PASSING NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15433, 20 April 1912, Page 6

PASSING NOTES.

" Making a passage " will bo tho nautical man's first, and instinctive comment on tho catastrophe of the Titanic. It is a sea phrase meaning speed at all risks for the purpose of a record. If (his was the blame of tho Titanic, it is equally the blamo of ovcry liner engaged in the great Atlantic ferry. Tho competition in record passages produces the finest ships and the finest seamen in the world; and the travelling public loves to bavo it so. Naturally tho Titanic, a new ship, finer than tho finest, on her maiden voyage, would be required to do her best. It is not this that wo have to complain of; tho real evil is that the later and finer ships aro of an excessive size. To get two or three thousand people into boats from a sinking ship, cVcn under conditions mado for the purpose—daylight and calm sea— is nu impossibility. Instead of a singlo ship of 40.000 ton's, the" travelling millionaire should exact two of 20,000, the ono to escort tho other. Only thus could ho combine luxury with safety. And it may como to that. The more oxpensivo Atlantic lincra ifi'll run in pairs. But talk of this kind is all a pretence—an evasion of tho real subject. For in truth tho real subject is too painful for words. Wo shall havo enough of it. presently and sup full of horrors when the survivors tell their tale. It is truo that as a maritime people wo aro native to these risks. The tragedy of our race and tho glory both arc in Kipling's lines: Wo havo fftl our soa for a thousand years, And slio calls us, still linfod, Though there's never a wnvo of all her waves Hut marks our Engl&h dead; Wp hnvo strawed our lx>st 16 tho weed's unrest. To the shark and tho sheering gull If blood bn tiro price of udmiraltv, Lord God, wo havo pjiid in full.

The syndicate of adventurers who havo got into place and power without leave or license asked from Parliament, and without any assurance that wore it asked it would be granted, ore doing well so far. Their lime is short, but they are trying to take themselves seriously. For ono thing, they have posed for a' collective photograph as " The New Ministry," ten of Cheni, each man in a new top hat, apparently the symbol of ollico and authority. Ten new Ministers and ten top hnts;—it is an imposing array. Except on the fca-frout at Brighton, England, where Christy Minstrel troupes aroTound in their perfection, 1 have seen nothing liner, 'I he Chin Shirt Ministry has'a iwge in our history; haply this "will fill another as the Top Hat Ministry. Dietribuled through their official' departments and ensconced each man in his private sanctum, its members enjoy for the time being a beatitude like that attributed by I'leacomen X to the minions of Clwinccry Lane: Them lawyors, six-nndoight, Was ji-livin at their case, A-iondin of their writs about, And droring in tho fees, all tilings to their mind and with hope of continuance, When there erose a cirkimstnnco As is liko to iniiko a breeze. Same tare —the " cirkimstancu "in this case being Sir Joseph Ward, rad to say. It in truo that to Sir Joseph as their author, 'creator, only begetter, tho TopHatters owe everything. But it is not fair that he should put himself continually in tho front, taking precedence of them at banquets, accepting demonstrations at railway stations, and posing befoi« the country as their proprietor, cxpcoUnl heir, and residuary legatee. Gratitude has its limits, and we may look ero long for a breeze.

Meanwhile it I*6 n point in their favour that this company of adventurers arc not affronting us with any protenco of a policy. 'J'lieir policy is to go on existing and to wear a top iiat. They don't even invent anything new against the Opposition. To rohoarso again tlio iniquity of not allowing.Mr Wil'ford to vote who had 110 vote, not having token tire oath, and whoso voting was forbidden under penalty, shows a costive imagination. Tlio Opposition ruled out Mr Wilford's vote by refusing him a pair. But tho TopMatters, such is their magnanimity, will not refuse a pair to Mr Herrics, leading •Oppositionist, should Mr Herrics need to visit England. " TJiank you for nothing!" says the Opposition. It k impossible to refuse a pair to any member who is a member. Tho practice of pairing is of equal advantage to both sides; neither side, could get on without it. Passing from that, let mc hasten to acknowledge one welcome trace of originality. Mr Myers, tJic now fop-luitted Defence Minister, will stand by the Defence Act. That is distinctly original. His interview in Wellington with a deputation representing a Peace Society and certain Labour organisations wns a kind of fighting with baiMs at Ephosus. From, their sentiments the deputation might' have been a pack of Yahoos. They had " nothing to fight for." " nothing to defend." " no freedom,", only " tyranny "; a reference to " the glorious" heritage handed down to us" elicited " ironical cheers " and " You can have mv share."

"Would you lx> prepared," asked a membor of tho deputation, "to amend tho act so as to prevent tho forces being used in tho event of industrial disputes?" " 1 would not- be in favour of that," replied tho Minister, " Ixvauso law and order havo to be maintained."—(Cries of "Ha, ha." and jeer?.) "It is in your own interests. Don't miiko any mistake."—(l/iughtor, and a voico: "Class distinction.") "There is no (•lass distinction. You am just as much interested in this as I am." A Voice: That reply won't be forgotten right throughout Now Zealand. Mr Myers, though only an amateur Minister of Defence, is an honest man, and he has my sympathy.

The Kaiser, who never opens his moutli without raying somethir- interesting, is reported to have said in conversation with an Italian Deputy at Venice that he could conquer half Europe if he lukl " n people as intelligent as the Italians.'' Whereupon at Jlerliii " surprise is expressed." Incredulity would scenj more, natural—incredulity plus the. humour of the thing, Tho German Emperor disparaging' German intelligence in favour of Italian should put nil Germany on llic broad grin. Doubtless he is soured a little by the recent elections and thinks the voters "mostly fook" His notion may ho that if German intelligence were iu Italian iutcUigence, Uenn,i.ny might sraitch Holland and Helgiiim as Frederick snatched Silesia, and as the Italians are snatching Tripoli. Hie trouble is that German intelligence is higher. 'Hie German people are capable of quarrelling with an horcditiiry enemy puch as France; possibly aLso of coming to blows with a trade rivol such as Engliind; but are of an intelligent e too modern and too wide awake for vais of adventure, ambition, reckless aggression. The army that might conquer half Europe has never fired a shot except at peace manrruvres, And were' Frederick the Grabber alive to-dny and at the head of it. he would be. able to grab nothing. All this is well underrtood. Rut when the Kaiser as feudal autocrat and the Lord's anointed talks wildly, irllowance is made for him. 'llic flashes of warlike enthusiasm wid boyinh irresponsibility that make the interest of his speeches are taken as sheet lightning merely, and harmless. As rcppects tho Venice speech, tlrerc is of cotrrso the chance that it was never spoken. The Kaiser is a man of versatile genius; in particular he has a genius for getting himself misreprted.

If anything could put German' intelfigenct in n bad light, it is the doctrine of the duel. »• doctrine expounded and illustrated in this week's cablegrams by the Kaiser himself. A medical ofliccr who li:id refused on religions grounds in fijjht a duel with a fellow ofliccr is informed by imperial rescript tliat he e;uinot remain in the army, " because he does not slwrc his canals' views in fwh matters; but inasmuch a« he did not give occasion (or the insult to whicli he was subjected he is permitted a.s an act of grace to resign." By this judgment of Solonwn the Kaiser enforces the due! us a penalty for brine; gratuitously insulted, (irnrted that a man who for any reason refused' to fight when challenged might

find life in a group of benighted German junkers impossible. Bui.at least the Kaiser, chwf representative of law and right, should he on his side. Clearly, however, the Kaiser is as benighted as the rest, Willi him is tho blamo of fostering a rolic of barbarism not only murderous but stupid. It is idlo to talk of military honour as in some, way concerned. Napoleon, with no special tenderness for_ human lifo and with exaggerated notions of military honour, knew exactly what to think of tho duel Ho used tho whole weight of his authority against it. His Baying was, " Bon ducllisto mnuvais soldat." When himeclf challenged, as on ono occasion at lenst, he |»ured. contempt on tho challenger by sending him a fewiing-mastcr on whom to experiment. By English law duelling is murder. But an enlightened public opinion—which should put the Kaisor and his junkers to the blush—has been more effective than the Inw. British people have left off duelling not because it is wrong, but because, it is ridiculous.

Two Kaisor stories that aro new to mo may como in here. When the news was broken to him that his Moved uncle King Edward had passed away, thoso about him doolaro that the Empnror utterly broko down—possibly tho only occasion upon record,—and putting his head on his arm, sobbed quietly to himself for several moments. Tho sovereigns of Europe aro a 6mall group; there aro not half a dozen that really count. Jt must be lonely on thoso heights. And, spito of all that had come and gone, there would be between the King and tho Kaiser a closer fellow-feel-ing than between any other two. The burst of cmotioji was only human. This over, lie up and bestirred himself. "As though half ashamed of tho weakness into which ho had been betrayed ho gruffly, and in his most peremptory manner, gave instructions for instant preparations to be mode for his immediate departure for l-iondon. 1 ' Tho other story is ,of the Kaiser's dealings with Cecil Rhodes, in whom he easily recognised a kindred spirit. It was about tho Capo to Cairo railway and tho attempt of Rhodes to get conceded a strip of German East Africa, bo that the line from start to finish might run through British territory. But no, the Kaiser was inflexible. "I will find a way somehow," said Rhodes during tho discussion. Tho Emperor looked at him rather curiously. " Thoro Br© only two persons in tho world entitled to say ' I will' in that cmnluitio manner," and 1 am ono of thorn, he remarked. Rhodes smiled broadly. "That Is quite right," ho retorted; " I am tho other one." After that, a 6 was natural, they reached a compromise, and the high contracting parties left off with mutual respect. Which, on the Kaiser's side, is a good trait.

Under the headine of " A Question of Grammar," a correspondent of tlio Specla tor complains that tho " Irrelative Nominative Absolute " is of " increasing frequency." Tho " Irrelative Nominative Absolute "—what fearful wildfowl is this? I had better give ono or two nf the writer's examples. These are from letters to the editor of a daily paper :— " Sir, —Porhntw being ft person of importance, it may interest you to know that. I." etc. " Sir,—Being absent on tho Continent, Ihe letters in your issue of Ist and 4th irnder the above heading have only just conic to my knowledge." And this is from a published letter addressed to a woman candidate for membership of tho London County Council; — " Both as o. woman and n. doctor thi> Council offers a great and suitable field for your services."

Probably tho people who write these sentences arc unable to sec that there is anything wrong in them. Conceivably, though not probably, there are readers of Passing Notes equally in tho dark. Lot me add other examples framed on my own experience :— Dear " Civis,"-Wa3kinjr down Gcorgo street, tho Knox Church "tecplo struck mo as needing another lick of paint. And again:— Dear " Civis,"—Talkiup tho other day of tho honour duo to our national poets, the Burns Statue presented itsolf as an instance, etc. Here we have the Knox Church steeple walking down Geon'o street, and the Burns Statue talking of our national poets. And one shocked at these phenomena will please take note (and may it be a comfort to him!) that they aro examples 'if the " Irrelative Nominative Abso'mte." Civis.