NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 250, 16 July 1920, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

The problem of encouraging an increase in tho birlh-rato deserves all tho attention that members of Parliament and other people can give it, but it can hardly be said that any very* practical suggestions to this end were submitted when the question was raised in the House of Representatives on Wednesday. One member, Jlr. Witty, teuggested

that the State should pay all expenses in maternity cases, but this is a crude and unworkable proposal. Jinny people would refuse assistance on tlicso lines, and those who -would accept it most readily are not necessarily those -nrlib best deserve consideration. So far as a monetary contribution from the State towards meoting maternity expenses is concerned,

I the, National Provident Fund already offers benefits which are readily available to all people of moderate means. Reason may appear for enlarging these benefits, and it is certainly desirablo that everything possible should be dono to im prove and extend medical and nursing services and to organise household heip on a 6ound basis. It needs to be recognised, however, that the problem of encouraging motherhood is part and parcel of the wider problem of general social betterment, and also that better ideals as woll as better material conditions aw needed in order that the Dominion may obtain its full quota of the best kind of immigrants.

The much-heralded "Third Patty" which has appeared on the horizon in

the United States might well adopt as its motto the old adage thot "misery acquaints a man -with strange bedfellows." How much tho National Labour league, the Single-tax Party, the World War Veterans, the American Party of Texas, and

the Non-partisan League of South Dakota, etc., may have in common is not

discernible at this distance. Apparently part of their programme is to run candidates for the Presidency and VicePresidency. At evory Presidential eleution there are a number of freak can-didates-Socialist, Prohibition, SocialistLabour, Independent, and so on. Tho more euocessM will sometimes absorb as many as half-a-million votes, the less notable anythingi down to a humble thoasand. No successful candidate has «;on the Presidency in the last twenty-five years with fewer than six million votes, and only one—Mr. Wilson, in 1913—with fewer than seven million voles. In that year Mr. Eoosevelt, an ex-President, with half the Republican Party behind him, ran a "third party," He drew away four million votes from the official Hepublicnn candidate, Mr. Taft, who polled over three million, and so Mr. Wilson flipped in. ITio. present third party looks as if it represents little more than a consolidation of the oatsido freak

, tl * * The one-big-uuion idea, discussed yeatoidfty in Parliament on Mr. Savage's Bill, is not making noticeablo headway in Australia, despite vigorous propaganda by its advocates. Mr. Savage explained that his Bill was to facilitate the formation not of one all-embracing union toil of ono union in tho Dominion for each industry. Largor and largor combinations in all direction.? in industry and commerce are certainly a noticeable feature of tlio day, but the existing law give.? ample freedom of combination. The ono big union to which the Minister of Labour expressed his emphatic opposition is desired almost solely by Labour extremist leaders desiring to form a combination at their own bock and call for tho purpose of usurping' tho functions of government, and enforcing the will of an organised minority on the rest 1 , of the population, tt is a port of th« machinory of "class

yar" puro and simple, and an item in ft programme that is iho negation of democracy. Certain Australian Labour "bosses" desire it, but tlie rank and file there liavo shown a decided disinclination for it. and a strong liking for their present freedom.

That all persons entering Now Zealand should bo required to give soma evidence of their loyalty is a good idea In principle. Wandering individuals of nondescript nationality have been in evidence here and elsewhere busily inciting all jvhom they can get to listen to them ito schomes of wild' destruction of existing institutions. In a democratio country liko New Zealand, whore a majority of the people can effect almost any change they like, eruch persons can have only one object in view—that of leading disgruntled minorities on to courses of violence and disorder. They are enemies of the public, but they are not at all likely to bo kept out of .the country by requiring an oath of loyalty from everyone coming in. We certainly think Jt would bo an excellent thing if all electors on being first enrolled had to take un oath of citizenship that would impress upon their minds tlieir responsibill. ties as citizens, a responsibility in many cases taken far too lightly.

Some time ago it was remarked ih 5 these columns that New Zealand from - the Auckland point of view had its 0 southern boundary at about Taumarunui. 1 But we did not speak by the card, for " 'i'aumaruuui, it would seem, is over tho ' edgo in the benighted regions that do not count. The Tanmanmui Borough Council lina been moving in co-operation with the Auckland Railways League for tho completion of the Main Trunk. Taranaki railway. According to a. letter sent to the To Kuiti Borough Counoil, it is now "satisfied' that no help can be expected from Auckland" in pressing the claims of the railway, and urges IWependcmt action by the forma, tion of a King Country Railway League, To Kuiti, being fifty rnileß further north and apparently within the real Niew Zealand, was not enthusiafltfe, and ita Borough Council merely "received" the appeal for support. It looks as if our northern friends are afraid that Taiw naki may be the chief outlet for this railway, * * * * i In damning Admiral Sims and his charges Mr. Joeophua Daniels?, Secretary of the United States Navy, omitted to answer several specific and important allegations made by the Admiral. This fact has been the pubjoct of much comment in America. For instance Admiral Sims informed Mr. Daniels by telegram that a German submarine was likely to bo in certain localities on tho American coast on. May 23, 1917. No notico was taken of this message, and no warnings were eent out to shipping. The submarin© arrived almost precisely as stated find did much idamago to American shipping, sinking no fewer than ten American ships on the first day of its appearance. On June 29, 1917, Admiral Sims eent word that another submarine would appear some time after July 15. On July 21 it arrived off Capo Cod and more American Bhip3 were sunk, no more notice having been tiiken by tho United States Navy Department of tho second warning than of the first. No doubt Mr. Daniels and President ' Wilson were too busy typing out advico , for tho British Navy to have time to i spare for details of this" sort—even if , these details did show that tho British Navy was able to supply Admiral Sima with pretty accurate intelligence.