BRITISH AND FOREIGN PAGE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 122, 15 February 1908, Page 12

BRITISH AND FOREIGN PAGE.

LATEST NEWS BY OVERSEA MAILS. ,

7 THE YEAR 1907: |

Thp rear 1907 has not been a very easy ono i for tho natipns of the wprld (says tho Daily i Express") We Jiave had a long succession ■: of events that .have been hovering on the vory borderland of danger. , It, has been a | ■ ■year moving from mo'utjr> to .■month in tho shadow of ' crises that , have never quite ' touched a climax. Aiul happily so. lranc<j, ■ Gormany, India, -America,'- -Japan, Natal, tho. - Near East,' Morocco—the. mero recounting ot, those count-ribs recalls "successiyo^ -'.apprehension.--.when stoim clouds . gathered heavily: on tho horizon and it. seemed. possi- •' bio 1 that- all K the elements * of' ■ devastation. would.be lft looso on a troubled world As far as oiusEnipiro is conce'ruinl;,tho, gates, ;oi,i, tho Toniplo ot War have remained closed The two storm centres ot the year have boon 'India 'and.'Natal.- ' India, loyal,as far as the vast j' ! -jnass,-.:of- ; -,its people is .-concerned,'- has. ■ beon •-stirrpd ,to :mutteringß of. disloyalty- by patnophobos at Homo and a small band of . professional agitat-prs: in the Last. ine makers of; sedition caused riots ; at .Calcutta. yj and elsewhere during' the year,; ...but : tho do-' portation of tho disloyal leaders, - tho firmness shown-by Mr. Morlcy at.tho India oJiicc J; Yahfl. -tho. ■' magnificent'.- ; tho.Maharajah -of Bikanir on the- part: pf, the •t Tpigning •'Princes l ' pf,'vlndia' ••■.of . unswerving' loyalty ito tho British Crown, have .reduced. '■theso- outbursts to their ; due proportions. • ■Natal, recovering ;fron\ -tho, • scnous ,Zulu : ; troubles- of last year, has . again ;;'becn obliged to tako ineasurcs to ensure the safoty pf,'. tho' 'white':'-; popHlatipn"'\frpiri :''the. thinly-, ->veiled' threats- of the native. race. :., The - swift mobilisation of tho Colony's forcos iun- " der - tho command of, Colonel M'Kenzic,, the arrest of Dinizulu, . the opening '.stagesi of, " his trial, and;the, prompt.action to prevent any "hostilo demonstration (Would be more or less of ■ simplo ..Colonial lmpoitance had-it not been for the outbreak of patriophobo sentiment, at Homo and thp obvious : Qistrust 1 of. the present-British Government ; by Natal shown in tho resolute dctonnma- ; tion not to ask; for Imperial aid or, advice.

THE IRISH PARTY. * "A curious, situation 'i hasarisen-_m the i .Irish.-.Nationalist; party,".says ftlie:"SjjectjK tor.''-. ''A conference '. has been . held in' Dublin with a view .to ■ reconcilo tho Parlia--1 mentaiy'.-party, by, Mr. John i ■ Redmond; tho .Chairman, ..and. Mr, Wliham i O'Brien, and. an : . agreement;was,. arrived i .at on tho basis that-.thoi existing: party pledge bound members-of tho; Irish Parliamentary party;to.support; iin and* out-of Parliament, "any decision eomo to by the.majority, of the 'party.' ' :was, however, laid .down that,-: •pending , tho .attaimnont ot an Irish Parliament 'and' <a .responsible Irish Minister, with full control, of all; purely ... Irish. '. affairs, it was 'tho duty - ofall .Nationalist' representatives of . Ireland to devoto .them-. .■'. pelves earnwtly workingfor I mear. • pure-of practical, amelioration ulnch it may ■be possible to obtain for her peoplefipm. N either English party,: 01; Trom : both'-; and:, to- welcome the co-opcration! of all classes arid, ;c'reeds'{willing; to. aid.Jn ,dttainipg-any or all of- their objects.",,;y;■ THE PAUPER INCUBUS. Thore were 787,873 paupers, exclusive . of lunatics,.casuals, and favor-patients, in. re->- . ceipt .of 1 relief 111 England, and Wales at the : , end' of-' November!'.. Thero were 125,081. (26 out of every 1000) ,m' tho,'- Loudon district. '.'Wo are afraid;'- says the-"Daily Chronicle," "on. a general.. roviow,' that thero,is much m the present administration: of Ppor-law relief in .London which' tends -to pauperise." :TJio general. tendoncy: towards. an increase m j) indoor .paupers;' suggests - to ["•jliS.'.'.'DhronSsie"; that itis,; 1 not.-;destitution-I which -is., increasing, disliko .of t'tho, ■houso'.' which us decreasing. .: "Wo do not ■think .that society has gone too far in troat- ' ing v/itli liberality-and humane considerationtho indigent , veterans , pf industry,, the old ■.'and feeble■ and sick;^tho.destituto and tho • .friendless.:.:. .we do thmk that .there •has probably been'tpo little care in . treating all: applicants! for indoor relief . aliko; The .. exercise/of -greater,:and:.ist'ricter .discrimination is.ollo of tho urgent problems of Poor-, law lteiorm." . ■ V :

FOSTER-MOTHERHOOD AND. ITS - ' POSSIBILITIES. . AVhon' Mayor of ;Hudderafield, Mr. Broadbent offered a l , shilling for : tho notification

of any birth within twenty-four, hours.. The. ' birth being ascertained, Mr. Broadbent.scntJ.';- womanly, women' with- wiso , counsel—an'd ho • reduced tho infant mortality by one-half in . . -tho district, ;covered. :• ' Under tlio '. Early Notification of Births. Act, which came into ■ i forco on January 1, the birth'of a clnldrmust ; be,', notified within thirty-six'hoursineyery ; ■borough whero tho ■ Act. which . is only ■ permissive, is.in force. "Tho object," writes* i, Dr. C.)W.'Salceby,>in the "Daily Chronicle,"_i;"is. tqicnablo.us; to enlighten'',tho. mother, .Y-VC'th'at'Her 'ignorance in'action;':'the. gerous thing; in tho world,' asCjootho said, . shall not kill her child. 'But,, plainly, nothing can bo dono unless 1 there be visitors ' to do.the work of instruction.,- For, this- ; purpose women are wanted:. women with tact . , arid'mothorliness and -sympathy arid patience,'. . ./i, and ;many; other-'characteristically''.womanly; v.. attributes, which: fortunately many women - still possess. My chief purpose in writing' • this article is to draw tho attention .of' wo-' . -men- to this : splendid , 'new " field • for their activities;-'," It. ; r is ..fostcr-nibtherhbod;. .'tho.' nearest- possible approach.' to tho. supreme • function pf, woman. '-For'.: its':'utility- and' .. success tho Act: entirely depends upon wo ; men's help " <

, M. STOLYPIN'S HOUR OF TRIUMPH. ..A "jt.' Stolypin is passing through his hour . of-, triumph;: ho has found a Duma which ho can- .invite? to his house." How,'' asks, the .-"Manchester-.'Guardian'.' -(December'3o), 'is hp employing an opportunity which may notlast long and may. nover como to him.again?' In tho programmo which he laid, before the, Duma iho/.reitcrated - his.,old . formula,..of re,-, pr.ession .and reform. *. Tho reform is still tO' come ;.tho repression >is being carried on. wifli' a vigour, which should put;. to. the teat, at' .least onc-half'of-tho'formula. The number, of political prisoners sentence by drum--head;cburt-martial o'r administrative process thoso - last few months' must have broken; oven M. Stolypin's 1 rccord. Tho Russian' Government never stood in greater need of jmoral rehabilitation ,'thaii^whori; M; . Stolypin ■took' nt' over; hp ia reducing ita nct3 ;to tho 'nioral • level . 0f... tho; most furious of its enemies without/ their 'compensating gift of idealism:'- M.; Stolypin; has iiot confined-his, repression "to individuals. The appointment of ono of - ; Bobrikolf'a lieutenants- to a high post'. iii, Finland threatens the initiation'of a new bra of. reaction in that country; the last' .province { of: tlio Einpirq :to retain a' Liberal .Constitution. In Poland lie' has suppressed tho 'Matica,'' a. Polish 1 national organisation ■toI- tho ; support of Polish schools " anil charities. , The tl: 'rd; •' Duma's Capacity' ;foi\ self-humiliation has. its limits, 'and it pro; .bably- hiis already ceased to;share M. St-oly-pin's hearty deliglft in : the harryiiig of its ■predecessors. ; f\Ye havo no.reason to suppose /that M. Stolypin ! has - tho ' nation > behind him ; what will his- position/bo worth if lie has not oven tho Duma ?" > • ■; SWITZERLAND'S. NEW PRESIDENT. I "Tho Federal Assembly has elected as . President of. the Swiss Confederation; for tlio .ensuing, year Dr. Ernest 'Brenner, (Basel), tlio. present: : Vice-presi(lent.' ';'Tlio new -Presi-. dont is a; member of the Radical majority. Dr. Joseph Zemp;(Lucerne), of the Catholic Conservative party,; has beon elected. Vice-, president.. Dr. •: Brenner," says Router, "was ; elected Presidont by. 136; votes: out- of ■ 188 -valid. papers. Ho was:.. aii' :at Sinco■; 1898 ho::has .been -a.,member .of the Federal Council,: and-, has almost';con-' tinuously been at .tho head of .the-Ministry .of Justice arid, Police.; ~.He. directed the' work for the uriilidtjoii of the - civil law; He %yi 11 .assume, for 1908 the' direction of the .Do(iitH;nient - of-;4A>reign >. Affairs,which devolves upon the President (if the Confedei'iition. Dr., Zemp. was elected yice-president with 160 votes out of 181 valid votes."

PERSIAN POWDER BARREL,

-The'very j gravo character oftho internal situation iiu Persia,'.with the finances in disordqr;l the border, pjpvinces encroached upon bv ; Turkey, and general unrest' and anqe, 1 colls if or activity by. some authority, says the "Manchester Guardian.! (December 23)." ''The Shah' promised to abide by the • Constitution' as" ho understands ■Crediting: him ..witrv-the fullest sincerity, the promiso. contains, no pledge of a settlement,■ for t he and his Parliament differ upon the fundamental-question , of, the powers \ conceded -to-'-eacH-by-the Constitution. What his''following, consists in and what that 'of ,thef: Parliaments is '.i.'only ; known vaguely. Tlio vqsteci .interests, are with'the Shah—the princes, the; pensioners, ■ the .'tax-collectors, and, the whole crowd, of parasites and their deponclents,>for"Ayhom reform' spoils, rum. ProbablVi'iin ia'straight fight; betweon Shall and Parliament, the Parliament could enforce its will, but the arena is not clear, and outside; there; is always the risk—on the north at,'any foreign, interference. Tho niterriai ''situation .is dependent upon tho external;'.and England and Russia have it- in their'power'to 'give the apparent victory or 10 Wer. Much depends upbii''.'SiV"Edward«Groy, and his 'declarations at Bcnvick-on-Tweed thpj-othcr clav were,, so far : ns.; they : went, -eminently satisfactory. /'.His[principle is to avoid, interference'. in Persia- so long a's foreigners are ■hot* attacked' or-i'ari anti-foreign feeing displayed''thSt is-to sav, as |wo understand it, ■ not ]; ti>''interfere" Under any ' rights .claimed unddf'thc' Conventipn, but to: rest only , upon •thp-ordiiiaryfrifihts'' under! international law. Wo hope thnt;''he Trill resist- any temptation put ■on Jiim by r -Russia,', to ' depart from this ... ,';;;• ■,: •>-' THE NAVAL CRISIS. '.'Reaction! is'- arming itself ,at all points whilo' progressl.s''disarming;"' is\ the comment'of'tho January number of tho .Na-, tional Review" in its notes of the month dealing with tho German ..naval, increase. '.'Tho passive 1 .'attitude of our /Press,, so far from pacifying;,, Germany, has had a.) preciselv -contrary effect, and is-being used by ■ the German. Prws and' by tho German Gov- ' ernment' as sq; muclv evidence, of tho ■ D-odcr- . ation of .tlio new (Gerniau) haval programme and as an -argument for its'; enlargement. British inability to' face disagreeable 'facts '..and, the. permanent, refusal of our politicians.' ■on both,.sides ,of;-: Parliament to give' serious attention to ■ the *most vital ,of ..all.' national, problems'—the safoty of tho State—are among ;tib'.i. , auses ! ,'.,;.6f 1 the. feeling :of >' Gprmany to this; country, . ;,A-, supreme Navy, is a sheer '■necessity"to England, > becaUGQ- tho .work, .'ivages;.; a'ndVfood ol'.bur- people ; depend .'upon i ,it;; : an'd;,we : , have n0,,, other, defenoo against -.aggrpssion^;. But jt is a luxury to Germany, : wno : !is"equally ,'• iii'viilnerablo-...'t0/ naval■ .or - .military;,''attack,-, aridtto V hom ■ a', big; fleet can "only bP!a: : - ! weappiV:.'o£ aggression, , ."We cannot .help 'hoping that' at; tho .beginning of a new year; Svhon -people are in; a more or less reflective.' frame.,of" mind,'» those, ! Englishmen who"place' cpuritr'y,before; party will boldly "face ;tho'situation;'and, jrill 'resolro-(to-meet tho..Prussian' determination to cojiquer with .■a' i British determination not tp bo 'conquered.

■ SHIP SURCEON'S NERVE. . "One of the most dramatic insidents in the history or Atlantic? voyages took place during tlie'.recent-passage of ; the Cunard liner Paniionia' from' ,the'.'Jlediterraneah,". says the New York cofrfispondeut of; the "Express:'-"- "'The Tessel, - was: ploughing ( its. waythrough a severe, storm when the ship's 'sur.gcon, Mr.-J. F. Orr, reportcl. to tne caputain itliat' i. Scottish .'stoker inamed Law, who. was. suffering from,appendicitis, ;.waß .ra a criticalijsoiiditioh;-;and that' if the. man's life. were • ; to fbe saved .''an' immediate, 'operation was- necessary.■ The . captain '.at' once ■ gave :theborder for .the ship to bo 'stopped, arid 'dozens pf .gallo-nsj. oil ; wero hurled overboard in the' effprt;„to'keep the' vessel, from pit'ening' 111 / the heavy 'seas . that' were 'ruijning. While 07f.ry',efi0rt was s thus, made to keep'the'/ship steady,,-.the surgipn was carry-, ing out the operation in the sick hay below. Tlie .operation 'was -'-successful, but when .it was over; tho surgeon practically collap'scd, so great liad.heen\tt.e strain 011 his nerves.".

. V.' - /,NATIONAL; pEFENCE, ' ■ Ufr. ''Haldane, ;'.'in" a speech , wilich; lias _an ominous'.ringV^nas' 1 suggested that'tho tiiiiq lis at 'if - Will 'be no.' longer possible to . / inaintain''thQ , ,fwoiPowdr -standard, which is the only the safety—and, indeed, the independence—of England.;' But if; his speech has anyvearfoundation, then the. true and-'.manly coursq for this country is "not to fall to ..wringing its hands and ,utter-' iug'piteoils Mamorits','.but to. gird: up its. loins' ;.Bnd'. ;to . its 'aid in' terms Tho. example of Japan' is there to prove to all tho world that policy can'make (i lotion, once deemed .poor .and' ; feeb!ei;gi;eat,;and.that if ; Empiros decay it is becauso tho.'men .at their head, do -not reali§e 'the .nqe'ds- of "tho .times >or .havo lost Penoles's power of .moving and' stirring tho people-' "With signs and porteiits of this 'nature in -'tho,, political.. skyj''./faced 'by the 'iirgcnt';'neetl'. fqr.;.th'o union ,of ■ tlio Empire,. ' arid with'tlio'growing demands .upon British resources. .for- national .defence, wo ■ ask our 'statesriieti-'.what'.,action . they.,, propose and Ai'hat',' th'oy ' aro, goiri^- to- do; to '.moot; pno of ; tlib.'.grbatest'/Cmergeiicies in _our;.histqry. Wo ;apiieai : -to. i tnem'pas ;, pati'iotip: men, t-o' take tho'''nation "into"'their, c'oiiiidence.—"Daily : Mail."- •, .

' V THE FUTURE IS OURSI

• - Tho close, of the .old 'year and tho' beginning of tho-nbw is,i by. universal usage, a 'tuno for taking- ;steckiibf. i,Vour ' i>osition (says tho ' ?Daily Mail'.' ::of January 1). . Lifo may •' be looked, at' from two_ Aspects, .the individual and tho national, though, strictly speaking, theso>two; : aspects,', blend' 'arid ■ commingle. From the. individual standpoint •; pessimism would, bo indefensible. . The slightest :study of tho history of. social; progress, .will show. Tn ; wliat'\a' : 'woiiderfiil; 1 maimer tho. life,of hurtariity has 1 improved. Tho standard of living'.;has' steadily; risen,; and everything has, baen cheapened.' <'Mill, ..who doubted whetlier*' inacHinefy . had' brought, .any , relief "to mankind;'.' ;would ' havo - -acknowledged , his singular error had'he' survived to.tho' open-' ing of tho twentieth century. ■ Tho work of ■'scie'rfco';arid':.iriventiori has been such that tho word''impossible' lias'lost its meaning.. . The' lato C. H. : Pearson; a thinker of the utmost distinction,'declarea';iii ,1893 that tliero wero no mor'o discoveries to be made. Yet sineo ho iv'rote;' tho''.'eloments have been resolved into: a simpler substanco,', the mystery ,of radiant- matter, lias been; explained, and a thousand Mess conspicuous but immensely 'serviceable victories'havo, been achieved in tho field of ".chemistry, physics,' hygiene, medieino, surgery, and bacteriology; Tho inventions' 1 havo ■ been as ; remarkablo as tho disetive'ri'esV.' .''Horseless, vehicles, propelled by petrol 'or steam- or electricity,. havo be-..como•familiar-'featUMs in'.'tho streot. Groat progress~'Ha3 been" achieved towards, tho con.qliest"l df ! thb''air, "and tlio' .success of tho ■ military''aerostat -is'already demonstrated, whilo with tho. aeroplane'heavier than air only two days'ago'an inventor ilew a circular kilometre.'. On tlio ocean,- tlio-turbino has replaced, tho reciprocating- engine,, and England lias recovored the bluo ribbon of tho Atlantic through tlie. genius of. her inventors ;. while' tho creation of .the Dreadnought' adds l a new wonder to thoso of tho 'nine-' teenth-centuiy 'world. A fight for lifo need causo.no, dismay ,t.q,men who : aro capablo of-courage, hopo,- and sacrifico for tho good of-their' race. < Wo havo endured such stmggles beforo. in, .our past history and emerged' frpm thepi,. because of our constancy of heart'and our ihfloxiblo purpose, not weakened,: but braced and strengthoned by oilr.'eiortions;, .. To tho great people, dan-' ger.'is ii stimulus iiot a terror, aiid wo would never have England' oxist but as a great nation. "Let; us never forget tho saying of Sir .John'.'.SeoTey,;a'' generation ago: ,"Our pro■jjlcm'has difficulties'Of its own, but tho greatset'of thoso difficulties is ono, which wo make

burselves—it'is"thd"fa,lso conception that.the problem is insolublo;"' The future is ours— if-wd'will; it ■is with '.courage, hope, arid stverigth'of purpose.