The Week in Review.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 2, 10 July 1912, Page 1

The Week in Review.

The Shackles of Feudalism. S / f ITER the customary ejection of f | a few suffragettes, Mr. Uoy-1 1 George addressed a crowded meeting at Woodford on the benefits of the National Insurance Act. In the course of his speech he said that jhe great task before British democracy was to free the country from the shackles of feudalism. He described the Insurance Act as a beginning, but only a beginning. The Chancellor did not say (exactly what the next step was to be, but rumour has it that he ■contemplates legislation on the lines of his nameeake, Henry George. The Insurance Act was bn its Bitroduetion hailed with approval by both Unionists and Liberals. The main objections since have been agaausi certain details. With tJie principles of the measure both parties are- stiff in agreement. But it is felt that as it stands the Act only touches the fringe of poverty and makes little or no provision for the very poor. One may pardon <he phrase ‘'shackles of feudalism** as being only a piece of but a little more detail as to what is to lu done in the future would have been •welcome. J* d* The Distribution and Creation of Wealth. The danger of so much of what passes for progressive legislation in these days lies in the fact that it is founded on a misconception as to the true relation of capital to labour. It is urged again and again that you can do away with poverty by the simple process of taking irom the rich and giving to ‘the poor. At best any relief brought about by this method can only be of a temporary n» lure. To set class against diss miv pain notoriety and even popularity, *but it caa never bring about industrial peace. Aor . €an wealth be created by any redistribution of existing wealth. Poverty can only be cured by the creation of more wealth. This caii best, be done ■ y bringing about a better understanding between employers and employees. - he real statesman is he who can best cerise a way to bring this about. Insurance Acts and Budge's can never R* root of the matter. They ean alleviate bist eannot cure the unrest of Education and Labour. Mr. 11. G. Wells and Lord Robert Geei? are boUi agrees! that labour as a purely ■wage-earning class, without a more direct partnership in -the conduct and results of business, will disappear. What J® to take its place? To answer t-his it Is necessary that we should clearly grasp Che meaning of the labour movement, popular education has altered the whole mentality of the working classes and given (hem higher aims, It has alsi F’ven the worker a new sense of digbuy. In New Zealand, at any rate, the employer and employed are on the same level in most cases in the matter of edit cation. The worker no longer feels that e is the inferior of his employer in this espect. He has also ceased to feel any wenae of obligation. The worker gives ms work in return for a wage, and ha sk S more indebted to his employer than he does to his butcher or baker for giving meat or bread in exchange for v e cash equivalent of labour. The emP oyer hag ceased to be a superior being.

The Alm of Industry. This ought to bring about a greater sense of co-operation between capital and labour. In all essential respects the workers have become the social eqtrals of their masters. The worker speaks as good English, is as well read, has as good manners as the employer. Sometimes he is the superior in this respect. It has thus become possible to introduce a new spirit into industrial questions, and the employer can be the real friend of the worker and inculcate a spirit of esprit de corps. They are both united in a cause higher than themselves, namely, supplying ■tjhe wants of the world and increasing the sum total of human happiness and wealth. Industry is not the mere accumulation of wealth, but it is the union of mankind in the attempt to provide cheaply and efficiently for the wants of mankind. This is one of the noblest occupations in which men can be engaged. The highest productive energy is only to be derived from a spirit which realises the essential dignity of all work that adds to the comfort and happiness of the community. 4t Co-pao-tnersliip. Mutual enmity between class and class means economic waste and lessens the wealth of the world. Mere legislation can never infuse a right spirit. Ethics eannot be divorced from economies. This fe the truth which Ruskin saw long ago in flashes of genius which gave him a deeper .insight than the classical economists into the springs of human activity. It is abundantly plain that no mere adjustment of wages or hours of work can permanently satisfy the aspirations of labour. 6ome form of cooperation is demanded, either the compulsory collectivism of Socialism or voluntary vo-partners hip. The former means revolution, the latter means progress. The difficulties of co-partnership are difficulties of detail, and both wisdom and business ability are needed to devise some means of overcoming difficulties Uvat are far from being insuperable. The benefits of co-partnership have been proved beyond question. It has bridged the fatal separation between employer and employed, it has established community of interest, and it has added dignity to labour. On these lines the “shackles of feudalism” may ba shaken off, but if Mr. Lloyd George means 'by this somewhat ambguous phrase that he is merely intending to devise further means for enriching the ■poor by despoiling the rich, then there is reason to fear that he may intensify and not reduce class antagonism, and by so doing impair industrial efficiency and thus lessen output and diminish the actual wealth of the country. Suffragette Tactics. We have received a large number of clippings from English newspapers dealing with the subject of women’s franchise, and the sender has added a note to say that it is no wonder that windows are smashed when so many iniquities are going on, and are encouraged by the opponents of votes for women. The logic of the note is not apparent. Many of the extracts draw attention to undoubted evils, such as the white slave traffic and the underpaid labour of ■Women, and suggestions are made that these evils might be remedied by extending the franchise to women. Let us grant for the moment that the contention is true, and that the votes of wo-

men would remedy some existing evils. How is a just cause assisted by illegal methods? The clergy might argue that the cause of religion was a just cause. Would they assist the furtherance of their cause by smashing the windows of unoffending tradespeople? St. Paul believed that the spread of the gospel was a great cause, and one making for the amelioration of mankind. Would he have bettered his cause by violently assaulting his opponents? Surely the contrary is the case. The better the cause the less need for resort to acts of violence. The maxim of the Old •Bailey was that it was only when you had no case that you ought to abuse the attorney for the other side. The Law and the Came. It is those who have the most sympathy with the cause of women’s franchise who most regret the tactics pursued by the suffragettes. The window smashing incidents and the assaults on members of Parliament have put back the cause several degrees. The plain logic of the. ease is that no political views can be made an excuse for com milting an offence against the law when that offence has no bearing on the said political views. For instance: Many people think that prohibition makes for national righteousness. Are they, therefore, justified in breaking the windows of a jeweller’s shop in order to draw attention to their views on the liquor question? If so, there is nothing to prevent a man committing a burglary in order to draw attention to his views on compulsory vaccination. The two things stand on all fours. At the time of the Reform Bill the Bristol mob looted the houses of private citizens to call attention to the injustice of the electoral system. They burnt several houses and destroyed a large amount of property. Yet, when the ringleaders were hanged, people felt that they had been justly punished for offences against the law. In no civilised country could the government of the country be carried on for a moment if it was coneeded that political views excused crimes of every description. Prison Treatment of Women. For look at it in this light. The suffragettes have, in many instances, houses of their own. Would they like their windows smashed and their persons assaulted by people who held strong views on vegetarianism, or the evacuation of the Mediterranean, or even Home Rule?

If not. why do they smash the windowt of other people? The window smashers ■were punished for the wilful destruction of property, not for any political views. Some of the extracts forwarded deal with the question of the treatment of the suffragettes in prison. This is a different matter. If the accounts are true, it certainly seems that there was undue severity shown in some cases People imprisoned for breaking windows ought to be treated on exactly the same footing, whether they believe in women’s suffrage or not. Their belief or disbelief in any political question ought not to affect their treatment in gaol, df it is true that they are subjected to extra punishment €»n account of their views on the franchise, then the matter ought to be looked into. The Jaw exists for the protection of life and property, not for the punishment of those who hold certain views on different political ques lions. C* Mackenzie Ministry Defeated. Narrowly escaping disaster at the polls last' November and averting defeat by a h ire vote or t .vo in Parliament during the short session in February, the Lilxeral administration, w?.h a practically ixib.xed Cabinet, came to grief last week. The downfall w.i* n»l alto gether unexpected. The two d uniniting parties were of even n timer’. *.i! strength, and the situation, without anticipating defections from either side, was con trolled by the Independent and bibonr members. It was a mat'.vr of common gossip, how’ever, that the distribution of portfolios by the Hon. T. Mackenzie h.zd caused deep disappointment and some dissension in the ranks of the liberal following, and that as a resup. the continuous administration was certain of a reverse. The predictions in this direction were fulfilled. The Hon. .1. A. Mil lar, Mr. Vernon Heed, and Mr. E. JI. Clarke, elected as Government supporters, ranged themselves on the side of the Opposition, along with the two Independents, Messrs. I. G. C-oates and T. W. Rhodes. The Han. Roderick McKenzie, ex-Minister for Public Works, who made a bitter attack on the Government during the closing s? enes, refrained from recording his vote. Thus an Administration that has been conlimtously in power fur some twenty-two years ami has been .successively led by the late Hon. John Ballance, and Hon. Richard Seddon, by Sir William HallJones, Sir Joseph Ward, and the Hon. T. Mackenzie, at lasff toppled an I been succeeded by Mr. Massey and hit supporters.

The SkLftiwg Scese. Xu Press of the world may be sai-i i» resemble a aeries .of uvigi* lantern ■ib:-*; Pkt .ires are t orowm oa the •ereea. and as each pk-ture is thrown the previous picture ie blotted out. Thus we have had the picture of the eoal strike with it- grim tale of suffering and it* menace to the industrial -uprensaey • Great Britain. We soon forget this in ti_* awful picture of the sinking <»t the world's largest liner. We cou!d see the huge snip lifting her -terr. IjO feet in the -air and taeu plunging to her doom aru d the piteous moan* of the hundreds who were thrown into the k-y sea*. Then we raw our largest gold mine stopped because e-.-nie of the workers had fallen out with the other*. We had tae picture of euthu-uietic miner- cheering the Federation delegate*, and the further picture of homes being broke i up and whole families leaving t - - t t-.vn. Then eame the British transport s rike. and at the -ame time rumours of »..e evacuation or the Med.terra eau. Er ii Kr.’gt rri—i ter: hut as it faded from view it also faded from our minds. Nv-v after a picture of a prize fight, we have two further jr t ires o; great interv-t to ourselves. C> • ts risings against the ant tb-s in India and Egypt. ;i>e other is of Canada coming forward with the offer • f Dread::?tich:- : the En: * The Defence of the Mediterranean. At the mome : R- * - in tl ■ deadly peril she has ever experiei - It . . . and tha: the Ft t - flc I mast be - : - trated in Home waters. She is bo longer in a position to provide for the defence of the Medkerrauean, On the defence of the Mediter- : - . . . . . ; Egypt, ■ nd the . Our land f • - at Malta and Gl'-t-tltar are ridi ul-'Usly sa . and rtterly .■ .1- u te. They amount to a nominal total of 18J9QO aad :he*e are divided between Egy< :. Gilwaliar. and Malta. Avioally t e garrison of Main i- three' batta— I - '- short, and that of Gibraltar two battalions, while there is not a single lottery ..f field ar:k!ery in the whole x r--. : These places ean only be as- ■ . st ft k by the j resen e of as »•>;.::> f-et. W* hive a? present fo :r battleships at Gibraltar and a few armoured cruiser* up the «tn»st*. The Admiralty .-aMot- -end more, and mayeven re : - - h h ■ eta - in the Mediterranean. The e»-n ma . of Inland Sea will t ieri fe to the m - I Italy, - r A Ist ria or France. It w. . .* <fe". j The Entente. F ' - - ' . . ' - F - - . . ... - . r ' - . ■ .... - -- ■ ’’ • ' - . . ■ ■ : : ’ - - : - - - . . ....., - n>e Germans an ■ ■ - - • . T *-y pro-.-de-. t .<-.r sen Defen-’e Bills r addit araay s as as for new Dreadnoughts. If the b- p e an remler :« inadequate; if we at- ate in -ending aud the French defence be overborne. it may come to that the very navy oa wh we relied to ma main our [«i:h throng' anean w in he turned ; •• - engire for . destruction. If i ar:.* were . . -e prostrated after . . - - ■ a:. 1 t ie n-e u J ilh- !'.►» a < banurl aad • l . - . • ’ p - • - . - • _ - msna the • • - ■ of the - et. It a*c l mean -luit tlo* control of t would fail into the ha:o- «ei t- irlpf* Ailasuer. England ion-i ■* » a po- i<oa to render -ffe tive aid e-. iaou a return for sky aid we may get from Fran * is the Medite' England aad France. rhe only way l-y Eiigiaad eouM be :u a poetioa to render effective ant w< e.u e **v toe adopt ou of some -cnem* of universal traiuiag. It must come wi Great Britain as .it ha* some ia Ser otarseas pa—»-so one The f>rntorials at - li.awe. adae.ra.de taough they «re. •UNt sa&'e for the defence of Eagiaad U the event of there being a call foe

the regulars to go abroad. The British standing army is the most highly disciplined in the world. A force of a quarter of a million on French soil might well turn the scale in the event of «ir between France and Germany. But that is the very lowest number that could be of any real use. It might be necessary to send a much larger force. The only alternative is to so strengthen our flee*, so that we should be able to commaßd the Mediterranean and secure the safety of Egypt, India and the Pacific. The present position is fraug ailii danger oa everv side. A New Empire. Thus we have on the screen a picture full of gloom. But a new one is taking its tlace. The call of danger ha* ronsei the Empire. No longer is the ” weary Titan'' called upon to take up the burden alone. It is not only the little i*!ands in the North Sea whi.h will meet the challenge, but the British race all over the world. The Canadian Government has offered to provide two or even three Dreadnought* a* a partial discharge of her obligations. New Zealand ha* already given a battle cruiser, and has offered another. Australia has seize I the occasion to impose further burdens on her peop-le for the purposes of defence. A new Empire is arising, and this new Empire as is fitting, takes :ts birth from the sea. The British race has found a new purpose and a uew c-onseiousnrss. a mind and a will acting in harmony and controlling the nerves and the museles. The statesmen of England may be perplexed, ir.it the statesmanship of the Empire. »- wa* finelv said bv the Canadian Minister of pinanee. will be equal to the need Jt JI The German Point of View. Some people are at a .-:■** : Know why Germany is so anxious to tnerea-e her fleet and to gain command of the sea. The answer is simple. As iong as Great Britaun is mistress of the the German colonies are at her mercy, a* is also her -ea borne trad-. -The German p->int of view i- stiuply this: She want* eolonie*. and she want? trade with countries over the *ei. These colonics are never wholly secure unless Germany is able to defend thrar against anv other Power. Her mercantile marine is menaced »-y any maritime Power greater than her-e.'. Xie must admit that -he is in da*.--: a* regard* both her colonies and her trad-'. But the very exi-tence of our Eaipire i* imperilled if we 10-e the command of the sea. Germany at best could or-ly lose her colonies in the -veac of a big naval defeat- Were Great’ Britain to -uffer anv irreparable naval disaster She would cea*e to exist as a great Power. Germany does not misunderstand rmr positi any more than we nti-unler-i *';, c y - - :: ; ’ • f view is irreconcilable with h-r -vn. If the Brit -1. et ts . . t then the overseas dominions would be at the mercy of Germany just as her eolonie* are at our mercy now. Germany aim* at expansion, we aim at preserving our verv existen.'e. The *:t:tation not of our creating. The facts of geography have so decided. Germany is in no danger from our command o? the sea. while her supremacy would threaten our very life. The preamble to the German Navy I_aw threw down a >-ha!!ejige to Great Britain. It has been answered by Greater B<ixadja* Jt Jt F ormal Grammar. Sticklers for formal correctness in matter* of grammar have been turning their attention from she split infinitive to the split passive. We are told that instead of saying that a woman was pretti’v dressed we ought to say that -he wa* dres-ed prettily. The London “Times" has taken to u-ing the phrase "to puni*h severely" instead of its former iv-oge xo severely punish-" It will now have to go a -tep further and ■ rH* "he wa* punished severely" instead of "he was severely punished."* There is ma-h to be said for the contention of a Mau- liOster paper that the better the grammar the a<-r-e the English. The Autbori-ed Version of the Bitale -imply teems with grammatical error*. lan few would deny the beauty of its Engli-h. But it is a eon-olatio:i to know that even grammarian- do not always follow their own rules, line exec! lent grammar, wh ■ h warns us against the split infinitive awl other errors, also tell* u* “neve r u-e a preposition to end a aeutence with." Ths ia aound ad'ace aptly put.