PATTEN’S GAMBLES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXV, Issue 13055, 25 April 1910, Page 4

PATTEN’S GAMBLES.

The United States of America, probably because it suffers most from tire Trusts, A, the only country that has made'anyhing like a serious attack on them. But die States have not yet approached the iroblem of how to deal with genus Fatten in anything like a systematic manner, the Patten person is the same who a year ■ir so hack put'up a little game in wheat, aid after Juggling with the food supply >f millions, exclaimed exultingly that his piratical methods of dollar-making would 'cause the people of Europe to fight for oread in famine-stricken ■■ crowds.” Eelently Patten has been playing a similar game with cotton, and he and his friends ’ lay coolly, “Pay our price, or close your nills!” Also their manipuations have had,' nnong other results, the effect of a reduction in the wages of thousands of Lancaihire - cotton operatives, owing to their employers becoming badly frightened at he situation. Patten appears to- enjoy it. le describes himself as an inoffensive, egitimately-tradihg sort of person, though, 'tiers look on him and. his kind as a distinct danger to society. AVhcn a few men ■an so tie'up the necessaries of life as to make thousands, if not millions, suffer, it teems to be time to lock them up, and ? or the State to take control of. the .same necessaries. .. ;Ypt people will he found orguing that the State has no business to protect its people,’and'that Pattens and their kind are far preferable. It is strange how fossilised some worthy people are.

A GREAT STRIKE. Bkitisu -.polities have not - .bijcn - without sensational incidents. Among others the world heard, with a gasp ot horror was the fact that Lord O’Hagan, a Lord-in-Waiting, had thrown down his tools and gone out on strike as a protest against involving the King in the Parliamentary prisis.- The blow was sudden and unexpected. He doesn’t seem to have given the customary week’s notice, nor sent Mr Asquith the usual ultimatum. What particular, part of the universe lie was holding up is, perhaps, mercifully hidden from us. But since he “went out” Halley's comet has advanced several millions of miles nearer to the earth, the days in Now Zealand have been shortening rapidly, and several ■ chimneys were blown down at New Plymouth some days.- ago. What other awful, catastrophes .are going, to fall upon us unless he can be induced to resume bis 'job it. is vain to inquire. It-is singular, ■ too, that not a single ‘'blackleg” seems to have got into his place. Which would seem to show that he has all the avenues leading to Buckingham Palace, or where he has been doing his stunt of waiting, i picketed to prevent any lordly or ducal .“blackleg” from .taking his job. If so,-he-S must soon bring Messrs - Asquith and ;Lloyd George to their knees, and this lawful and cataclasmic strike will bo ended. ■The next thing wo may expect to see, • when we open to-morrow’s paper, will ue that the crisis is ended, that Budget and Veto resolutions have been withdrawn, and that Lord OTlagau has commenced to rub the rust off ,his pick and shovel with a view to doing his Lord-in-Waiting job more zealously than ever. This will be grand news for the world. Things won’t go out of their way to happen while Lord OTlagan waits. Only such things as are certain to -happen will do so when he gets going again. i.