New Age, Vol. 8, No.22, Mar.30, 1911

PAGE PAGE NOTES OF THE WEEK .................. 505 AMERICANNOTES. By Juvenal ............... 518 FOREIGNAFFAIRS. By S. Verdad ............ 507 BOOKSAND PERSONS. By Jacob Tonson ...... .:. 519 THEPARTY SYSTEM--IV. By H. Belloc ............ 508 THEOLOGY.--IX. By M.B. Oxon. ............ 520 RECENTREFORMS IN INDIA. By Syud Hossain ...... 510 THEMURDERER ..................... 522 MACHIAVELLI ON TAXATION AND AN OPENLETTER To A BACKWOODSMAN.By Cecil Chesterton 511 TRADE............ 523 THECABINET : A COMEDY. By V. Doroshwich ......... 512 DRAMA. By Ashley Dukes ............... 524 THETERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS OF THE 1611 BIBLE. By LETTERSTO THE EDITORfrom C. H. Norman, A. H. M. J. Stuart Hay, M.A. .................. 514 Robertson, Robert Jones, Teresa Billington-Greig, Mary PARIS. By Ernest Radford ............... 515 Gawthorpe, Henry Meulen, E. H. Visiak, Anthony M. SHAW AND THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.By Alfred E. Randall 516 Ludovici ..................... 525 All communications intended for the Editor should whatever tacit agreements are made to defeat its prac- be addressed to THE NEW AGE, 38, Cursitor Street, tical exercise when once it is established. In fact, we E.C. may say now that the best Unionist thought is no longer devoted to attempting to defeat the Bill as a Bill, but to devising ways of defeating it as an Act. Lord Selborne’s mission is therefore too late. NOTES OF THE WEEK. *** LORDSELBORNE deserves some credit for his passionate But a second false assumption on which his single- pilgrimage on behalf of a Unionist alternative to the speech campaign was based is the belief that public Parliament Bill ; but it is to be feared that he set out opinion is still making up its mind. We have ourselves with two completely erroneous assumptions. The day marvelled at the apathy of the public in the presence of is gone by, if ever it was, when rational discussion of a threatened constitutional revolution. Our first the constitutional deadlock is of any account. Nobody thought, like Lord Selborne’s, was that the issues were so obscure, the gravity so momentous and the proffered in politics is disposed now to listen even to arch- solutions so many and plausible, that the wise and .angels with new solutions. The facts of the situation mysterious creature we call the Public required time remain to-day exactly what they were a year ago, and to come to a conclusion. This apparent apathy, it might all the talking that has flowed over them has not visibly be thought, was really a profound meditation. Sooner reduced ,their dimensions. What are these facts ? or later we shouId see irresolution shaken from its locks First, that the Government remains a Government only and the giant arise with decision in its wings. Now, on condition that the Parliament Bill is unaltered by a however, it is plain that the prevailing apathy is not of comma. Second, that no new election is possible for meditation, but of sleep. It is not to minds concentrated on a difficult problem that Lord Selborne’s suggested some time. And, third, that even if another election solutions are offered, but to minds fast asleep and com- could be held, the results as far as can be forecasted pletely indifferent. Whence comes this? Are we to would leave the situation pretty much as it is. In face suppose that for the first time in its history our people of these things it is useless to talk of compromise ; that have failed to seize the significance of a great crisis? is, to more than talk of compromise. One side has to Or is not the conclusion obvious that, in fact, there is give way, with a good grace if it can, but to give way. little. significance in the crisis at all? Everybody is And that side cannot be the Government side. Lord wiser than anybody in matters pertaining to national Selborne’s appeals, therefore, however reasonable or existence ; and if everybody agrees to go to sleep on however moderate, are bound to fall on deaf ears. Self- the Lords’ issue, everybody knows, we are entitled to preservation alone compels the Government to stop its presume, that the issue does not amount to much. The ears. situation is as if the nation had entrusted Mr. Asquith *** with the right and the power to clip the wings of a Budget-eating House of Lords, and having done so had We said long ago that the real point of Unionist turned over on its side with a request to be no further attack was the integrity of the coalition. It is not the disturbed about the subject. To Lord Selborne and the Parliament Bill that needed to be criticised to pieces, but rest it therefore does not listen. Nor, so far, has any the Coalition itself and preferably the Cabinet. If the group succeeded in compelling it to listen. Remember- Unionists could have succeeded in detaching from the ing, however, what Plato said of public opinion, if any Cabinet one single member the whole structure might, party is foolish enough to disturb its slumber, we could and probably would, have fallen. But they have not prophesy their fate. The Lords will not gain by throw- succeeded in doing so. What differences actually exist ing out a Bill that has been twice approved by public in the Cabinet and how long they can be concealed when opinion, if only contemptuously. the Parliament Bill is through we can only surmise from *** the psychology of its members. Certainly no one would imagine, who has studied them individually, that they We are glad to see that the “ Spectator” has taken could act corporately for very long without the cement of the lead amongst the Unionist papers in recognising a common and pressing danger. Take away this this fact. Doubtless the “ Observer,” when its tem- danger and the group will probably fall in three. Mean- perature is down a little, will bring up the reluctant while, however, there is no sign of division, and we rear. As a matter of fact, no answer from the very have to congratulate Mr. Asquith on the remarkable first hasbeen given by any Unionist paper to our plain unity he has been able to maintain. Given its con- question : What have the Lords either as a body or tinued maintenance and there is not the smallest doubt as an order to gain by defying (as in this case they that the Parliament Bill will ostensibly become law, would be defying) King, Commons and People all at once? Assume, if you like, that these three are not To appreciate the real bearings of the situation one whole-hearted in their attack on the Lords’ veto. must realise the present relations of the local education Assume even that a good half of each of them is either authorities with the central government. ln effect local friendly to the Lords or wavering. The fact remains education authorities exist to earn grants from the that politically and constitutionally in theory as well Government in return for such educational efficiency as in practice the sovereign power of the State does as the latter chooses to demand, For the purposes of reside in the stable! Ministry of the day. We may both authorities, two sets of inspecting officials have deplore it, we may start a crusade against it, but to been created: one set by the- Government for recognise it is the point of departure in every useful the purpose of raising and appraising in grants the attempt to deal with it. And being the sovereign educational efficiency produced by local authorities ; and power it will assuredly crush any lesser power opposed one set by the local authority itself, for the purpose of to it. Nobody dreams that if the Lords throw out producing that efficiency. As can easily be imagined, the Parliament Bill, as they foolishly threw out the the two sets of persons come often into collision. The Budget, nothing particular will happen. Nobody enmity between them is not open, perhaps, but it is outside Bedlam or the “Observer ” dreams that if the deep; and it unfortunately happens that their field of issue is thus plainly set the Lords will win against the battle is the elementary teacher. Elementary teachers combined political weight of the three remaining find themselves, in fact, in the unhappy plight of having powers. On the contrary, they are absolutely certain two masters in mutual disagreement. What they are to lose not only the immediate stakes, but such others advised one day to do by the Government inspectors as they imagine are not yet in play. If to throw they are forbidden on the next day to do by the local out the Budget was attempted suicide, throwing out inspectors. If both sets of inspectors were of the same the Parliament Bill will be successful suicide. The class this conflict would probably not arise; but it is the Lords will be buried at the four cross-roads. fact that in the majority of instances the Government *** inspectors are university men, while the local inspectors This, we should have thought, was so obvious that are promoted elementary teachers. And this difference only Gamin-intoxicated Peers could be misled into of cultural origin undoubtedly magnifies if it does not thinking that their House will be allowed a second create the differences in practical administration. bite at the Constitution. But if reasoning from this Further than this, however, it must never be forgotten plane is fruitless, what can be said in reply to the that in regard to the individual teacher himself, the objection that the throwing out of the Parliament Bill powers of the two sets of inspectors are not equal.

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