NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 564, 20 July 1909, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

It is pleasant to* know that Mr. Kennedy Macdonald, as an extract from one of his letters which wo printed yesterday shows, is very pleased with "the comfort and freedom of life" in Europe. What struck him in this comfortable freedom was its contrast with "our rcstrictivo legislation." Every man, of course, speaks according to his taste. But it is not a little interesting that the New. Zealand visitor who was charmed with the freedom of Europe hae , long been a loading light in the councils of the party which has made a specialty of the restrictions which the European air has enabled him to estimate at their proper worth. It is characteristic of New Zealand "Liberalism" that it should: ! reserve its love of liberty for liberty in the non-essentials. ' It believes in Freedom's cause "ez fur away as Payris is.". It has no objection to multiplying : tho re-/ strictions upon tho vital liberties of the individual; its soul rises up in protest when a finger is placed upon the liberty of his pleasures and indulgences. "Let industry bo shackled. Let a thousand inspectors be appointed to shepherd men in their sorious affairs. •But do "'not, let us interfere with the liberty of 'pleasure." That, it seems, is the doctrine of our modern "Liberale." It is an intelligible doctrine. From n. certain point of view it is perfectly From a certain point of view it is qilite logical to applaud the restriction of tho individual in vital matters and to condemn the restriction of the- hours during which hotels may remain open. ,But that point of view is not the point of view of real Liberalism.'-..,....:. : ■

The-New Zealand delegates to : the Imperial Press Conference went away before the public; had had time to give the Dreadnought offer the consideration of a calm mood. .This, we think, must be held accountable' for the fact that one of the delegates, at one of the early sittings of the Conference, was able to make the following reference to the offor:

With regard to New Zealand's position when Sir Joseph v Ward cabled home: to tho Imperial Government the unstinted 'offer of a "Dreadnought," he did not know how this would be received by the people of the colony. It was no small thing to oommit Now Zealand to an expenditure: of. no less than £1,250,000 . without - consulting them. ■■'■Ili. was: a ■ great responsibility, because he had-no opportunity 'of consulting the Legislature, who , alone had the right to pass, expenditure of this - kind. ,But he thought he-was. , perfectly right' in saying that- , when they heard what had been done, nine-tenths; of the people of New /.Zealand Expressed their hearty approval. The result, top, had been to arouse a greater spirit of - patriotism! ; ■'.; . : :;\ ..;■■,' New, Zealanders will now hardly recognise themselves as the impulsive;persons here described/ It is a powerful -argu-' menfc against impulsive action that few people would' express themselves to day to their nexfcdoor neighbours in 'the spirit of the quotation. ■ "Nine-tenths of ;the people of Now Zealand" are, 1 very firmly convinced by nowthat Sin Joseph Waed could have produced -equally good results without doing the' l thing unconstitutionally. And. .really* ■ even : the moral dividend, in' the twilight of jthe chaptei*. seems 'rather'smalL In >kriv event, a greater spirit of -patriotism has:not been 'created. There cannot be degrees of patriotism—positive, , cbinparative,' and superlative, patriots. ;Wo have yet to see whether uie offer has created the one thing.requiring to be created, namelyj : a spirit of, refsolution and a readiness for real self-sacrifice. The moral of the "page from. the past" that, wo have quoted is obvious; enough: hot to abandon in a hurfy the policy of deliberation, and sobriety.-, a :.■::, >.]:■;■' ■','■'■.■

Tie revokVion 'in' Persia,' .which , has culminated in the! deposition. > of..- theShah, bears so 'many, .points of resemblance .to the revolution in Turkey that the two events may be called almost exactly ' similar. ■ ■:■ Like the. Sultan, y (the Shah was profuse in,his; professions : ; of good intentions,, and,' like the Sultan, he violently revoked his promises. The chief point upon, which the Persian Na-: tionahsts have differed from "their fellow-Liberals in; Turkey has been] their decision to depose their ruler without delay. The. first Turkish revolution,' it will be remembered,'left Abdul Hamid on the throne, i ; What has •happened , in Persia, is, briefly,-.this: that the modern spirit of ' hostility- to despotism which has soaked from the West into the near East has simply risen in arms against the wretchedness arid oppression' of the old rlgirsie;. The ; revolution, although there is little doubt that Russian sympathy and iaid were: behind.the Royalist position, has fortunately ended, without any foreign complications, or any disagreement ■ between - Russia and -Britain, which have jointly undertaken to ; maintain the/ integrity of Persia, 'while guarding thoir own interests. .'Yesterday's news reported that Teheran was witnessing the same. outbreak- of '■■. Nationalist, onthusiasm as greeted'the final success of the Turkish revolution/ We must give up our old idea of Turkey and Persia as hopelessly. decrepit and benighted countries. The French Revolution was easy, and it was not-astonishing. The Eastern revolutions aro not much lesß than miraculous; and they were carried out against' the enormous,; obstacle of centuries of Oriental sentiment. There must be -fine material in nations; which can breed great soldiers and statesmen out of darkness.. ".'-.'■ ':'''. •',.• '"■'-'.■■''<".