BRITISH AND FOREIGN

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 431, 13 February 1909, Page 10

BRITISH AND FOREIGN

CURRENT TOPICS. "England In Danger." A campaign against ignorance and sloth has been entered upon in Birmingham by Mr. , Philip Bollows, who bears a name -widely known m the Society of Friends Mr Bellows, who expounded his creed to an mtorestod audience at Birmingham, has spent eonio years in the. United States, ivhcro he , has had epecial opportunities of studying tho ' industnnl system Hβ is disquieted as to tho ! insufficiency of England's equipment for tho ( fieroo international trade competition Tvhich 1 he believes will become much sterner as tune passes. Briofly put, his conviction is that Britons still hold the potential l>oy to tho situation, but that it will speedily pass out ' , of their hands 'unless tho patnqtio spirit of all classes cap be fired. There must be, he i urges, a great diffusion of technical education directly focussed on practical ends, and the worker and tho capitalist must go for--1 ward together in a temper of mutual forbearance and helpfulness to safeguard tho preeminence of British industries Mr Bellows holds that public opinion can and must bo roused to the urgency of tho crisis Theio muetbo an entirely now basis of classification in our element iry schools Men distinguished for their special qualifications must j be employed to select the scholars according to their individual aptitudes, and then their I training must be specifically directed to tho particnlar part' they are destined to iill :u afterlife "Public omnion must be -jo stirred on this question," Mi Bellows says, "that the nest, Government that comes into rxmer will hare to place it in the forefront of itsf programme, otherwise England will gp downand out." After referring to tho advances made by America, Jipan, China, and Germany, ffi Bellows observes, "Agairst such o combination England cannot stand with her present inefficient equipment It is not a v question, of Free Trade or Protection, it is o quest'on of the training of the man behind tho £un''' Censorship of Plays. The object of tho Theatres Bill, introduced by Mr. Robert Harcourt, lIP ,is to abolish ~ the censorship of plays exercised m Great Britain''under tho l authority of the Lord Chamberlain, and to transfer'to the' London' Coonty,' Council as IBS' Too"ai""authority <the power of, licensing iM controlling '<jheatres , exercised by that functionary within the anxaent Parliamentary boundaries of the Cities of London and Westminstei, tho Tower HamJets, Lambeth, and Southwark Ai'fo cenv sorshrp pf plays, it, is proposed to make theatrical [-performances subject to the^same t control>s performances in music-haJls 'In the cast) of inusic-halte no cersorship exists, / but any v impropriety can be dealt with dt tho police pr by R.rpfusal of tho license by the licensing authority, which in London 'is , tho London County Council The Bill does not apply to Ireland, where there 'is no , censorship of plays. At present it is pointed t out in ,the memorandum to the Bill, tho licensing of theatres is vested in the local authority m Great in tho parts of London named, the >TJmversity cities of Oxford and Cambridge, and places wheie Jiis Mqjesty resides \ places of Royal residences utttsvlo*- London} the powers of the Lprd Chaniberlain shall not be affected * ' *■ t j Lords and Commons. :j « - "/;"V," u Mr 'ioader "'df % Liberal' Government, has thrown dowa'his gauntlet to' the House of Lords At a banquet in his honour at the, National Liberal .Club, ho, ex-claimed,"'l-invite tho'Liberal pVfy to tre'at , the vetoof the House of Lprds_3s_henrefprth , , the dominating ibsuo irfpolitics " As Mr 'Asquith's sajing may becomo historic, it is interesting to know that when he had uttered it, "as if-by a, common thr two hundred' members eprang to their feet and cheered and cheered again " The "Manchester Guardian," which gives tbis touchadds, "Well might their leader nelcome irach , a response to his challenge as "'a striking and moving demonstration' 1" Mr Asauith went on to say—"l shall be aekod, 'TOiv don't you advise his Maiestv at once to di3solvo ParhimentP' That Mould be to admit a new claim on the part of the House of Lords—a claim nevor yet put forward, any rate pressed or adimtted.-rtho right to die-, <tate both tho occasiort and tha'dato of a disi Eolntion. "Historically there is not a single tl case since the days of the Reform Act of 1832 in which a dissolution has been allowed to tske place in consequence of a vote from the House of Lords I may, I hope, be believed by you at any rate when I say that unless under the stress of an overmastering constitutional necessity—l purposely * make that reservation —I do not mean to create such, & precedent" Ono> thine is certain— ( that the Budget next mr stands at tho very centro of-our work-Bv tf, I -nas goim* to i say, wo shall stand or fall, but by it wo shall -be judged m tho"estimation of the present and posteritv Ono thing more I will sai without ahv provisions or details of the Budget that it mil, that , ii must, raise again in thn ocutest form a controvers) from which,ne don't shrink—a controvert which we ■Welcome—namely, whether tho ad- ' rnitted and'grottjng needs of a'policy of social reform <am to ba provided bj thp finances of ireo Trade or bv tnrnmg our bioLs on the>xpenence of Mxtv years and rpturning tn the alluring and'embarrassiiie fallacies of Piotection Timtco is an lnstriimont of great potency and also 6f great flpxibility, and it may be found to bo, in somp directions at any rate, a pirtnl solvent to what, under our existing con«fitu*ioml conditions, would otherwise bo insoluble problems"

fis&%3 -■«! InJ an :adar6ss tejhnviiaf :^dli-' fySifr-p'-A ,,C«iadajv said -:^bicJi;;:^ros'' of' toVCanada^as^ !^'IJ: j e|.,tariff; question;: skill thaVrisirfeT^nora-tion^ofiyiECcitizeris' raf^S/K^'cK^uJd^resiilt^fr^Va^thb'Siighl^ •^K^v^iCient^vtechmCalKe.ducatidiU-system^-'iHe'-fe-' ica :! Ac£ : M ; M€J-^^t h er.;;handica^d; ;! th , e::Pede^alaβqve^nment■ r;P?>is:S;itvs.the i ;:matteri:pii:helpirig; i ,6ducatibn^ financially^His fthat■&s£iiov— qrt/tijae.jago;sne:;English'w6man:i Lad; by.' i Ss' :^; Kiier; own ■ unpided; offorts' erence : p&<sSfc^.equcat#al^^ :iS^«t?;.^Pi r ,e/ r i : awdiUiat;i^higii^iriiiiiibJfiS:si;;3tfS: m^^i«^>™a ."!n >6 si^esMlelp^ ! '&Biy •,"i^':.iGrej , .;.said -he- would: rentiire'to-propbesj'- that;;;ifj:, f S;^i;firstfmotionSraisea;:wbuld^beicbnn %w';,vSy j'pranche'B vVlihrpughoirt :i> the:- - !Emp;irp' fr which : |;®?S«fbj>uld^always^j:ih?tofeh^ith^h^central fti:3S^^burea^y>SflcH-i.a'!:p¥6posal^nf.^4rn :immenso': : benefi^ s ; ; r try:.-;had :>its ;;6wri : : separate-: and -' differenfc W* f S'fi'::!iC wmj.ol 'education: ;> For - roaK J,fS,>;if :■ pi- such;;a l finp;. his^ i%i :-. ■ : #,;;Eicellonpy; declared,- •;iinitoiin';a v great ; ' ft 'Kv ; :ffi Hv and ■ steady; effort,Xthe; Ivresult' ; bf - which %buld 2fiii : '=■ bring; aboutja irefprrfatipiv; qf^/:the: ; Pomiriioh's :^'&;S;fWucatipna|'.methbds,lah^: : bovon;^!icalcul *#££:£■? Abohefit';to ;tho^future: genMatiprisSof "its ;citff •iv;4i ''-r .-': zo^?;; :Fedefal\. Gqvemment'-nare^nbw:- ?&:'?&{. under- consideration ■ a' prbposal-.tliaVa -Tede''01 *«-&;.£& 'Commissionoshouldl-.b'e:--appointed' to ;in-;-H.education\.iii;: GanadaVw f': :S": tlieleaders' tSiKi of? thought /and'; enterprise- ; :thfoughoutl the ?V>>Sw'P.;<!bjra^^

Present}Mlmstry: andvtte iiex t. t-'Mty?;:: m' ; poinii' 6i the'per- :».■•;• Bonal capacity -member's is' a.whole ie ■ :>i': v.Hyperion;tp -a ;.Sa'tyf;bbmparpd r with'4nenum-- : wheriVhg^Mtega^ugjth^eals;' , ' ;-(. : :.i. writes; the?,"Observer^:wropos lively ■■.:■■, in'-tho ; ;: :;''];t'js'Justlpossible: that' K; > -a- 'Dnipniet: : : majb;rityi " , K^':'cburse; i .bf;the■;next 'Were .■iyjpe^ .:.v--'; thenf.hplding'offic'esthat ': / r:;they...wbrb'-fpr ? S:,:;-fill/-to;Jt_hc .-satisfy .'p'nblic^d^rision\oThb : ' country expects that 'tho:'places.'m the'.next Cabinet shall bo occtoiediy-the'.'mehtwli'o'are' most competent to £ll; v them.vilf : aU:.Sh,e. ; tal' : ent and capacity cbmbrchondod'at'thb'"dtitt?t. m Lord Salisbury s memorable Administration of 1895 wcro still availablo, tho whole strength oven of such a team would be heavily taxed by the work lyiug before Uβ.

Our problems, naval and military,, fiscal, and. ifeancial, social: arid ' will be ■of a 'magnitude^;takcn:'-.f oxgall- in all, such as no Government in;;the,-history of. this country h'aseyerhad tb' ; faco.;;;VWe. dp not know, whe'tbor;. quite;: adequato. ; jpcrsonagcs are.: availnble!tjlt' is;certainly difficult-: to name them. But; at least, there can be no. difficulty whatever., in; forming' a" {combination incomparably 'riiore ; ;intoTOsiing:ahd:,efficient than,tho.-last.-Men .who have already'hold ioffico, for poriods of'iiilttigethor lengthy or who haveenjoyed ;tlievsensation; of.filling posts, much .;.highori;than:they 'oduld have been reasonably, /expected ■■ to;.^attain,' , ;must be prepared ;to stand.[aside •and : .to .leave- .the 'way .open .to others!!.lf/at:leasi ; half .tho , members of the last': Unionist .'Administration can : be:eliminated; from.the iiext ; listy Mr. Balf our could construct : a,.'.;. Cabinet iwliich would considertibly, surprise .those' among the Ministerialists '. ;'whp: rire nptoriouely.ibhsirig.rauch'Of - 1 their,. ;calculations : "as -.to 'the : futurq; upon: tho supposed jraverty.bf.-the.-'.Unionist party:in men.IVfo; believethat party to have;as much'force ,in:..reEen;p isii any, siqo': in; politics- over com-' marided. ;,Tlic' ; business; classes and the', great 'middle- class,-mean; to fight -for. thoir'.own.'; Confronted;by.they-menacelof •applied; .Socialising and '.with oycrythin'g -at stake> they: can- ■ riot,..and will -not,'.abandon .the);defence- of. their interests : ,,to: mediocre .ipersons with .no im'lginablo.^qualifica.tioris. : -for' ;!:high /"office beyond: •; social.};claim?^;of;." the': .narrower; . .and more; obsolete'order>';:: '■:, i) ::':.: '■'.'■: t \-'-.w,'['

. Athlettosiaiid ipiseasS;-;: : W^' : -' <'.-;Vi v-i; Sir; Lauder, ;Bruntbn..tobk part ;ini an'in-' s rerestmgi.jdebateV.pa- -i" Athletics ;■ iii ■ .Relation'; ■ to'Diaease',". at-the Medical. ;Lori-■-don.'.,;!- The.'ieffect;;of ■ athletics,.from; : day.'te. d.ayy;ho;said,--wa3 to strengthen the'.mnscles',. increase- the, power.of -• thelieart. and .respira-. : . cbiitinuduij;. <jxertioii,'.v; It : thad : ,, been■ > -. shown-,"] •that tho'^tffects'Jof ■ fatigue' were ; not. due,..'ae ;b^[;Been^^pp^Ee^"^to:, : 'inephahical'''''caaseß'/'-| ! but.';fe;;tKe''production Jof ■: I pDisonpus : .bodies;as; a; result: of .'..muscular'.-"activity. ■;TheiiVath-'l ;loteV.;he. ; '.comta't. these poisons;: becariie'capable iof.igreater exertibn', r with'out bad■ effects.'.-;.;'' It ;that;:..the : :fceling. : .of v'sickness-' ;'pr.q'dncedy.liy. : : j due." to;:ithe :ri^htv'pbrtion ! ;of''.the:;:heart-':bec6mirig! gorged .iVithf.blopd;: Sir .Lauder,-Brunton was :-.-em-i iphaticTbiikthe I dariger.-.pf' -excessive:,athletic ; bringing.about serious effects' on,the: ;heart.. .AOverstrainji/ho/Vsaid,- ■ especially r/.'in. growing.ibpys; might lead .to: cardiac -;weak-■' i ri;J-h<^r,future i :lives. v : At the.'p [ resenty;imoj..w.heri;gj*nastics.;and-athletics; ;t;fie. schools; -it- waa ; especially.' necessary.that : alF.who. ,tbok ; ,part -in.,such". forms-,-of -exercise; ishould--be-£ub]ected^^to.-careful-medical;. cxariiT'; Lqn^tly( f OTbc.ts./.but.-.that ;in ';the■■;vast:m-ijbnty-lbf ■these;; cases iwhere-irijuiY;occurred, , -the genjeral -good produced the. health, srid' ■(vigour,-..0f :; the;i^^athlcte.,ijnipre ...than.■;'coiinter'i--■balaiicedvthei'jovil.; •/.'■:':"../.. .'.•■.::;;•.">;,■. jrr-;'>:?^K'^- ;: '-^.v ? '".'- : - ; j'. : --v-'-V-' ''\;-r:U-\A ; Ratesr',;;.; .j" ; ;.;-^;: ';;'('■ : )'■*&'. great ''!-m^trag-^haeKb'eisn'..-':h ; y'd-.-.a ; t;-tlie 'Mansion-rHouso/to ;-'ndvo'catq" a~, great, reduc-' ■tibn: ; in; cable j rates '_io ;'distant; : parts;,-of .'-ithe ■'^mpire.\'.^'!imqng?all:--ibi^sjieakers , : of .any . weight;therejwasl.but;bne 'ppinip'ii 'as tbitho: immense ,inip'brtance ■' to** the ■ Bmpire'-i pf • Jrqppso'd;{;'refqrmjVand'i'ae .tdi;;t.he.extent';to." which:' jn'creasqd^fac.ilities" : of/.cqmiriunibatiori; populatiqnsT-aB 'dis-I ■jtinguishedffrom c .thaV-great..mefcantile'iirmsi'; ;tb. jwhbmt'cbst? is'a 'secondary: : .TOiyaj;'sirenetheri;if-arids-.preserve ;; &'-'' Great jbf:;b^mtnqn.. i inierests:'anQ'a comriipri'destinyj" : effects, already prp,ppstal : ; cbmmunica-. by' ; 'jh^cheap^trarisi.t; pf; magazines .au^'eWo^it^a'ture^.wefe" , ; described.: as hay-' irig-transcerided; the ;,highest "expectatieris ■ of. those.'by.'whose ; exertions-'.theße reforms' had' ;bMni;.brovight;-abo;ut;;. arid -the experience al:leave '. lib' doiitt;- aS to 'thtf;.:.results; Tvljich,,' ;in. : a.' very■'■ short" time,' ?% a P e r;t;^Sgraj?!iy-i : migW:'',be.' expected-to" bhrig* in.-itsi-train;'*. ■'■ffin'y: 'i- ■*>;:'/,- : •:■:, ■'■ '■■::.■ J-'-v. ipHqinistryfJnvth^Courts^.^v-fv-iVi:'.^-^:^:; 1,

v- ; i,SiriEdward;■ Fry,;:iii;vthe;: address 'ho'- : jlivered; atVtho r begirining J pf.-;the,recjn;t : -'.BeV -at:^^TTniyersity•-. .Cbllege' -Hospitidl,- 'referred' ■ to ; 'the-higHyV. way. -in :>which ■.evidence): was .-'often:, "given'; by', scientific '-. 'ex-. iperts-iri-.the Ckiiifts;-^ ; forensic chemistry was';preseri^ ! ;at tho4tst'of these,:-arid-Jtr ,jjago.;pbiiitedvbuti.hpw-/fcijth'e'-'-lay- mind;Wiis [direct -'experimental "eyi;denco ;thany thfe],eyiderice^gairied'experiment' iallyiby \:ok w&iibct, a scientifics'tandpoint;; a> result obtairied : indireotly : -may. ;bb_:;more ; ■tained,'..but.the;fact' is'well(worth',bearing in-•mirid:'-rlt-;Tvas':al&:pbirited:out'that -the ;ex-,pertv;shbuld'.always:be-ina'positiori:to';say to introauced v by ; th6 experimental : methpd was''■to'?his ,: pppori-' bnt's^bertent. i SMrl.Wal%s'.isumnied;up the : rlectnrecbi;Vcoriteriding'. , th'at?it- would .be: well -thatiheiwrtness'shpuld'put;himself into: the ■position Yof;' counsel , ;instructed -by. .witnesses' for- thp,; other cWde;.:'and ; :should/'submit" hiriiovi-. preparing ■itfpr/'the.copmderffi

l^ to i .abonshi.the'.neecl.'rfpr-the^fuunel./Thp.'Mar-lquis.lbf::Qraham^rinrthgv'lNavy i ■njial,., as: ; ,Eqme::resultingiadvan-:i tages;;in' the - :use bf .this' engine :—'-"J.'he : first greaVgainvfor^the>Navynvould':be.the : com-' pleto';ehmination';6f..tfestoker branch of:the BsmceSStokers'i: help to i3rive 'a. ship: of;war, '.■coij.trjbuteTibthing 7•!.t6"i:'.the'ac-tual-'figlitmg of '■•;s©' y sHip,.» and. to' that ex.fent.areia'.d.taft.^ppnJits,:'hitting .ptf: the .Dreadnought';carries; 200. stokers:"as a ■ ;Jsteam; yessclj'.'sheirflay':.be}, and,-is, ; a ■ great' unitj- but'if under' a. system: of gas propulsionetother : tbings:-.^being: equal—the 200 stokers. '■ aievreplaced ; -by, f eight'mechanics' and 100..seamenigunnerSiV;it;is.evident she ■■^Uv.;haye. i \gamed-' v ,ppTver.: :,The ■■ second gaiii i.Trqtild be ihcreaseu :gun-pp'wer. ; ; > ;All:-,exhauBt -gai. banNbe lot out. 'and aslnb 'furnace draught '.is jeqiiire'dguilder:■ suction gas,'-;ship ifnmeUjv.ventilatora/;yend^topyhMn'per. , oo.uld .'if ;, ; not wholly;.-abolisned.; i \ Where:. the"..funnels ; . now :stand; sweeping guns xied:',where'space.' and,, weight , are saved' by .'tho ) reduced-onginb-robm::and'"stokehold 'rb-' . quiremonts. 'I The {third .gain. ; .would.be- the increased ; radius :of : warship ■ bn"ac.cou.jt^9f.::the.;small:coal .consumption neces!sarS;?;fori ppjjver-making.V '>/■ >. : - [;■::..:■ :■.;■ \ :/., ;Wlroless : !vv^;'.:/':--'.. : .; • •'■ "Likti 'ttlie .:'age' of /fonrane'e, V. the' age 'of :miracle , : is'pasfc ■/■.afc is :that.-.-modern pcioncei.. has;.far;putstrippe_d; the magicians and :wbndor-)vprkers .'of-i old; in.: performing what has;'&boert';deemed": oxample,; by finding- messages across thousands ■bf " lritervbning; miles, ■.;. between ; ships'.at sea and , : the: pbrts'^bohjid;'or ahead of .them'' witliput : : ;tlio;aid of;any,cpnnecting:link, ■iblK'br invisible,".isa,yS ; ;the;:"S6ptsnian'-' : (Do-' ,14).. k-h ; "^ut r theso, triumphs ,of the humah'in&llect l over.the,Vlimitations of time' and fspacp" are/instantly Teduced -"to.-.'Bystem/ placed on-a:^^commeroial;basis,,.and turned-to the commq^';6ervicel;bfftthe.'■ .world;.'-Wireless' .telegraphys.-«tfie;;mirade,i*qrker. of ; '-tenVycars' ago,- has tbrda^s;becoi)le ; ?i : th6 - common-place drudge, 'of jithe*:;Genbral fPdst ■ Office.;,. .Tho opening, , by' the'iPqitmaster-General,-- of 'the first:real commercial ppstTqffice'wireless. eta-' ;tibh,V.at:Bolt ; Head;, on'the, South: Devon coast, is;a "signal that, tho/Bystem'-with which 'the l ;name Vof '.Marconi honourably as-: Bociated has. passed finally. ! through the ex-"'■ . porimbntal stagbj. arid bo repkoned among :tbp : groat''agoncie's;- : pf:eivilisatiori that bavp-: been placed:at; the-disposal of tbo public. Mr. Biixton ".-. emphasises , : the ifact: that ; the. pj)ening|,bf.;tho;-ljplt'Head station'is part of jneideliberate'policy of the Post Office autho-'. ntiesy.'whprare.yresolyod -that .there- shall not be'.'.allbwcd: to ') groWi.'up; , : in to; wireless', telegraphy,.ihs^iii.thft-case, of the telegraph' Bnd'tlie , telephone.: systems,'-anything ofthenature of. mqrippolyi.' In one' light, 'the .step may'bb.regardba'as'anbthe'r blow dealt ai 'in-.diyidualism'.r-at;,private ontorprise. and con-: trbl..- 'But\tho -reasons 'that underlip" tlie: ac-tiouvof,-the' .Department entirely justify.; it, .whether.; the, question is; regarded from the .ppint'bf ; jfiew."of public convenience or, hatioaal polioj. , - -,;:'- ■': ,; : ; ;