PASSING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 5

PASSING NOTES.

(From Saturdays Daily Times.) In the midst of our Socialistic conundrums, and deafened alike by the shouting of the honest men and the Cheap Jacks, who each promise us a different pill or plaster, the experiences of other nations are almost unheeded. If. Aye really had time to study, instead of alternately to insult and dread Japan, for instance, we might " hear of something to our advantage" — make some explanatory notes, as it were, on the working of a national spirit which, has produced such extraordinary results, and which, inspired by the theory of " the greatest good of the greatest jaumber," is yet as far removed from democracy as monarchy cam be. The present Mikado came to the throne in 1867, and it is not too much to say that in the 40 years of his reign Japan has been transformed. Just one year after th« young Emperor's accef^on,. the working basis of modern Japanese progress was promulgated under the title of " The Imperial Oath of the Five Articles." In effect, those articles are expressed as follows : — 1. Public opinion shall decide all measures of Government through th« Deliberative Assemblies. 2. All classes shall unite to carry out the Government plans, y^ 3. All the people JKU be allowed to fulfil their proper Xlesires, so that ell shall be happy. S K. [This is a curiously-worded article, ■which seems to imply some overt connection between *" civilised " and " natural"]. Uncivilised customs shall be broken through, and everything shall be based on the law of nature. 5. Knowledge shall be drawn from all the world, that the Empire may be built U PNow, this seems to me to be a national programme simply exuding benevolence, patriotism, and the true Socialism. ' All the people shall be allowed to fulfil their proper desires so that all shall be happy. Here is Socialism in a nutshell, albeit the kernel is a slightly different one from that last offered in these Notes. Whether the execution of articles 2 and 5 will result in the fulfilment of article 3 seems problematical to the student of social history. Regarding article 2, however, which reads— "All classes shall unite to carry out the Government plans" — there is no such doubt.

All classes have united to carry out the Government plans — and all the world wonders. There has, so faivas we can see, been an almost perfect unity in this part of the programme. As to the drawing of " knowledge from all parts of the world, that the empire may be built ur>," that has been done so rapidly that Japan already rivals her Western models in many important features. When one sees so apt a pupil it is impossible to avoid regretting that there has not been a higher teacher. " Make money, honestly if you can, but make it," is the creed of the modem Christian nations, and J-apan has soaked up the lesson like a sponge. That her industrial power may increase, she has. like any Spartan mother, crushed under the heel of Labour that happy freedom of the children which was so entrancing a factor in the life of old Japan. She may not aspire to first class honours in the industrial world, but she is croinpr to be the tertium quid to hamper the conclusions of the greater Powers. To that er>d — for the building up of the Empire — child labour is now exploited as eagerly and as effectively in Japan as in America. Something like 37,000 girls under the age of 14 work their 14 hours for the satisfying daily wage of a fraction less than twopence-halfpenny. Certainly it may be only fair lo remind oneself that the Japare.se carpenter considers himself fairly paid at one-and-twop^ence per day : and the stonemason, most nighlr paid craftsman of them all, only runs to one-and-threepe.nee, while the printer — arbiter of these Passing Note 6, think of it ! — brings up hie little printers on ninepence per diem, and does not. so far as we

know " curse God and die !" Now, where in this Oriental scheme of work and wages and industrial competition does the simple equipoise of our eight hours' gospel of work and play and slumber come in? And how does any reasonable person expect to ring-fence Japan and limit her vast horde of patient, frugal workers to conditions such as these, when in the colonies of her great ally, where Christianity teaches that all men are brothers, it is being realised at last that the only remedy for cheap coloured labour is an equal wage for equal work? These are problems for wiser heads than those which propounded the embargo on fir&at and butter, and which cry stinking fish lh* the salvation market place.

When Hans Breitmann pointed out man's superiority in the hoiuse-building line as — Man haf not vings nor fedders, An' in some dings 'tis said, He to'nt kom oop to spharrers, Boot on nests he goes ahet — he had no prevision of the miserable fate which the greatest inventor of our time would prepare for us. Edison's invention for the construction of the ready-made house, run into moulds and complete within a given number of hours, opens an appalling vista to the imagination : the 6ame mould used for dozens, scores, hundreds of concrete houses — a combination of utility, safety, and economy which might certainly have one unrehearsed effect : that of sending men into the country in order to escape the soulless monotony of the town. Later developments will, no doubt, include moulds of additional cubicles suitable for running on to the original concrete at an hour or two's notice, as emergency arises. Or, obeying that passion for specialisation which is such a feature of the age. we may consent to simplify matters by the erection of whole streets, or even suburbs, of moulded houses which shall only be occupied by families of the number for which they were designed. Worst of all, it appears that Edison has " generously decided to regard his patent as his great gift to the nation." Let us be thankful that it is the American nation : let, us hope that the insurance companies whose business the moulded concrete dwelling will revolutionise, and the workers whose trades it will destroy, will " suitably express their acknowledgments." I merely s>ay that Edison has disappointed me. Where is that high-minded abandonment of material smd money-making inventions in fayour of purely -scientific and spiritual researches which he promised us .more than a year ago?- Is this hideous Making of house moulds the" best he can do?

'Let me solace mj-slf -with anecdotes of him. The great man's greatest enemy is sometimes the personal anecdote ; but Kdisoniana does Edison no harm. Here ]'g a story, for example, that sounds like a clipping from a Band of Hope journal, and certainly merits the scorn of the colonial worker, in that it relates to Edison's impatience of fame as a limit of labour : — He never carries a watch, and there is no clock to be seen in the chemical laboratory where he works. With him it is time to knock-off when a task is finished. The hour has nothing to do with it. An admirer once took his little son to see Edison, and begged that he would say something to the boy which would help to influence his life. , Mr Edison looked down upon the lad, patted his curly head, and then with a smile said \ "My boy, never watch the clock." More to my mind is a story which expresses the infinite patience born of his even temperament, and which runs thus : For some days he had bsen carrying on a series of experiments in which he used a great many open-mouthed tumblers. In one experiment alone he had destroyed over 400, the experiment itself ending in complete failure. Then one of his assistants, who wes somewhat weary of the work, said: "Well, Mr Edison, what shall we do next?" fervently hoping that he would suggest his going home. Instead, however, Edison scratched his head for a moment, and then, looking at the mountain of broken glass, 6aid slowly : "Why, I suppose the next thing to do is to get some more tumblers."

Now for that varied correspondence from which political dissipations led me astray last week. The first then is one of those ingenious problemettes which may turn the idle thoughts of an idle fellow from the Labour problem, the Socialist problem (under which banner we shall "gather round the fountain" on Sundays), and other vexed questions. „ Personally I offer no opinion on the problemette, other than that there is a e&eming simplicity about it which is seductive — Dear Civis, — Do you think you could rer.der any information regarding the following sum in arithmetic? Jones wanted to go to the theatre, but as he had only a shilling, and the price of admission was Is Gd, he went alorg to the pawnbroker and sold him the shilling for lOd and a ticket worth the shilling. He then went along to his friend Brown, and sold him the' ticket for Bd, then off he went to the theatre in a very happy frame of mind. Brown went along to the pawnbroker, and the pawnbroker gave him the money due to him. How much did he (Brown) gain on or lose by the transaction? Hoping you or your readers can solve the problem. — D. To another correspondent I am indebted for an excellent example of " things one would have wished to express differently."' Judging from the following, there seems to be a ttrong family likeness between snles in the North and sales in theSouth — humour is never more delicious ' than when unintentional: ! Dear Civis, — A diapery fiim here is holding one of itg many sales. Special i.okete— one of which I enclose — have l>£sn printed in large, heavy type, and are freely u?ed to price the goods displayed in the window. USUAL PRICE, 32s 6d : FAIR PRICE, 21s 6d. It is not often that the drapers advertise so boldly that they uaually charge about iO per cent, above a fair price for "their goods, is it?— Yours, etc.. SB.

f Nor must I, in all fairness, omit tin " uttered not, but comprehended " reproach conveyed by that " correspondent who reminds me that it was Jack liunsby who remarked of hisr friend Cuttle'f. oracular utterances that " The bearings of this observation lies^in the application of it." Let me, in turn, ask my microscopic commentator if he does not second (from experience) the truth of " Reader's " letter in last week's notes? As to my friend who sets forth his grievances clearly and moderately enough in the following letterv I confess to a very substantial sympathy with him : — Dear "Civis," — Being desirous of hav1 ing my teeth attended to, I paid a visiti to the Otago University Dental. School and Hospital. On reading a notice outside I gathered th»t it was necessary to have an oi^e-r from a clergyman, medical practitioner, or member of the New Zealand D«ntal Association. I stepped inside, and enquiring of a younj* lady in attendance the conditions under which patients were received", I was supplied with the enclosed form, and told to get it filled in before anything could be done. Now, sir, I am earning 10s a day, I have a wife and young family to . provide for, and while we manage to live comfortably within our means I have nothing to spare for such a luxury, to me, as having my teeth, (which are not aching) stopped and filled privately, although they require attention if I am «to have the bast possible wear out of them. Can you tell me why -I should be required to get some one to certify that I am unable to pay (a fact I have endeavoured to conceal) for private dental treatment? I am not acquainted! with gentlemen of the professions named, one of the reasons being that I have never been enough financially to get into such company. Ytm have the reputation of being a power in the land, so I appeal to you to get this matter. adjusted, so that a working roan can get treatment without hanging around the door of parson or doctor, pleading poverty. If you do this you will earn the gratitude of a Pooh Man. CERTIFICATE. I hereby declare, from my own knowledge, that the bearer is unable *o pay for private dental treatment, and is a fit and proper person to be received as a patient at the Otago University Dental Hospital. ♦Signature ' Professor Address * •This Certificate may be signed by any , Clergyman, Medical Practitioner. or Member of the N.Z. Dental Association. N.B.— You are cautioned against signing without having a sufficient personal knowuedgb of the applicant's financial position. Common sense suggests that it is neces« sary to hedge the Dental School about' with such provisions as shall prevent its coming into unfair competition with . the. private practice of dentteta. On the other hand, It is clear there could be no practice without patients. Clearly, alao, the patient; has his "face value" as a necessarymedium for demonstration. Surely that is not to be overlooked to the : extent of compelling him to sue "in forma paupens. and lose his eelf-respect, not for a mesa of pottage even, but only for the mean 3 to eat it more comfortably. Civis.