Hokitika guardian & evening Star SATURDAY, DEC. 14th, 1918. THE WEEK.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 December 1918, Page 2

Hokitika guardian & evening Star SATURDAY, DEC. 14th, 1918. THE WEEK.

President Wilson will have now completed his voyage to France. His presence in Europe betokens the very great interest America has taken in the war and its settlement. The President has lived well up to the traditions of the line of rulers ho follows. An Engish writer who was recently in Washington supplies the following personal touches to show what manner of nvn Woodrow Wilson is in his own country : Tho President rises at six, reads, extracts from the newspapers, writes liis speeches and some letters in shorthand and types them himself. He breakfasts at eight, goes forth in a swift car w'ch Mrs Wilson to some place where horses are waiting For them to ride, or to some lonely golf course, where he plays with liis resident doctor during these lovely autumn days. On returning he sees privileged callers, many of whom ha m been waiting weeks for an interview, Th© procedure is simply: —You go to the White House, whore your credentials are carefully examined (tho men (idling about tho grounds are detectives). You arc then accompanied by your Ambassador or an Assistant Secretary of State. At the door arc the. two tall black servants, I remember in Roosevelt’s time. They usher. you to an ante-room, and at the exact moment of the time appointed the door of a large green-lined reception room is opened and in the middle stands the President. You are wearing n frock-coat and carrying a tall hat. He is in white trousers aud bluo sergo jacket, with a tiny American flag in rubies and diamonds in the lapel of his coat, such as most American men wear. He is sixty-two, but does not look it—a strongly-built Scotsman, courteous and scholarly, with keen Arne, rican humour and the un-American faculty of saying a great deal in a few words. If ho wishes a long chat with you lie asks you to sit down or otherwise you stand up. The President is an excellent listener and lie expects yo.i to ho a concise talker. On leaving him you are expected to give him a typewritten memorandum of what you have como about.

Any person who imagines, continues the correspondent, that President Wilson' will Btop short of “Pea:s at Berlin,” or that he is not master of this country, "iniscalculatea the man It is said that he surrounds himself with weak men—“rubber stamps,” as they call them here. I do not know whether this is true or not. I think that 'he American Cabinet is very like a certain British Cabinet. A cynical Republican said to me, “Look round Washington and you will find an exact, replica of your own Government.” Thoro is this difference, however. On top of all is a really great man with absolute power; pationt, resourceful

and very determined when it comes to an issue. My own impression is that he could not have got his polygot' ■ peopio into the war before he did. He is stated to have said, “I had the choice of two courses—going early into the war with a reluctant people, or going : when I did with a willing people. And j anyone who mixes with the enthusiastic people at this gravo time will admit that they are indeed a willing nation. They will not flinch from any , sacrifice — of that lam convinced. j The cable news gives us particulars j almost daily of the atrocities of the eue- ! my. Dr Muehlow in his revelations of ini ternal Germany discloses somo of the 1 ruthless incidents which came under his personal notice and recalls the Kai- . sorb? injuction to the Gorman troops ! when departing for China. This week there was the shocking story'of the tat- : tooing of British prisoners. Here is another phase of G-ennany’s ruthlessness in yet another sphere of the world: The British Administrator of the captured German colony of South-West \ Africa, in a report published as a Blue i Boot gives appalling evidence of Geri man misrule—largely based on officii 1 documents found in the Government offii ces at Windhub. There was no law i for the natives who from the beginning ! were cheated and more and more brutally treated and subjected to fiendish cruelties, torture and murder. They were deliberately goaded into rebellions, in the ruthless suppression of which the tribes involved were virtually exterminated. One official order was that no Herrero—-man, woman, or child —was to receive mercy—“ Kill every one of them and take no prisoners.” The official German figures of the population" tell a plain tale: 1904 1911. • Hereros 80,000 15,100 Hottentos 20,000 9,800 Berg Damaras ... 30,000 12,800 Settlers who had natives working for them were allowed to treat them with inconceivable cruelty. Native women suffered abominable treatment at the hands of the European officials and settlers. The universal feeling of the natives is against being returned to German rule. With regard to the fate of the German -colonies. Mr Balfour recently stated:—“Here again, is a pent upon which there can he no misun l?r- •* standing and upon which the Germans stand on one side and we stand on the other. I say it is impossible to conceive that any conversations can bridge over a difference so deep or ' restore to the power of the Germany ‘ those unhappy populations which she had misused and give back to Germany I the control of those naval bases which would miakio her thlo controller not merely of the lines of communication f which join one part of the British Em 5 pire to another but would make her tile - mistress of the lines of communication J of the civilised world.”

The United Kingdom is enthralled with a general election the most notable in history, because of the extension of the franchise. Over seven million votes have been added to the rolls, while the electorates have been revved to eliminate the pocket boroughs. , There is the indication that the election will be a sweeping victory for Mr Lloyd George. He stands at the head of the Coalition party rather than a National party, and the main points of tho platform he has enunciated deal with the outcome of the war. The elections seem to follow quickly on tho armistice, but before tho armistce was a hopeful possibility, the elections were foreshadowed, and Laboour was very bus preparing for tho contest. Mr Lloyd George did not appear satisfied with his position, he wanted a definite vote as Primo Minister. When the armistice came, and peace was in sight, he felt it more essential than ever that he should go to the Peace Conference only with the confidence of the nation behind him. Tho predictions are all in his favour, and it would be peculiar were they otherwise. Ho has borne the heat t ml burden of the war on the political side, with wonderful courage and esource. He made victory possible. I\\ ]iis suporior powers of organisation. Whenever the nation was weakest in its ability to fight on, he came to the rescue and so organised tho vitalities that tho shortage was made good and Britain kept on the road to victory. His task was of a super-human character, almost, and lie has passed througn tho ordeal winning over his political enemies who now fight under his leadership for the common good of the nation. 51u Lloyd George’s policy is to deal with the outcome of tho war in a complete way, and his Bristol speech shows how determined he is in his own mind to do wliat ho considers most needful. The nation without his forceful presence at the Peace Conference would bo at a disadvantage. It is to bo hopoci that the result of the polling will be to demonstrate in no uncerain way tlie real strength of his mana in Great Britain. I and in effect mako his representa- ! tions moro influential than ever. There will be soTne delicate questions to settle at the coming gathering and a lead oi a backing from Britain under the leadership of such a one as Mr Lloyd Georgo will be of great influence. On the loading policy questions be is frank ana free in the expression of liis views as to what lie wants. The sacrifices and etie work of Great Britain throughout the war, from tho moment he plunged into tho fray as th 0 defender of a small nation, oro so well-known and understood, that in point of fact they cannot bo gain said. Another factor to enhance I the prestige of Great Britain and its j Primo Minister is that of tho conduct of tho war from a British point of view. : The rules of warfare were carried out j with scrupulous fair play, a fact which the. United States had to admit when playing the part of a neutral. Mr Lloyd George’s leadership was directed with wisdom and humanity and not ouly placed Britain in the forefront, but kept it there to the end. His record is such that tho whole glory of it is reflected on the nation and it would bo nothing short of national disaster wore ho not sent back to office with a sweeping majority of the country behind him. The dissatisfaction with the late session of Parliament as falling far short of the needs of the occasion is beipg expressed very freely by the Press of New Zealand, j An ardent supporter and follower of ■ Mr. Massey such as tho Christchurch “Press” thus comments on tho end of tho session Every dav for days cast everyone who takes politics seriously has opened' his morning paper with 1 gome uneasiness, wondering what mis-

take Parliament might have committed during the ' preceding 'evening. Measures of the utmost importance were introduced without notice and rushed through the House ; attempts by members to discuss the Governmen’s proposals were sometimes treated by tho Prime Minister almost as if they wore a form of Bolshevism or Boloism; the House was even asked to pass into law, not merely without discussing them, but even without seeing or understanding them, proposals of tho most important character. In short, Parliament beat a.ll the existing records of tho old annual scandal of “end of the sossion” rush and confusion. Towards tho very end tho demoralisation became so extromo that in respect of two separate Government Bills wc had tho extraordinary spectacle of the Ministers responsible for the measure being opposed by some of his colleagues. Wo are not going to discuss in detail all tho extraordinary performances of t 1 ’-' ion, or to recall, as we could do ;.i any length one might desire, the protests made in the past by tho Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward and their colleagues against this method of transacting, the country’s business-. The circumstances, it is true, were exceptional; but they had their origin in the fact that the two party leaders would not consent to tho holding of a session in their absence. This is much to be regretted, for it will play into the hands of the extreme Labour Socialists.

In continuing its strictures the paper proceeds:—On more general rounds also it is regrettable for the longer the system lasts under which Parliament surrenders its independence and hands its authorities to tho Cabinet, the more diffi cult will it be to,rcturn to sound and constitutional practice. Parliament’s abandonment of its true functions during the past fortnight did not, unhappily, stop with the neglect- to revise the Government’s measures affecting the population. It included a failure to require from the Government, a modification or abandonment of the extensive and easily abused powers conferred on tho Government by the War Regulations Act. The Government are still able to issue Orders-in-Council of the most drastic kind ; they possess powers which, in view of the ending of the war, no Government should he allowed to retain. A hardly less serious blot on the sessional record is Parliament’s acceptance of the Government’s proposal that Supply should automatically continue until Decembcr_next. As we understand this section of the Appropriation Bill the Government will next session * be able to dispense altogether with Im prest Supply Bills—those monthly measures which arc the House’s only sure safeguard of its power of criticism and review of the Government’s general administration. It has been a remarkable session, and although some useful legislation lias come of it, not a very creditable one; and if its continuance were to mean a continuance of hasty and illconsidered action, wo can feel thankful that it is over.

This annual change in the chairmanship of the Westland County Council took place during the week, Mr. Bernard Ward vacating the chair in favour of Mr. T. W. Duff who was eleoted unanimously to the position. The post usually attracts competition, but apparenly by common consent, Mr Duff, who is the senior member of the Council now holds the presidency of the Council. The eu-logy-passed upon the retiring Chairman was well deserved from every point of view. Mr. Ward has had a busy round of office during the year, and has filled the position admirably. Mr Ward made an excellent Chairman, and the business of the year seemed to pass with great smoothness. Mr. Duff, as a member of long standing, and a former occupant of the chair is not likely to find the situation novel or difficult. County government appears to run in very agreeable lines of late years, and as a matter of fact the Westiand County Council in point of indebtedness and freedom of assets standstill an excellent position when compared with other bodies of a similar character on the. West Coast. Now that the war is passing and the break will not he on public works expenditure to such an extent there will he work for the County Council to do in watching local interests and developments to the fullest extent possible. The district has highly promising prospects in different avenues ,and the assistance which a local body can give in these matters is helpful always. There should be a busy and important year ahead for Mr. Duff who is sure to throw his energy into the work and where his assistance will be of value lie is certain to' ho a ready worker.