NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1812, 26 July 1913, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The latest news from China shows that things are going from bad to worse. Martial law has been proclaimed at Peking, and a Confederate Government has been set up at Nanking. The position has resolved itself into a fight for supremacy between the North, under Yuan-Shih-Kai (the President), and the South, led by Sun-Yat-Sen, head of tho Young China party, Among other drastic measures, the President has offered a reward to any of General Hwang Hsing's followers who will arrest or kill him. Some time ago Yuan-Shih-Kai was accused of instigating the murder of Sung Chiao Jen, leader of ono of tho progressive groups, but this was indignantly denied, and the deed was generally regarded as the work of a "holy" and "judicial" secret society, which_ makes use of assassination for political purposes. Strangely enough this society has had Hwang Hsing "on the list" for some time past, because he is considered to be a possible candidate for tho Presidency. It also threatens Yuan-Shih-Kai himself for "assuming supreme power," and Sun-Yat-Sen for "cheating the world and doing injury to tho country by his purely empty talks." The Southern party considers that the President must be overthrown because ho is aiming at a dictatorship, and' the Northerners hold that stable government and China's prestige can only be maintained by keeping him in power. Yuan-Shih-Kai has the advantage of having control of tho machinery of government and tho main body of the Army; but Sun-Yat-Sen is an exceedingly clever man, and is backed by the progressive clement which engineered the recent revolution. It is now considered in diplomatic circles that the Powers will be compelled to intervene. If so, the ciuestion will at once arise as to which party they will support.

The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher was complimented yesterday afternoon by members on both sides of the House in connection with the success of his negotiations with the Commonwealth Government for reciprocity with Australia as regards old ago pensions. Briefly stated, the proposal is that pensions should bo paid to people similarly situated in Australia and New Zealand, provided that the cumulative period of residence in both countries is sufficient to qualify them for a pension. Such an arrangement is manifestly desirable if it is workable, and if the cost is not too great. There is no reason why the scheme should not work smoothly, but as regards cost statistics do not exist on which to base a reliable estimate, as it is impossiblo to say, even approximately, how many people would take advantage of the provisions of tho Bill. It is not, however, likely that the burden on the taxpayer would be unduly heavy. Of course, the new scheme will not come into operation until p, similar measure has been passed by the Federal Parliament. The agreement was entered into with the Australian Labour Government, which has since resigned, but there arc good reasons for believing that it will be ratified by the Liberal Government now in office. Me. Fisher's Bill will confer a real boon on many poor people and should prove a welcome addition to the humanitarian legislation of tho Massey Government. Me. Witty voiced the general feeling of the House when he congratulated Mn. Fisher on having introduced such a good measure, and Me. Harms declared that he had never known a Bill to meet with such general support from both sides of the House.

Speeches such as that with which the Hon. G. Jones occupied Uio time of the Legislative Council on Thursday afternoon call for no comment beyond the expression of the opinion thai they afford a very admirable illustration of one of the evils of the nominative system. Pie frankly admitted that from his point of view to ask him to pass the Bill making the Council clectivo was

Ito ask hire to sign his own death warrant, and as no one would expect tho lion, gentleman to take any such heroic and self-sacrificing course he _ might havo spared himself tho pains he subsequently went to in his endeavour to justify his antagonism to the measure. If the Bill were confronted by no stronger opposition than that which it must expect from Councillors who, like the hon. gentleman referred to, can only regard tho matter from the point of view of its effects on themselves and the party to which they owe their present oflice, then the task ahead of the Leader of the Council would not be an over-difficult one. But there are opponents of the measure who take a larger and broader view of the proposed change in tho constitution of tho Upper House, and who are capable of arguing strongly and ably in support of their opinions. Tho Hon. J. It. Sinclair, for, instance, delivered a speech on Thursday last which displayed much evidence of research and careful thought and which won tho close attention of Councillors from beginning to end. It was a speech rich in information, the argument was ably presented, and the facts cleverly turned to serve tho principlo advocated. The hon. gentleman whilo not agreeing with tho proposals of the Government was forced to admit the soundness of the -elective principle, but he favoured a Second Chamber one-half tho members of which would bo elected and the other half nominated. No one, wo venture to think, will dispute tho fact that, provided a. Government could always bo relied on to choose the class of man which the Hon. Mn. Sinclair has in mind as suitable to render service in the Upper House, tho nomination system could be used with advantage. But it is.just because experience has shown that such trusts cannot bo imposed in Governments under the party sysiom that the ohange now proposed has been deemed desirable and necessary. There is much to be said in support of the hon. gentleman's contention that tho true functions of the Second Chamber would be better performed with the assistance of nominees specially selected because of their known qualifications than would be the case with a wholly elective body such as is proposed under the Bill. But ho did not attempt to show how the appointment of persons of assured fitness was to bo guaranteed, and until he is in a position to present some acceptable method of attaining that end his proposal can only be regarded as a modification of tho evils of the existing system, and that on lines not likely to bo approved by the country.

Our "Liberal" friends who are just now_ torn between the conflicting emotions of joy at the defeat of the Reform candidate in the final ballot at Grey, distress at tho rout of their own candidate, and anxiety as to the effects on their following throughout, the country of their unholy alliance with the forces of militant Socialism, should study an article published in the last issue of the official organ of their Socialist allies. It expresses tho views of tho Social-Democrafa, as the militant Socialists now modestly label themselves, with such frankness and candour, that no room is left for further speculation as to-what they think of the guileless gentlemen who threw their principles overboard to lend themselves so obligingly to further thn cause of Socialism. The articlo referred to discusses the issues of the Grey election after the first ballot, and urges that the So-cial-Democrats must stand or fall by their own platform: For this reason alono, it proceeds, there should not bo any pleading or bargaining with any other party for its support as a party in tho second ballot. The voto that only comes to us in tho absence of a Reform candidate or a Liberal candidate, as rho case may bo, ia a vote that is of doubtful value indeed. In the event of a second ballot with our candidate in it, strenuous propaganda of our party principles should be entered upon, and—if that were possible—our uncompromising working-class attitude should bo moro clearly stated than in the first campaign nnd tho revolutionary aspect of our politics should bo proclaimed in a way that could not be misunderstood. Our unrelenting hostility towards both the Ecform and Liberal parties of Capitalism should be oinphasised moro distinctly than cvor.

These aro the gentle lambs with which the leaders of the "Liberal" party claimed kinship during the second ballot stage of the Grey election contest. This is the party at whoso heels the "Liberal" leaders dragged their following into the polling booths at Grey and branded "Liberalism" as the ally of revolutionary Socialism. And then to be told the day after the election that the party for whom they have once more sullied the- name of "Liberalism" regards them with "unrelenting hostility." ' The moderate section of tho "Liberal" party who have thus been dragged in tho mire by their leaders will be further interested perhaps to see exactly what the Social-Democrats stand for. Here is tho declaration set forth in thearticlo quoted from above, tho capital letters being the mode of emphasis adopted by the Socialist journal: — u hrt thi,t ™ stand for the ABOLITIOfc-not for the patching up T of tho wages system and the substitution of tho industrial commonwealth should be proclaimed above all other facts in the first ballot fight certainly, but especially in the second ballot fight'. This is what the "Liberal" leaders have associated their party with How many of the really honest and thoughtful electors who have in the past voted for the "Liberal" party can in face of such reckless abandonment of "Liberal" principles continue such support!

Mr. George Marlow has practically severed Ins connection with Uio theatrical firm of George Marlow, Ltd, which ho created. The Sydney "Sun" states that Mr. Marlow has arranged to eeJl out for a sum in the neighbourhood of X 50.000. A doposit of XIOOO was paid last week, and tlio purchasers have 28 davs within which to complete the deal, fhe whole t tll A^^ Sß l «•?'■> tllG exception of £15,000, is to lio paid within that j i \°< "i? of ■fiW.OOO is being secured to Mr Marlow by a mort|;aj;e. Hβ will retain the lease of the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, which ho bought personally roni IC, Williamson, Ltd., and has sub-let to George Marlow, Ltd. That still lias nearly two years to run, and the difference between the price paid for the lease and the rental paid to Mr. Marlow represents a nice figuro over and abovo the purcuaso money received for his filterests in the company. Under the deed ot salo Mr. Marlow is bound for a period ot five years not to enßage in the direction ot theatrical enterprise in Aisstra--I.ISIH.

CLOSE OP THE SURATIJIU CONTENT. One wool; from to-day tho Suratura Tea i-nials Competition close?. Competitors have, thcreioro, only six more working (lays in which to forward their entries to flio judpe, C. F. Page, 157 Feathersfoii ntrcot. Latries cannot be accepted which bear a- post mark date later flian August I, »o thol■ contostnuts fhould not fail to got in tlielv selections promptly,*