The Christchurch Star PUBLISHED BY New Zealand Newspapers Ltd. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1932. LONELY LEADERSHIP.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 642, 21 December 1932, Page 8

The Christchurch Star PUBLISHED BY New Zealand Newspapers Ltd. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1932. LONELY LEADERSHIP.

f a 'HE FACT that the head of the Government has to make many sacrifices of family life, of peace of mind, of leisure and of privacy gives added emphasis at the season of goodwill to the reminder from Sir James Allen, an old political opponent, that the head of the Government to-day has a more difficult task than fell to the lot of leaders during the war. There will, indeed, be a special feeling of sympathy this year for Mr Forbes, and many an unspoken wish that he may enjoy a Merry Christmas among his own people in Cheviot. Mr Forbes has undertaken a task that would have overtaxed any other man in New Zealand to-day, and his difficulties must be lightened to a large extent, although he is not conscious of it, by the wide appreciation of his character, disinterestedness, prudence and, above all, self-reliance. It is no idle compliment to Mr Forbes to say that the people sleep better of nights in the security engendered by his chieftainship, and regardless of parties New Zealanders will have a special thought for their dependable leader during the Christmas festivities. ELOQUENT FACTS. BRITAIN’S DECLINE of only 6.9 per cent in her export trade compares most favourably with the United States decline of 35.7 per cent, and the significance of these comparative figures lies in the fact that even in the first half of the present year the British Empire purchased 40 per cent of the total exports of the United States, and British Empire products accounted for only 30 per cent of the United States purchases abroad. Economic facts like these are more eloquent than all the utterances of statesmen. \ BACKDOOR GAMBLING. 'X'HE SUPPRESSION of tote clubs in England was inevitable, for these casinos were a flagrant defiance of all regulations and restrictions such as British communities have imposed on gambling at all times. Virtually there was no restriction on membership, and the members merely spent a hectic hour or two at the clubs making up sweepstakes and waiting for the announcement of the dividend. Very few of the clubs were clubs in the real sense of the word, but they were all privileged to sell liquor at hours when hotels were closed, and paid only a yearly registration fee of ss, and were, moreover, under no supervision at all. In fact, it has been felt for some time in London that the hotels might forfeit their licenses and register as tote clubs, and this obvious development has been one of the strongest factors in bringing about the end of the boom. THE GERMAN THRONE. ' I ’HE REMOVAL of the last legal barrier to the ex-Kaiser’s return to Germany, though significant enough, is of less real interest to the Monarchists than the settling of the differences between the aspirants to the throne. “ I have every reason to believe that a Monarchist restoration in Germany is imminent,” said M. Paul Hymans, the Belgian Foreign Minister, about a month ago. And he added that if the return of the Holienzollerns was not then a fulfilled fact it was because of a disagreement between Prince Ruppreclit of Bavaria and the sons of the former Kaiser. On the surface, the ex-Kaiser seems to take only a phlegmatic interest in the course of events, and there is a fairly strong feeling among the Monarchists that his return would hamper the movement. The Crown Prince, however, while fostering the friendship of General Greener and General Schleicher, has let it be known that he regards himself as Regent for the German people. But prophecies regarding the restoration also contain a hint that the rise of the Monarchists would soon divide Germany into supporters of the Hohenzollerns in the north and the Wittelsbachs, the Bavarian Royal House, in the south.