UNDERCURRENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18259, 21 February 1931, Page 6

UNDERCURRENTS.

HERE. THERE & EVERYWHERE CBy “Gleaner.”)' FRANCE’S THANKS. ‘‘•Man’s unhumanity to man,” etc, “A British Note asking for a tarifl reduction of 25 per cent, has been coldly received in the French capital. Newspapers note that no advantages are offered in return for ‘the privileges of helping in the reconstruction of British industry’.” Fortunate indeed it was -for Francs that Britain- did not hesitate in the privilege of saving her from defeat and utter rout by the Germans. Fortunate it was for France that Britain lent her money, much of which the British investor will never see again, with no advantages offered in return for “the privileges of helping in the reconstruction of France.” It’s the case of the old soldier over again, “To the devil with you, Jack, I’m all right." • • » • BUDGET SURPLUSES. “A large credit balance at the end of a financial year does not necessarily mean good statemanship," said Mr J. A. Young, M.P., in an address to the Hamilton Rotary Club. “A large surplus means that money Is going into Government channels Instead of into productive -labour and that more has been extracted from the people’s pockets than warranted.” * * « * ' RENT—-3 FOWLS, 12 EGGS. As an example of the survival of ancient customs the following cutting from the Jersey Weekly Post, is a peculiar one:— “The business premises situated at No. 15 Queen Street, St. Helier, comprising shop, dwelling-rooms, large oellar, and spacious yard at rear, with entrance leading into Hilgrove Street, were put up for sale by publio auction by Messrs F. Le Gallais and Sons, of Bath Street, on December 5. “The premises, situated in one of the finest shopping districts of the town, was formerly -occupied by Mr Duprey, chemist. Mr. Carlyle Le Gallais, who conducted the proceedings, read the conditions of sale, mentioning that the rentes payable included 34 qrs., three fowls and twelve eggs. He then invited bids, but as only one of £IOOO was forthcoming the .property wag withdrawn.”

DISARMAMENT—A GERMAN VIEW. A German, writing to an English paper on the work of the Preparatory Disarmament Commission, states: — “This work may be summed up as follows: “I. No reduction of the annual contingent of recruits and consequently no reduction of the number -of trained reserves will be imposed upon the “victors" of the great war. Thus Germany’s four neighbours in the West and East, France, Belgium, Poland and Czechoslovakia, are authorised to maintain huge armies the peace strength of which is 1,290,000 including 230,000 professional soldiers (officers and long -service men), whereas their war strength amounts to about 8,000,000. “On the other hand Germany’s'ar-my is to be limited for ever to 100,000 officers and men. This small force, inferior to the Swiss militia, cannot be increased in case of war, since no arms are available for ex-service soldiers or raw recruits and moreover the invading enemy armies will give no time for training recruits -or voluntarians. “2. No ‘direct limitations” of airplanes, tanks, guns and machine guns will take place, but merely “indirect limitation” of the amount to be spent. Consequently the entire stock of the now existing war material in the “victorious countries” will remain intact, whereas the “vanquished countries” are prevented from increasing their wholly insufficient arms. France, Belgium, Poland and Czechoslovakia are allowed to keep 4000 airplanes, more than 3000 tanks, about 5000 field guns (including more than 2000 heavy guns) and more than 50,000 -machine guns. “On the other hand Germany is not allowed a single airplane, not a single tank, not a single heavy gun, but merely 270 light field guns and about 2000 machine guns. “Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria are in the same hopeless situation as Germany. This stupendous inequality of armaments is intolerable. Universal Disarmament is the best method ol preserving peace, Unilateral Disarmament is the worst method. According to the words of the French War Minister Painleve ‘a disarmed country constitutes a temptation for all its neighbours.’ What Pain.eve claims for France, the German War Minister is entitled to claim for Germany. “In my humble opinion no agreement has been reached in Geneva. In several cases not only Germany, but numbers of other States opposed the dictation of the majority votes. With regard to war material the German proposal of “direct limitation” was rejected by nine “No” against nine "Yes,” while seven States abstained. But the nine “Yes" (among them the United States, Russia and Italy) represented 400 million inhabitants, the nine “No” less than 200 -million. The vote was a dictation, imposed' by a minority upon a majority. “If the Disarmament Conference fails to improve the work of the Preparatory Commission it will sound the death knell not merely of disarmament or rather reduction of armaments, but a so the death knell of equal rights of the members of the League of Nations.”

WILD WORDS AT WINNIPEG. Winnipeg is a long way off, and one has forgotten by this time whether all the speeches delivered there at this year’s meeting of the British Medical Association were reported wilh the fullness that they would undoubtedly deserve. However, if they were not, the omission is now remedied in the case of Sir Farquhar Buzzard’s very interesting address on “Best, work, and play in health and disease,’’ which is reprinted in the British Medical Journal.” it is mentioned here because he has a nice little dig at golfers: “Take up golf” is in danger of becoming a tabloid preparation, too easily prescribed, readily swal owed, and not always producing the desired re■sa'fs. To many, a change from one form of menial work to another is much more recreative than Die pursuit of a bail whose flight and destination are of much less interest than thosr of a moth or a bird. Yet it would be a bold general practitioner who would advise the hardbitten golf fiend to go moth-hunting for a change.