BRITAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 March 1916, Page 5

BRITAIN.

: THE GERMAN CANCER. li «50K£ FKOM MR. HUGHES. ■- •4 SAMSON AND THE PHILISTINES. *-sA* V'*"-. Mr. Hughes, it the Chamber of Commerce dinner, declared that the cutting silt of the cancer of German trade was no task for a weakling, and only by the most supreme effort could they take advantage of the tremendous opportunity. 'Many wished England to win, but did wish it so much as to be prepared jj? a I ' e g ar(l everything else, not only life |flufc wealth and business, as dross. But that was the only spirit whereby victory eould be won. The policy of leaving the broad principles of this great question until after the war was a phantom jp'iieh would lead to destruction.

What ho suggested was an economic volution, but they must face and settle •i!e question of British policy. Laissez faire wa,s no more suited to the present circumstances than was the blowpipe of a savage fitted to face a Nordenfeldt. The change involved was more than a fiscal change, it involved a self-contained Empire. Since the war, owing to the navy, we had had time to .make good the almost criminal neglect of the past. If Britain had listened to Lord Hoberts and been as ready on land as at sea in all probability the peace of the world would never have been broken.

Mr. Samuel, replying to the toast of the Imperial Ministry, said that the Government had unshakcablo confidence in the ultimate result of the war. They had felt confidence that the. dominions would rally to the flag, and that confidence had been fully justified. Therewas a widespread feeling that after the war Britain would he unable to enter again into friendly trade relations with her enemies. Before Parliament undertook the remodelling of trade relations a great, number of difficult problems would require consideration that was not now given. They would have to consider not only commercial, but constitutional questions.

He thought the present constitution of the Empire could not be the fina' form. For himself lie might say that the Mother Country wa9 very ready to admit the dominions to a share in decisions on policy ag soon as the dominions were ready. It was not impossible that they wo-.ild be able to create a true organic unien of the Empire without detriment to the lreedem of each of its parts. PRESS COMMENTS. The Times says that Mr. Hughes' speech has all the qualities of true statesmanship, and suggests that the Government should ask him to go to the Paris Conference, though the people of Canada, New Zealand and South Africa might think it invidious if they were not represented.

Tlic Daily Chronicle, in a, leader, describes the speech as a strong, almost missionary, plea for national Imperial organisation and a fundamental change in the current ideas of Government as applied to economical and national matters. Mr. Hughps' natural unfamiliaritv with internal British politics tends to make the application of his theory less striking than the theory itself. The Evening Standard, in an amusing leader headed "Samson and the Philistines," warns Mr. Hughes not to lose, his precious quality of virility. It says that, civilisation has advanced so far that it does not kill dangerous statesmen, but dines them and dazzles thorn with fair women instead. But Mr. Hughes knows, as Mr. Asquith does not, that a gigantic dumping scheme is being elaborated to enable Germany to recover 'her lost market. The social engines are already mobilised-against him, but we hope he will not he perturbed by the seductions of Mr. Harcourt. The Daily Chronicle's Melbourne correspondent cables that the Coalition Ministers' speeches published in Australia conveying' an intention to' consider a scheme for closer political union between Australia and the Motherland have caused alarm in political circles lest Mr. Hughes should encourage it. Mr. Hughes declined to comment on the report.

THE RED CROSS. |

LORD KITCHENER'S TRIBUTE. Received March 17, 8.30 p.m. London, March 16. Subscriptions from the moat trades towards the Red Cross Fund have reached £10,(100. Lord Kitchener, writing to Mr. Cordon Campbell, says hp is "lad of the oppor-. tunity of testifying to the great value of the services that the British Red Cross and Order of St. John have rendered. The Army Medical Corps has done admirable work, and these societies have carried,, out a beneficent task in helping the sick and wounded, and have established a strong claim to the army's and the community's gratitude, and their activities are worthy of the fullest support. ' " PICTURE FILMS. EXPORT PROHIBITED. Received March 17, 5.5 p.m. London, March 16. An Order-in-Council prohibits the exportation anywhere of cinematograph films, acetic aeid, gramophone records, photographic paper, films, and plates, and radium and tungsten. WELSH COAL TROUBLES. >" Received March 17, 8.45 p.m. London, March 18. The difficulties in the Wc.lsli coal fi<-' ;i are believed to be settled for the diction of the war. A conference of coalowners and miners agreed that only unionists should be employed. The most sanguine labor leaders hardly expected tlie concession. i ENLISTMENT OP MARRIED MEN, . Times and Sydney Sun Services. ' London, March 18. The Government' has postponed the calling up of married men, aged 27 to 35, the call for whom was intended to £• iggueg.&l4t / ~~