring of avenues has become one of the main preoccupations of political life. Now, the well-worn phrase has cropped up again in a motion, in the Order Paper of the House of Commons, exhorting the Government "to exploro every avenue of conciliation provided by the machinery of the League of Nations to the fullest extent." Fortunately this cracked, defaced and smooth-rubbed coin has not been allowed to pass current unchallenged. Mr. A. P. Herbert's vigilant eye has detected it, and his hand has neatly nailed it to the counter with one satiric touch. He has put down an amendment to leave out the words "explore avenue," and to insert the words "leave no stone unturned." It is cheering to know that this amendment has been backed by as many r.s 20 members; and it will be interesting to observe how the amendment fares in the division, if the motion on the paper ever comes to the vote. Is there not some hope that a revolt against jargon is on foot? Henceforward no one surely will be able to "explore every avenue" or "leave no stone unturned" without a blush and the fear of exciting derision. So great is the effect of one grain of satire.