“WATERLOO’S AFTERMATH”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21984, 20 June 1933, Page 11

“WATERLOO’S AFTERMATH”

A COMPARISON WITH TO-DAY

ADDRESS BY DR J. R. ELDER

Dr J. R. Elder gave the first of a series of lectures on “ Aspects of the World Crisis ” before a fairly large audience in the physics room at the Otago University last evening. Dr Elder, who took as his subject “ The Aftermath of Waterloo,” graphically described the effects on England of the war which culminated in that famous battle.

Dr R. Lawson, in introducing the speaker, said that the series of talks had been organised in order that University men might have an opportunity of contributing some dispassionate thoughts on the problems of the present time. It was not claimed that controversial matter would be altogether avoided, as the subjects were such that it would be impossible to do more than touch the fringe if that were done. There was no one among the lecturers with an axe to grind, and it was merely hoped that the speakers would be able to put forward for the consideration of rational men some, principles which might help to illuminate the darkness of the present-day problems. Dr Elder’s task was to place before them the historical introduction to the series. The immediate result of Waterloo, said Dr Elder, was the return of the legitimate princes to the territories from which they had been driven, and the consequent return to autocracy with clerical and feudal privilege. There followed, in Europe, a period of reaction; Greece raised herself against Turkey, Belgium against Holland, Italy against Austria and Prussia strove to unite the German States under herself. At the same time men of liberal ideas set themselves to overthrow autocracy and gain constitutional government. The years following Waterloo were marked in Europe by the growth of nationalism. While nations, impelled by the materialistic spirit bora of the machine age, forgot all ideals in the mad race for wealth and power, the people, still mindful of the democratic theories taught by the French Revolution, fought against reactionary governments that they might obtain political freedom.

■ In England the aftermath of Waterloo was a situation which, as on the Continent, led to the rise of democracy. The people gradually asserted themselves against aristocratic privilege ;and industrial oppression. After the war the people at Home prepared themselves to enjoy peace and to escape from the misery that had come upon them. To the astonishment even of experienced financiers, however, peace served only to increase the troubles of the nation. Tficy had yet to learn that a period of suffering and want invariably followed the end of hostilities. , The position in 1815, moreover, was rendered yet more difficult by the fact that the country was already in. the grip of an economic revolution of unparalleled magnitude and scope. The Government was confronted with the problem of the returned soldiers and sailors who sought work in a market glutted with men and commodities. During the war England had acted as the world’s workshop and her sea victories had made her virtually the carrier of the world. Her foreign trade increased rapidly and at home employment was plentiful and prices were high. Taxation in proportion was cheerfully borne, but after the war, with the national debt quadrupled, the problem of taxation and debt had to be faced under different conditions. The lack of employment was closely connected with the relief of the poor and the system in force did much to increase the misery of the working classes.

The speaker went on to describe at some length the manner in which provision was made for the relief of the great amount of distress which existed and referred to the abuses which came about as time went on.

With a dislocated labour market, therefore, falling trade, a gigantic debt, a discontented people ripening for rebellion, financiers and capitalists consumed with anxiety, continued Dr Elder, the outlook for the leaders of England in 1815 was a dismal one. Fear of revolution drove the Tory Government- to measures of vigorous repression which served to increase radical determination to carry the Reform Bill. In 1830 the people were on the brink of revolt and Wellington, knowing the value of retreat, allowed the Reform Bill to pass the final reading in 1832.

Dr Elder discussed the growth of the machine age and its effect upon the people who came to hate the machines which they thought were responsible for much of their misery. The agricultural revolution with its far-reaching effect upon English village life was also described. The vigorous, healthy peasantry of the early eighteenth century had become a pauper class accustomed to cringing to the authorities for relief. The manner in which the working classes had, during the years of plenty, employed themselves with profit in their leisure by banding themselves into societies for their own improvement, was described by the lecturer, who showed that this was evidence that the majority of such classes could be relied upon to spend - their spare time in a laudable fashion when they were working under proper conditions. When the time came for the silk industry to compete with the sweated labour of the provincial towns, the societies which had been flourishing died, the'members finding it necessary to work long hours in order to earn sufficient to buy the barest necessaries. The workers had scant opportunity after Waterloo to think of cultural pursuits. As time went on, under the influence of radical speakers and writers, political parties sprang into being throughout the country, their main object being parliamentary reform. Gradually it became apparent that the Radicals themselves were divided into two parties—those advocating moral suasion and those who desired physical force. Rioting and pillage followed, and the Government strove to stop more bloodshed by further repression. The climax of this period of lawlessness and disorder was readied with the- Cato street conspiracy in 1823. Meanwhile, the worst of the economic depression had passed, trade was gradually flowing in normal channels and moderate men had reason to hope that constitutional agitation would ultimately prevail. Dr Elder then proceeded to illustrate the gradual growth of order and prosperity, with the tide of emigration which liad a great effect upon the situation, and then he showed many points of comparison between the conditions of 100 years ago and those which now confronted the world. The settlement of Versailles, he said, like that of Vienna, had left problems which urgently demanded solution. In conclusion, lie said that it was agreed that the ultimate solution lay in the spiritual regeneration of mankind which would cause all men to live together as brethren,'" that the social and international problems were moral problems, and that Christian nations should put into practice the ideas which they held in theory.