NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 143, 12 March 1920, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

The compromise on bread prices pending tho collection oi fuller details of the bakers' working costs on the new basis is a reasonable settlement. The Government adheres to its price of skl. for the 2lb. loafsold over the counter,' as against the master bakers' recent announcement of Cd.; but concedes the bakers a farthing on the rlelivored loaf, making the price o]d. If these figures do not leave the bakers a reasonable margin of profit they will apparently have ample opportunity of demonstrating it in the return's to be sent in. The margin is not, an excessive one, andVjve a.re not likely to hear of the accumulation of fabulous fortunes in the bread industry. At the same time some of the statements by the bakers require elucidation. We are told that it costs lid, to deliver a loaf. This argues a

wasteful method Of operation. It should surely bo possible to pool the bread delivery, just as milk delivory is now pooled,,and also the parcels delivery through the parcels companies. It is worth observing also that if it really costs lid. to deliver a loaf and the difference in price between the loaf delivered and the loaf over the counter is less than this amount, then the purchaser of bread over the counter is being mado to defray part of the cost of a delivery sarvice from which he derives no benefit.

In the emancipation of woman conservative Britain once again promises to leave the Dominions liehind. On the authority of the Daili/ Mail we have it to-day that women are to be empanelled in England foi v service on juries,, mostly in divorce roses. The ehingo will be a momentous one in the Law Courts. It will be interesting, for instance, to observe for which sex counsel show their preference in, challenging the jury. Tradition toadies that to win over a womah appeal should be made more to the heart than the head, and the result will probably bo to make jury cases more of a gamble than ever/ Tho ranks of the women jurors will presently grow tremendously with the. prospective widening of the British franchise, and the professional value of an advocate who is an attractive ladies' man may be decidedly enhanced. With two million surplus women ithe population many oexpectcd things might occur. With lonely spinsters in a jury-box and a handsome young man sued for breach of promise of marriage, in whith direction would ihe scales of justic? be most likely to tip 1 ».* * *

The manners of the Prussian Junkers were remarkable _even in their palmy days, and adversity has not improved them. Whatever defeat Britain might have undergone it would be impossible to imagine a member of our lloyal Family assaulting a foreign ofiiccr and his wife and creating what seems to have been a near approach to a free fight in a public restaurant. In extenuation of this line of behaviour Prince Joachim Ai.brec.ht_ of Prussia, cousin of t)ie ex-I\aiser, may possibly plead that lie was drunk, but the plea is not one to raise him in public estimation. The Socialists have denounced these > princely "drunken rowdies," but it is doubtful whether their concern is not mcralv to discredit their political opponents. The. news from Germany of late does not indeed provide much evidence of a spirit of repentance by any section. At a huge assembly in Berlin, according to dispatches in yesterday's mail, Dr. Kahl, Professor of History in Berlin University, evoked tremendous enthusiasm by a speech declaring that the war criminals must never be yielded up. Treaties and promises, he averred, were sacred to Germans—except. tho=" made under military, duress. To observe such promises as those of the Peace Treaty was to jrive. lip what remained of German honour.