TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 18844, 9 June 1920, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

In connection with the campaign against M. Krassin in Britain it ha-s been suggested (hat this envoy of the Russian Co-operative Societies is a German, but there does not appear to be any foundation for this belief. Krassin was born in Siberia in 1870 and contends that he is a pure Russian. When quite a young man, studying engineering in Pctrograd, he joined the revolutionaries, and under the oh! regime suffered arrest and exile. After the revolution of 1005 he had to leave Russia, and lie became an assistant engineer and electrician in the firm of Siemens and Halske, in Berlin. In 1912 he was permitted to return to Russia, and he became manager of the Siemens branch in Pctrograd. Apparently he then gave up politics until alter the Soviet revolution. In an interview ( üblish.d a little while ago in the London Times he v, as asked if he was pro-German, lie explained that he was not, in the sense in which that term is commonly understood, and he proceeded to make some observations which will have been of interest to British manufacturers. He is an engineer, he stud, and "an engineer is in the main accustomed to judge tilings exclusively from a practical point of view. There hud always bent a dnicrence between Gentian and other firms. The Germans always tried to suit the market; others, English, for example, tried to force the Russians to buy whatever they found it convenient to sell. Again, English machines were very good, but very heavy, and, consequently, expensive, because the old Russian tax was by weight. The Germans, to meet this tax made lighter machines, or made the delicate, lighter parts of machines in Germany, arid the heavier parts in Russia, thereby avoiding the tax. Further, the Germans knew Russia better, and conducted their correspondence in Russian. while the English insisted in writing in their own language, whether the customer understood it or not. Finally, the German; used to allow long credits.” There recently passed away, in Germany, Henrietta Goldschmidt- -one of the pioneers of the woman’s movement in that country. In 18(;5 she organised the general association T German women, and in 1572, founded the first normal school for the creation of a •.orps of teachers who would take charge of the kindergartens. Henrietta Goldschmidt’is labours were for sonic, time known to educators in the Uniter) States, and her name will occupy a niche in the long roll of pioneers in the snuggle for woman's advancement. By its decision upholding the Volstead law that makes tlie Eighteenth Amendment operative, the Supreme Court of the Unite u States has nipped in the bud what promised to be an interesting battle on the question of Slate rights, the question that had much to do with the American Civil Wat'. New Jersey was particularly vehement on the subject of prohibition and up to the Rim; of the Supreme Court's decision was openly defying the Federal Government in it.- e.io.ts to enforce the prohibition of liquor in that State. The governor and the legislature oi New Jersey, which may he said to lie just over the street from New York, were threat, ening secession if efforts were made to enforce the law and in the meantime thir.-ty folk from the commercial capital of the republic were enjoying brief respite from the dryness: of their city. In Rhode Island ami V, isi-on. in the position was not so ludicrous, but public op.mon was distinctly in favour oi the "wet'.” It is too soon to say the hopes of the "wets’' have vanished. The question is sine to crop up at the coining elections and there ran be little doubt that a determured eiioit will be made to secure the re-

;>eal of the iaigbleenth Amendment, an idea the.! has never reached the "lighting stage” in the history of the republic, 'im* only way of eliciting a repeal will be by the addition of another amendment and that, of course, will have to go through Inc an,, o.tth oil pioctss that is laid down by the