NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 157, 15 October 1912, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

During the past few weeks cable messages have occasionally been received recording the campaign now being conducted by the French Government against the illegal "Teachcrs Unions." It is on<J of the oddest and most difficult of the "education problems" of the time. The unions are affiliated with the General Confederation of Labour, the great Syndicalist organisation, and the teachers, pushing to its furthest limits the logic of the secularist position, have passed far beyond the inculcation of irreligion and have become energetically anti-patriotic and anti-' social. At first it was contended that the secularising of the schools would end with the imparting of secular instruction. It is some years, however, since the teachers in the State schools began' to take up a positively anti-religious attitude; but while tney merely confined themselves to this, the_ Government did not much concern itself. No heed was paid to the protests by religious bodies, or to their warnings that the evil current would widen. Within the past three or four years the unions have become active agencies of Revolutionary Socialism. During August, at the annual Congress of the Teachers' Unions, a scries of remarkable resolutions were passed. First, the teachers proclaimed their fidelity to the Federation; next, they ex-" pressed sympathy with the inmates of the gaols of Capital; and finally they endorsed tho Son dti Soldat, the anti-militarist organisation which eacourages revolution and mutiny in the army. This was too much even for the anti-clerical press and politicians, and the' Government ordered the dissolution of the unions, which never had a legal right to exist. Most of them have been suppressed within a few weeks. The French are a logical people: they differ from tho English in this, that tlrey are intellectually unable to avoid following a doctrine to its extreme end. The teaching of irreligion was the logical sequel of a secularisation issuing out of a bitter struggle with the Church; anti-militarism, anarchy, disloyalty, and anti-patriot-ism were logical next steps.

The financial side of the Panama Canal question has not received much public notice, and not unnaturally so, since attention has been concentrated upon the gross American infraction of its treaty obligations. Professor Emery R. Johnson, the'traffic expert of the canal administration, has been going into the finances of canal traffic, and American papers publish an interesting "forecast" of his report. Ho estimates that at the best the canal traffic in 1916 and iI9IG will be 10,000,000 tons a year, 'of which onetenth will be the free American coastwise trade. After pointing out the advantages of the Suez Canal in the coaling facilities, low insurance rates, better cargo business opportunities, and so on, Professor 'Johnson says that, in order to get the traffic estimated, the Panama tolls will require to be fixed below •the Suez charges. He thinks a dollar a ton will db the greatest possible charge, which would mean a revenue of 10,000,000 dollars. But the maintenance of the Qanal will cost, including interest on construction (at the low figure of 2 per cent., "with one per cent, sinking fund), 15,000,000 dollars. It would appear, therefore, that the Canal is going to be a losing concern. _In Washington, it is a little amusing to find, these figures are held to furnish proof that the exemption of American coastwise traffic from tolls will, not matter much. British ships, the argument runs, will obtain a cheap passage, anyway. All that need lie said is that this singular argument seems to show that the American defenders of the Canal Act arc a little oon-science-stricken after all.

Now that the Balkan States have started in real earnest on their war against the Turks, it will not be an easy matter for the Great Powers to localise the fighting, much as they may desire to do so. Already there is talk vof complications through Italy and Turkey having failed, only temporarily it is hoped, to arrive at mutually satisfactory terms of settlement of their trouble,' and at any •moment some fresh complication may arise. Doubts havo been expressed as to the bona fides of Austria and Russia in connection with the present outbreak of hostilities. Both of these countries may have something to gain by the uprising of the Balkan States against Turkey, and in consequence the other Powers will ■naturally bo suspicious. That there is danger in the situation no one can doubt, though it is very unlikely at the present juncture that any of the Great Powers would risk disturbing the existing harmony in their ranks. The war, unfortunately, is certain to be conducted on cruel and bloody lines. All the accumulated bitterness of years of persecution and hostile feeling will find vent; and not always on the_ field of battle. Even at this early stage there are stories of Turkish reprisals against revolting villagers, and while some allowance must bo made for exaggeration intended to prejudice other nations against the Turks, the probabilities are that the record of "atrocities" which may be expected during the next few weeks will have a very real foundation in fact. It is unlikely that hostilities once started will be allowed to cease for some time to come. There may nttt be much fighting in force, bnt a guerrilla warfare will be carried on with probability of heavy losses on all sides.

The announcement • made by the Dev. J. J. North at t)he Vivian Street Baptist Church on Sunday that he had decided to accept a call to Christchurch will be keenly felt by the members of his congregation. Citizens of Wellington generally will also be sorry to part with a man of ability and force of character, as Mr. North has proved himself to be. Even those who liavo most emphatically disagreed with him on public questions will readily admit that he has been actuated bv tho highest motives, and that ho has always done his best to promote the welfare of the city. During the eight years ho has spent in Wellington, Mr. North Has proved himself a striking and forceful personality, and a man with the courage p! his .ojynions, Ihe hush,

air of fearless criticism on matters of public concern is a wholesome factor in the life of every free community, and though at times many people have thought that Mr. North did not give due weight to both sides of the question at issue, all recognise that he has been a fair and honest fighter for what lie has believed to be the well-being of the community, That his ministerial work at the Vivian Street Baptist Church has been successful in tho highest sense of the word is amply proved by the fact that the churcn has grown stronger under his'pastoral ..care in numbers, in finance, and in general influence, and by the many and urgent requests that he should decline the call to Christclnirch. People of all shades of religious thought will join in wishing Mr. North every happiness and success in his new sphere of activity.