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Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16503, 2 August 1919, Page 2

It cannot be denied that the latest nows from Russia is very disappointing, it was hoped that, with some assistance in the way of material and limited Allied forces, the Russians who aimed at the restoration, of law and older would be able to defeat the Bolsheviks and establish some ■ form of popular government which would meet with support from all but the extremists. Admiral Koltcliak advanced from Siberia across the Volga, General Denikin was pushing forward from the south, and a small British force, based on Kola and Archangel, was moving south to complete the encircling movement. To hopeful minds it seemed probable that all ground recovered from the Bolshevik's would be firmly held, as the inhabitants would bo only too glad to be free from their oppressors, while the poulacc would rise as soon as the relieving forces arrived anywhere in the neighbourhood. But those cxcctalions have proved altogether mistaken and wo must conclude, cither that the Russian people are not as hostile to Bolshevik rule us we have been - led to suppose, or that the organisation of which Lenin and Trotsky are the heads is a much more effective form of tyranny than seems possible to outsiders. The second of the. suppositions is the one that appeals to ns more, since it seems impossible than any people can deliberately choose to be ruled by men whose brutality makes a new chapter in the history of crime. It must be remembered that there is practically no middle class in Russia to lead, in the battle for liberty. The

nobility have been almost wiped out, and the bureaucracy have either suffered the same fate or gone over to the Bolsheviks in order to save their Ihcs; the peasants are like sheep waiting to bo shorn. In these circumstances it is practically useless for Britain to waste more good men over a task that seems hopeless. We do not wish Russia to fall under German domination, but we are certainly not ready to place large armies in that country in order to oust the Germans, only perhaps to find that our presence is even less desired than j that of the people from whom we have saved the Russians.

“Economy” is a word, the Eltham Argus says, that is not known in Dominion politics, but politicians will soon have to become Acquainted with it. If inquiries wore made into tho printing expenses of the Dominion it would quickly he discovered that ninny thousands of pounds are spent annually on printing that should not. and need not. be spent. 'The printing hill of this Dominion is not much short of a scandal. If a Parliamentary sub-commit-tee examined the matter they could make suggestions that would save fhe. Slate a lot of money. But they are not desirous of effecting savings. The overweening vanity of some of them prevented a saving being made by a reduction in the is-ne of Hansard—and this in the face of increased cost and scarcity' of paper. It would do fills country a lot of good if a ‘'skinflint” Ministry hold the reins for a time. They would, of course, bo intensely unpopular, but they would confer substantial benefits upon the peoplo. There will ho a very genera) agreement with the sentiments thus expressed by our Eltham contemporary, but it might have gone a little further and protested against the extravagance of the system which provides "copy” for tho Government printer. AVo received recently part 11 of the results of tho census taken in 1916. This is a htuo book of 52 pages, foolscap size, dealing .solely with the dwelling* of the people. There arc elaborate tables showing how many houses, together with the number of rooms in each, have outer walls of brick, of stone, of concrete, of wood, of iron, of canvas, of other material, or not stated. Other tables gives tho number of houses and rooms and inhabitants in tho various centres. Others give tho rents paid. Others divide the houses in tile various boroughs into private dwellings, tenements, hotels, boarding-houses, and so on, and tell us whether they are rented or owned, whether they are mortgaged or free, and so on. Tho collection and compilation of all this information must have been very costly, and this particular Blue Book is typical of many others. Presumably some work has to be found for tho great number of civil servants engaged in the big buildings at AVcllington, hut much of the results of their labours might well be spared.