“TO PRESERVE SUPREMACY.”

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 53, 24 June 1914, Page 4

“TO PRESERVE SUPREMACY.”

In the course of a speech at the Royal Academy dinner, Lord Haldane said) “We govern in the ultimate analysis in this country by the majority of the electors. Therefore, I say that under the British Constitution the party system is of our very essence, and it will bo a bad day for that Constitution if we ever get away Tronic The democracy, not only in this country, is rapidly finding its feet and is going to insist upon the burdens of life being more evenly distributed. It is becoming a more and more potent element in nubile affairs day by day. We may hold what views we like about government, but if we are wise we shall not wait until the moment of crisis, but we shall endeavor to forestall the time when the crisis comes upon vs by broadening the basis of the Constitution so as to give it stability and to distribute more evenly the burden of life. The contrasts are too great at the present time. Some people have too much; others too little; and it is not for the peace or stability of the State that that should continue to be so. I foresee a period that is coming very close when we in this country will be exposed to a competi tion far more keen than anything yet known. In other countries there has been organised a system of industrial training which by fifteen years from now, if we have not taken fore-* thought and acted, will leave our workmen, without superiors in the world at the present time, behind in the race. The only way in whicn ■we can preserve supremacy is by taking this problem in hand firmly and training the generation that Is to come so that it can support the great tradition which has been ours till now, I have often thought that our education system, withholding from tho great, of the people the possibilities that would be theirs if the opportunities were theirs, is a system which does injustice to tho splendid native talent of our land. Hidden away in the vast democracy there are men—perhaps women also—who, if we could find them and give them the opportunity, would be among the great leaders of the future. That is a reserve of talent which we have yet to develop, yet to reach. It can only be done under a national system of education.”