WITHOUT PREJUDICE

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 66, 10 December 1921, Page 6

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

NOTES AT RANDOM (By T.D.H.) No ' settlement ■o£ the ; Irish, question* it seems, ivill be satisfactory to Mr. de Valera if it is acceptable to the British. There is hope of German solvency now that the paper supply- there is reported as giving out. '- - '• In view of the state of China there is misgiving lest when the nations cease wrangling about the Open Door and do open it they may find no one at home. Germs are frequently caught on the fly. The view in Labour Extremist circles appears to lie that there is every reason io believe Bolshevism would be a success if it could be tried.on a nation that . did not want to eat. As we were reminded in Parliament on Thursday, Russia is not' the only place where Socialism has been tried as a practical working experiment. Just abou; thirty years ago some 600 souls set qiit from Australia to found a socialist colony out. in the wilds of Paraguay—or rather two colonies—one called New Australia and the other Cosme. To-day there are nine of the original settlers at New Australia . and three at Cosme. On New Australia there are one hundred people all told—white, brown, and piebald. The socialistic idea seems to have evaporated. There was trouble almost from the jump. For instance, there was the Pig question. The ’ work-manager appointed Jack to look’ after the ' pigs. Jack objected—said he hadn't come all the way from Broken Hill to feed pigs. Ho had read acres and acres >of highflown stuff about Communism and brotherhood, and in the whole' lot hadn't once met pigs. So Jack rebelled. They hauled him up before the throne, and. told him that he would have to obey orders. Jack said he would be hanged if he would feed pigs,' anyway—he would rather have his money 'back. So they expelled! Jack, and he didn’t get his money back: One of the survivors who stayed on oh his • individualistic own after Utopia came down with -a thud, wrote to the Sydney' ‘‘Billle+in” ■ a few months ago and gave these facts. They were dragging along, he said, and every now and then one of’them would think be was going to make his pile, and buy one of the motor-cars they read about. There is a gentleman still out there who used to lecture every Sunday on a soapbox in Sydney Domain bn “Capitalism versus Communism.”

Mr. Holland says that nobody would call New Australia Socialism. From what Dr. Bumpus can recollect that was what everybody did call it. The New Australians themselves also seemed to think they were- ushering in Socialism ; and one of the survivors is quoted as saying that the people who want Socialism only think they want it,'and what they really V'ant is something quite different. Dr. Bumpus-points but to me that as no two Socialists' have ever been kn’owix bo affree as to what Socialism tho point whother the New ’Australian's were Socialists or not is naturally open to 'dispute. Socialism is something that ■is a success' when put into practice, and'as nothing called Socialism, has ever been, a success when put into practice it follows that the truly socialistic theories are the ones that have not been tried. It is these rash .people w-ho will insist on ’trying things out who do so much damage to the cause, the Doctor says

' The late Bishop Creighton in his early days Was offered a new post, but was uncertain for some ■ time -whether to accept it. One of his daughters was asked by a caller whether her father had made up his-mind.’ She replied: "Fatber ; s >in the study praying for guidance, but 'mother s upstairs packing up.”-

Independence As- very much in the air just now,- and there .are people who de-clare-th at the. United Ulates will be more sympathetic towards Britain’s worries when the Filipinos get their Sinn Fein movement going ■ properly. What. inde-pendence-stands for -in the • Philippine Islands may be- gathered from a little outburst of a disappointed Filipino candidate who had- contested an election and been lieaten badly. He rushed .into the party headquarters boiling with indignaiion. "I’m for independence!” he bellowed. “I’m for independence at onoe! If only these cursed Americans were out ■ of here I’d come into town with a thousand- of-my bolo men, nnd wipe out the : gang that defeated me and-get the governorship. ' It’s all the fault of these vile interfering Americanos. They’re always' insisting on law and order. Vive la independencia!” -

Albert comes from Ireland, though he likes'New Zealand better than Cork now. The other day (he'went to the dentist, who'took a tooth out, and they asked him afterwards whether it still’ hurt. “Sure, an’ how do I know?” said Albert. "Hasn’t the man got it wid him?”

It- would seem that the garter has become an indispensable part of female fashion once more. The daintiest effects in pale z blues and pinks are most in demand, and ■■ particularly the 'occasionally visible garter of the "now you see; it, now you don’t” style. It■ is the abbreviated skirt and the garter worn below , the ■ knee that is the newest fad in tho United States,- and its popularity is perhaps indicated by the fact that a play, entitled "Getting Gertie’s Garter.” is one of few prevailing successes of the season. ’. . • • •'

Speaking of garters, have you heard one of the latest? Three young students from a certain college, which shall be nameless, espied a pair of garters’of silver tissue in the window of a shop'wherein was known to breathe a fair young charmer. Thinking to take a rise out of her, they ventured into the shop, and, pointing to the leg-circlets, asked the price of one of the dog-collars. With that instinctive resource in emergencies possessed by the fleetttongued sex, she said,’ looking her sweetest. “We don t separate them for puppies!”

A veracious American journalist who is up in these things stales that lie has reliable news that the ex-Kaiser is going the same yay as his • maternal great-great-grandfather King George 111. George the Third came to the throne at an early age, and his Ministers took advantage of his youth to overwhelm him with long speeches. One notable day later in life ho had his revenge, for ' when his liiind gave way he was in conference with two of his Ministers, lie suddenly stopped one of them in, the midst of a sentence, and started talking himself, continuing without a break for eighteen hours. At the close of this speech the physicians", Queen Charlotte, and the attendants' formed the only audience. It is noy stated .that the ex-Kaiser not long ago invited a company of Dutch savants and the well-known Danish scientist, Dr. Poulsen, to be" his guests at Doorn to hear him lecture on his excavations at Corfu, made on his pre-war cruises in the Mediterranean. * From the moment the guests took their phices at the dinner-table, between 6 and 7, it seems the" dethroned monarch started off on a monologue which continued without interruption until 3 in. the morning. The guests could not get a word in edgewise—and that was cruel to' professors. However, it does not follow because a mat) is excessively loquacious he is insane, or a good many other people beside the exKaiser, would be requiring supervision. THEY KNOW. This is a fact, not merely wit, On any job, my son, • ■ The men who ale not doing it Know how it should be done.