WHAT THE PAPERS SAY

Observer, Volume XL, Issue 13, 29 November 1919, Page 4

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY

nrHE liquor interests seem rather I to . specialise in blitherers and 'dullwit's.' In a world groAvn relatively modern, the liquor interests are still eighteenth-century. The liquor interests haA r c no soul, no dignity, no sense, no gratitude. Most of the money the liquor interests spend in their own defence is spent foolishly or ludicrously. The mulish thickheadedness and obstinate crass idiocry of the liquor interests has done more than anything else on earth to imperil humanity's reasonable right to have a drink whenever it feels like it. If the liquor interests had sense enough to employ one-tenth of the brains that are engaged in the Prohibition movement (which Aye take to be an infamy), the Prohibition movement Avould be knocked into splinters so completely in ten years that there would be scarcely a whiff of its old stench left on earth to sadden men withal.— Wellington "Triad."

Roughly the millers and butter manufacturers receive from the public purse, as ''compensation" for not making more than the "fair profits" they themselves agreed with Mr. Massey "would be the right thing in war time, some threequarters of a million between them, standing for £2 12s. taken from every average family, as "compensation," we suppose for the high cost of living.— Napier "Telegraph."

In spite of efforts in certain quarters to" obscure national issues to bolster up party ends, there are promising indications that so far as the two main parties are concerned artificial divisions are collapsing and giving Avay. The new trend is disclosed, though not as yet in an equal degree, in utterances by members of both parties. In spite of the cold reception accorded to the formal declaration of the Reform Party last year that responsible elements in the House ought to unite in the interests of good government, a number of its members have steadfastly upheld that view of the situation. and within the last few days several of them have expressed themseh-es on the subject in tense and explicit terms. —Wellington "Dominion."

Where the Reform Leader falls through the thin ice is in defending the policy of voting for a single year —just before the general election, mind—a sum that his party has no intention of spending three-quarters of during the year covered by the Budget. This, of course, is not electioneering at all! By no means ! The Liberal Leader alone goes in for electioneering—or. in other words, fooling the people. So Mr. Massey wishes us to believe. It is a far better electioneering plan, in his opinion, to vote, money you do not mean to spend, than to give it to soldiers.in the shape of a gratuity. You get the votes and you keep the money. Very .simple, indeed! Mr. Veiteh has improved even on'this. He says he'd give an extra shilling a day gratuity provided somehody else takes the responsibility. Of course, as he sits on the political rail, it is possible to talk like that. Both Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward are not sitting on the same rail as Mr. Veiteh, and hence they must try to shove each other off. It is to be hoped both succeed.—Greymouth "Argus."

Soldier settlement offers a typical example of the humbug in the hustings plans of the Reformers.—Wellington "Times."

Instead of cutting the heart out of all wars, the United States Senate has cut the heart out of the' Covenant and out of the Peace Treaty by carrying its amendment. " The press agrees," says a Washington message, "that the adoption of the reservation to Article X. destroys the Peace Treaty." Hoav much uf all that America had accomplished for humanity during the last eighteen months of the Avar has been undone by the single stroke remains to be seen, but for the present the Treaty is dead, and Senator Lodge and his supporters have nothing to offer us in its place.—Wellington "Post." » » * Evidently Mr. Nosworthy realises that there is no strong Government yet, although he holds a seat in the Ministry, and yet he proposes to clear the political decks of the only men in the House Avho are apparently able to constitute a strong Government. It is surely very foolish of Mr. NosAvorthv; — Wellington ■'Times." * * * Foreign nations showered honours and reAvards on both Nelson and Wellington. To-day, our fighting men get honours only. Compare these rewards to the £100,000 to Haig and Beattv, the £50,000 to Jellicoe. French and Allenby; the £30,000 to Plumer, RaAvlinson, Home, Byng. In the Afghan War of 1878-80, Sir Donald SteAvart and Lord Roberts got baronetcies with £12,500. The Nava I and Military baronets of the Great War are estimated at only £10,000. Wellington's leading subordinates got baronies, Avith .£'-> ' a year for three lives —Beresford, Cotton, Hill, Graham, and Hope— Avorth on the average £2,000, multiplied by eighty. Not so to-day— only £30,000. 'Naval heroes AA : ere equally Avell reAvarded: Sir Vincent, Enmouth, CamperdoAvn, and all go further steps. During the century, grants came down to "for two lives," then only for life or a sum down, and that so on, to £30,000 with a barony, £50,000 with a viscourttcv, £100,000 with an earldom. Tile fighting man's value is falling; that of the politician grows.—Melbourne "Punch." » * * Here* are two significant .scraps of recorded history:— "Are Aye industrialists? Are Aye Revolutionists? If AA r e are, let us act accordingly. If necessary, let us toss every agreement to hell."— Mr. Hickey, of the executive of the Federation of Labour, NeAv Zealand, on February 7, 1913. "In order to put the Reform Government out of office, Aye have had some dealings Avith Sir Joseph Ward, Leader of the Liberal Party, and. Aye have got one of our number to go through the country to prevent as far as possible the splitting of the Progressive A r ote."—Mr, Hiram Hunter, National President of the Social Democratic Party (the political organisation of ' the* Federation of Labour), on November 17, 1914. That Avas last election. Messrs. Hickey and Hunter and Messrs. Holland and Semple belong to the same political familv.—Wanganui "Chronicle."