NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15871, 10 April 1917, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

I THE HYPHENATED AMERICAN, t Although America has only boon atkwar a few hours she has already sot tho and particularly Groat. Britain, an examplo in ono respect— namely, in her energetic action in dealing nvit-h the German-American problem. Great. Britain, and for that, mattor tho Dominions also, havo been.' extremely lax in their mothod of dealing with men of cneiny nationality. Thcro havo been many glaring instances of Germans who havo been permitted on tho strength porliaps of a naturalisa r tion paper, to hold important positions. Australia, which set Britain an exftmplo in at least ono respect i>y shaking off tho German grip on tho metal trade, still retains at least ono member of Parliament of German birth, and a number of prominent Government oihcials of known German associations. Ono of tho first acts which America porfornved after a state of war was declared, was to pass legislation prohibiting nowspapers from being primed in tlie Gorman language. For at least two years after war had been m progress Australia still allowed German papers to be printed in the Teutonic* language at Brisbane and Adelaide. Ju both theso centres the German papers had a largo circulation among the enemy aliens of the district, and at least one State election tho advertisements of candidates asking for tho suilrages of tho Gormen electors were inserted in these papers and printed m tho German language. German churches and German schools ' abound in certain districts in Queensland ami South Australia, and on tho railway stations the necessary directing signs were often in German instead of English. Numorous other instances could be quoted to show the extremes to which leniency to enemy aliens has been carried in certain British communities, and it is not in tho least surprising to hear of the Commonwealth Minister of Dcfenco declaring that the Government possessed evidence of a German plot to capture Australia.

THE NATIONAL SERVICE SCHEME. The schemo for national servico in Great Britain, wiiicli u recent cable indicated was a failure, probably sulleroi] to some extent from tho rather cumbersome nature of tho machinery wincn it was found necessary to employ m connexion with it. 'i'no schemo 'provided for the enrolment of men only between tho ages of 18 and lil), ami its provisions included men who were already doing work of national importance, sucli as munitions, coai-mimnjr, etc. Tho object of this was to enable the Government to obtain exact information as to the distribution of labour in such industries. Tho machinery through which applications were received wag the local unemployment exchanges and the local and municipal authorities. Letter-cards, obtainable at any post office, were sent out broadcast, and persons were invited to state what they, wore capable of doing, and other particulars, for tho information of tho Director-General of National Service. These wero in all cases returnable to tho head department in London, where they wero classified and redistributed to the areas to which thoy were related. Seven Commissioners, one for Scotland and , tho remainder for England and Wales, dealt with applications as thev cam© back to the unemployment exchanges. Ireland was not included in the Government Bchemo. The Commissioners were assisted by deputies. Invitations wero then addressed to likely applicants, after their qualificaj tions had been Bubjectcd to a uroliminary tost, to attend personally and state what exactlv they were capable of doing. In all cases workers -eceived tho standard rate current in theparticular trado to which they wero appointed. The schemo made no provision for part-time employment, that is to say, a man engaged during tho day on farm work was not ablo' to volunteer his services to tho Government for the remaining portion of tho day. Tho Scheme as outlined is now to undergo modification.

THE TWO BLOCKADES. / Tho difference between the two blockI ades—the British and the German—is 1 well put by tllo New York correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph," who says "the difference between tile British blockado and the German submarine warfare is precisely tho difference between arbitrary arrest by a policeman and premeditated murder in tho first degreo." This was written at tho tiroo of Britain's reply to the tT-boat menace, when tho British Admiralty issued an Order requiring all vessels bound to or from a country giving access to enemy territory, to call at a British pdrt for examination. In commenting upon this now order the » British Blockade Minister, Lord Robert Cecil, said: ''Tho Western Atlantic, tho North Sea and the Mediterranean are not outlaw waters. Murder may bo committed on them, but the attempt to hold up all sea traffic there) had not succeeded. It iB tho task of tho Western Powers and their Allies to vindicate once again tho freedom of tho seas. The German piracy decree is not, indeed, bluff—it is far too murderous for that—but its terror lies, not in anything liko wholesale destruction (tho actual number of ships sunk bears a very small proportion to those that get through unscathed, but in tho very uncertainty of its erratic strokes. However, we are very anxious to meet tho wishes of neutrals in this as in all other matters, even when we do not think they are well founded. We aro accordingly arranging, in certain eases, whero wo aro satisfied that the vessels concerned aro not-trading in the interests of our enemies, that they Rhall be examined at somo other British port, such AS Halifax, Novn Scotia. This, of course, does not mean the abandonment of the right to visit and search, which it would obviously bo impossible for us to abandon. Wo are adding that, if they fail voluntarily to enter n British port for examination, they cannot complain if their conduct eJcprtSeS them to suspicion, and, indeed, constitutes a prima facie case that they are engaged in enemy trade;"